According to a November 11 article in the San Francisco Chronicle, State Superintendent of Public Insruction Jack O’Connell believes “widespread cultural ignorance” is at the root of the African-American achievement gap in California schools. According to O’Connell, “black children learn at church that it’s good to clap, speak loudly, and be a bit raucous. But doing the same thing at school, where 72% of teachers are white and may be unfamiliar with such customs, will get them in trouble.” Why does California have such a person controlling kids' education? O’Connell was financially backed by Los Angeles billionaire Eli Broad and other wealthy interests seeking to undermine our public schools. Anyone who sees the problems of African-American achievement as linked to church attendance has no business holding such a job.