Comedian Kevin Hart has established a new $600,000 scholarship fund in conjunction with the United Negro College Fund that will support the college education of 18 students from Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) schools who will be attending historically Black colleges and universities.
The Help From the Hart Charity Scholarships winners were selected for their academic and personal accomplishments. They come from the Arkansas Delta, Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
“Education and knowledge are powerful,” said Hart. “I just wanted to do my part in providing opportunities for our future leaders, especially from my Philly hometown, and show support for HBCUs. This is just the beginning; trust me when I tell you there are a lot more kids who want to go to college who don’t have the money to make it happen.”
Michael Lomax, CEO and president of the United Negro College Fund, added, “giving back to build better futures is the name of the game, and we hope that others like Kevin will understand why educational investments are so important, especially now, and step up to help more deserving students.”
Congratulations to Mr. Hart for his support of Black students. However, I wonder if he has taken a closer look at KIPP as an educator of Black children. Their deficit-based philosophies about Black children, Black parents, and Black communities are notorious and well-known among many education scholars. This is not an anti-charter statement but a cautionary warning about KIPP, in particular. Whatever “results” they might tout do no justify some of their means and underlying beliefs.