Rev. Harold E. Bailey speaks “raw truth” to Dixon Elementary School students

By Rev. Harold E. Bailey

President of Probation Challenge and the PCC Network

CHICAGO, IL – Recently, I was privileged to represent the acclaimed Juliana Richards of ‘The History Makers’ at Dixon Elementary School, where I, along with the noted Lucky Cordell, spoke to an auditorium full of young men and women.

It’s always an honor for me to have the ears of our youth because it affords me the opportunity to dispel misinformation about truth and solutions. Youth are receptive to hearing raw truth, especially when it comes from the mouths of those who honestly disseminate their message. Well, apparently they cared for what was being brought to the table. They expressed their opinions during the presentation and later with questions and answers, which I considered to be great feedback!

My son, Paul Eugene Paul (deceased), graduated from Dixon Elementary School, and quite frankly, I was more than proud when I looked over that splendid body of youth and having fond memories of my son and my past interaction with the school’s staff. The staff was just as pleasant on this special occasion as they were during the days I made routine visits to the school.

Students were absolutely amazed and interested in my overall career in criminal justice and the experiences I brought to them stemming from my career as a Cook County Adult Probation Officer and Chairman of the Cook County Board of Corrections. They were also dumbfounded as to truths about our many jails and prisons! They made commitments that they would not join the ranks of those youth who have fallen through the cracks and landed in what I call ‘The Waiting Room to Hell.’

Actually, youth know very little about what goes on in jails and prisons other than what’s told to them by people that return from jails and prisons. And oftentimes those returning from prison tell lies to save face…often speaking with flowery words of deceit!  Some ex-offenders deem having done prison time as a ‘piece of cake’ … The crowd of young minds was taken aback when hearing about things that really go on in prisons and actualities of The “Criminal Just Us System”.

After my presentation and with a display of hands as to a commitment for youth to avoid the perils that lay in wait…which are designed with them in mind – the entire student body raised their hands in solidarity. The utmost goal that they committed to was in the area of education!

Lucky Cordell, a living legend in the music industry, spoke of his background and coming from Mississippi to Chicago at a young age. He told the attendees that nothing was allowed to prevent him from getting his educational training with emphasis in radio broadcasting.

In years past, Lucky Cordell was a prominent DJ on radio station WVON in Chicago. Many referred to him as the radio voice of the African American community. That WVON radio voice would expand to include the entire city and its suburbs.  Cordell was a household name which to this day has much respectability!

The film presentation of ‘The History Makers’ Commit – with The Dixon School will be aired on the PCC Network

Rev. Harold E. Bailey is President of Probation Challenge and the PCC Network

WWW.ProbationChallenge.org – The Truth Network

Written for CopyLine Magazine