Philadelphia Councilman Isaiah Thomas Under Fire For Lackluster Approach To Youth Voting!

October 14, 2024

Isaiah Thomas, This Is Not How You Educate the Youth on Voting

Ogbonna Hagins:

© Philly Word Magazine and Freedmen’s Journal 2.0

Each week, Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, one of the youngest American Freedmen council members in Philadelphia, joins the Evening Words radio show hosted by Dr James Braxton Peterson to discuss pressing community issues. With the election season in full swing, Thomas has recently focused his appearances on voter turnout, sharing strategies to engage voters through schools, churches, social media, and even potential collaborations with artists and content creators.

“We’re taking a bite of the apple from all sides,” Thomas stated during his latest interview, highlighting efforts to meet people where they are and encourage voting participation. From concerts to Instagram live sessions, Thomas’ approach seems all-encompassing. His role as an educator at a Sankofa school adds weight to his message, as he appears dedicated to mobilizing the younger generation.

Yet, despite his enthusiastic outreach, there is a noticeable gap in Thomas’ message. While he emphasizes the importance of voter participation, he overlooks a crucial component—educating people about what they’re voting for and their rights. Many of the very constituents he seeks to engage may not fully understand how government functions, what their rights are, or what candidates stand for. Voting without knowledge of these fundamentals can lead to disillusionment and a lack of real political impact.

This lack of attention to civic education is especially concerning given Thomas’ role as Chair of the Education Committee. In this position, he holds significant influence over policies that impact the youth. His weekly focus on encouraging young people to vote is commendable, but there is a glaring omission in his advocacy: the Freedman Affirmative Action Bill introduced earlier this year by Ogbonna Hagins, the unseated Council President.

This bill is crucial for American Freedmen students. With the recent Supreme Court decision resetting affirmative action, many mistakenly believe these programs are entirely dismantled. However, affirmative action is still available for Freedmen—the descendants of the emancipated—under the Civil Rights Act of 1866. Hagins’ bill addresses this directly, ensuring that American Freedmen students continue to receive admission preference under what many know as affirmative action.

Yet, Isaiah Thomas has not addressed this bill. As the Education Chair, it is his responsibility to ensure policies like this are discussed, particularly given their direct impact on the youth and their access to higher education. His silence on this matter calls into question his commitment to serving the very community he claims to uplift through his voting outreach efforts.

By ignoring the Freedman Affirmative Action Bill and the unique educational needs of American Freedmen students, Thomas undermines his weekly appearances on the radio. Encouraging people to vote is essential, but without ensuring they are educated on their rights, the workings of government, and the policies that could benefit them—like affirmative action—his efforts ring hollow.

If Isaiah Thomas truly wants to serve the youth and the American Freedmen community, he must go beyond promoting voter turnout. He must also support policies that educate and equip his constituents, particularly the younger generation, to fully understand their rights and the government they’re participating in. Without this, voting becomes an empty ritual rather than a tool for meaningful change.