Columbus Forward is on the move: Moving toward a greater good.  The company was started by Frank M. Goodman, a native of Columbus and retired soldier of the U.S. Army.  The purpose of the name and business is to work with others and develop activities, programs, and assessments to help move "Columbus Forward."  The vision is to see people working together to grow racially, culturally, and educationally to move beyond diversity to integration.  We need each other to accomplish this vision.

What is Columbus Forward Trying To Do?

Columbus Forward is serious about giving back to the community.

Giving back comes in various forms: mentoring, sharing skills with individuals and businesses, creating activities and tournaments to eventually help committed participants grow, creating surveys to assess areas of interest, keeping the city leaders informed of events that represent the people and growth of the city, bringing children and adults together in the same environment to give the next generation something positive to remember.

I truly believe children learn from adults, regardless of the situations: positive or negative.

We have a responsibility to positively impact the next generation and Columbus Forward will do whatever possible to be part of positive change.  The Logo means the train is moving toward a greater good.  Get on board this train because it is not going to quit. 

     Columbus Forward has identified 23 public schools as having the most diverse student population in the Muscogee County School District and will award them with the Columbus Forward Brown versus Board of Education Public School Award for SY 2011-12, August 2012.  The schools are listed below: 

     This award was created to remind parents and school administrators of the sacrifices made by civil rights advocates and U.S. Supreme Court Judges to remove policies that would allow any manifestation of segregation or separate but equal to exist.  Unfortunately, the Georgia Department of Education school data reveals that 26 of 56 public schools – in Muscogee County – have a minority student population of 90% or above.  This has been an unfortunate constant for several years.  I hope to see the numbers decrease as I saw the more diverse schools increase.

Based on the unitary status agreement, that requested a return to neighborhood schools, some of our youngest citizens/students will repeat the words of past generations by stating, “I attended an all black school until I reached high school.”  What a shame for SY 2011 - 2012.

This has nothing to do with the students’ ability to learn or the teachers’ ability to teach; it has everything to do with challenging the values of those individuals who support the values of segregation.  If this doesn’t happen, how would Columbus become one or move forward when our future generations of leaders are now repeating our past?