Million Father March Tuesday encourages men to get involved at school, home

Local organizers are involved in a national effort to improve students' lives at home and at school.

Dedric Doolin, president of the Cedar Rapids chapter of the NAACP, is promoting the fifth annual Million Father March to encourage men to play bigger roles in the lives of young people. It asks fathers and other male caregivers to walk children to their first day of school, which is Tuesday for the Cedar Rapids district.

Doolin said he and many others are concerned about African-American students' academic achievement, and he says the presence of a strong father or father figure translates to better grades, better test scores and the cultivation of moral character.

“Fathers are the only ones who can teach their sons what it means to be a man,” Doolin said. “Good male role models taking an active interest in the lives of kids will bring down the chances they might become involved in gangs or other types of criminal activity.”

Doolin said playing an active role in a child's life is a year-round commitment. He said the effort extends to all races and also encourages mothers to take more active roles in the education of their children.

The Million Father March was started by the Black Star Project in 2004 and last year involved 600,000 men, women and children.

Doolin said that playing an active role in a child's life is a year-round commitment, but also said what better day to start than the first day of school. He hopes that through various Cedar Rapids churches, community centers and civic groups, area caregivers will show their support for their communities and their children Tuesday.