Rave: Charles Clark, custodian at Trinity High School, in Euless, TX

I watch the CBS Evening News and one of my favorite segments is On the Road with Steve Hartman. These are "feel good" stories about people doing really good deeds. Last night's segment was especially resonant for me in light of the recent Black Lives Matter movement and in the face of deaths of young African American men at the hands of police.

Last night's On the Road segment was about Charles Clark, a school custodian who on his own volition has for decades mentored students at Trinity High School in Euless, TX. Many of the young men are African American who are often at a crossroads where they could choose to screw up with the guidance of other screw ups or to make choices that get them on  the right track. Mr. Clark started his avocation decades ago spotting troubled kids early on and  approaching them with his council. He's had so much success getting kids on the right track that school guidance counselors refer kids to him. Some of his mentees have gone on to further education and beyond.

We often talk about the achievement gap and the wealth gap. I recently heard an interview with best selling author Wes Moore  that ends with him talking about the expectations gap which he characterizes as today's most dangerous gap.  He's right. And, we all may share varying degrees of low expectations for young black and brown men and boys. This is the beauty of Charles Clark's example.  Decades ago he just assumed kids he spotted could do better and had done something about.

If the Black Lives Matter movement really believes black lives matter, maybe a few percent of them should take a lesson from Charles Clark's example and find a way to mentor some of those young black lives. This will not solve the problem of racially biased and inept policing. But, it can set some of these young people on the right track and reduce their chances of interacting with police.  Michael Brown might be alive today if he hadn't robbed a convenience store then triggered an encounter with officer Wilson while walking in the street. Eric Garner might be alive today if he didn't have an encounter with the police over selling illegal cigarettes.

Just a thought.