Here’s Bill Cosby being interviewed about the impact of offering a powerful, positive symbol, as he did in the fake TV life as a middle class black physician.

 There’s an argument circulating that “The Cosby Show” laid the groundwork for President-elect Barack Obama by presenting an appealing black family, the Huxtables, to young TV viewers who grew up equipped to thwart stereotypes and barriers.

Writer Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez called her theory “the Huxtable effect,” a counter to the so-called Bradley effect (named for failed black California gubernatorial hopeful Tom Bradley) of possible hidden racism among white voters.

Ask Cosby, 71, his view of the part his 1984-92 NBC sitcom played as political groundbreaker, and the man who looms large as both a comedian and blunt commentator on black America first offers a measured appraisal.

“I was amazed when the young woman’s theory came through,” said Cosby. It sounds plausible, he mused, recalling the show’s immense popularity and the many times that fans said Cliff Huxtable reminded them of their dad _ their white dad.

But he chafes at what he calls the “Karl Rovian” interpretation, referring to the Republican strategist’s Election Night comment on Fox News that viewers embraced the Huxtables as “America’s family” and not a black one.

“The reason why he’s in the White House is Cosby? No, no, no,” Cosby said.

He suggests looking beyond the influence of a TV family to that of a real one: the household in which the future president was raised.

He cites Obama’s account of being woken early to do his homework and his mother’s refusal to brook any complaints. Cosby bows as well to Michelle Obama and her father, who refused special treatment despite multiple sclerosis.

“This is what Michelle and Barack are made of, the things they see” in their parents, he said.

‘Tis the season for uncorking test scores for 2008, and that includes my favorite school ever, Excellence Charter School located in NYC’s Bed-Sty neighborhood (see the boys in that photo from the website; they actually look that happy when you visit).

Here are the fresh test scores for Excellence, an all-boys charter school located in what I believe is politely referred to as a transitioning neighborhood.  Read: Parents don’t wear ties to parents’ night. When I emailed Jabali Sawicki, the school principal, about his scores he wrote back with this:

90% of our 3rd Graders scored proficient (3) or advanced proficient (4) on the ELA Exam; 100% of our 3rd Graders scored a 3 or 4 on the Math Exam; 97% of our 4th Graders scored a 3 or 4 on the ELA Exam; 100% of our 4th Graders scored a 3 or 4 on the Math Exam.

Translation: That’s good. Added Sawicki:

To provide some context, Excellence 3rd and 4th Graders outperformed –in both ELA and Math — every school in District 16 (where many of our students are drawn) and every District in New York City. 

Some backstory about Sawicki. I first met him at a University of Maryland conference about the boy problems and then invited myself up to NYC for a visit that resulted in this editorial:

From Boston’s Roxbury Preparatory Charter School, where he once taught science, Sawicki took the winning math curriculum. From the highly regarded KIPP schools, where he received leadership training, he adopted the cheers that keep antsy boys focused. From the Milwaukee College Preparatory School, he borrowed oft-repeated maxims: “Excellence is not an act but a habit!”

 Much later, Andy Rotherham (of Eduwonk fame) and I wrote this piece for Education Week about how elite charter schools were surging ahead. Bottom line: Not only was Sawicki able to meld the best of his charter school teaching background with the most effective boys’ instruction techniques he could find, but his school launch was quarterbacked by Uncommon Schools, one of the best charter groups in the land.

The result is Excellence, a school that should be a mandatory visit for school leaders, whether they come from traditional, charter or private schools, thinking of forming all-boys classes. Sawicki can tell you things the U.S. Department of Education hasn’t even figured out it needs to learn about single-sex education.

Jabaili…don’t kill me, but I’m inviting all the school leaders who launched single-sex schools or classes this year (it’s in the hundreds) to visit you in your award winning new digs. A round of Danish for the first visitors is on me; after that, I have no idea who these people are.