Two Vans invaded Garfield High School during the 2008 – 2009 school year. The first, Van Houtte, slyly integrated himself into the community via grassroots advertising. The second, Van Jones, boldly led an assembly.

Jones came to Garfield as an advocate for both the environment and Barack Obama. Yet the assembly was neither overly scientific nor political; it was downright inspirational. His combination of charisma and credentials made him a more popular assembly guest than many before.

Jones’ credentials are extensive; he has done a significant amount of good in his time. He founded the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland, California; co-founded a political organization for black Americans called Color of Change; wrote a book, “The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution Can Fix Our Two Biggest Problems”; and founded and managed the organization Green For All, also based in Oakland.

In March of 2009, Jones was offered a position as the Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise, and Innovation for the White House Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ). Naturally, he accepted. Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins replaced Jones as Chief Executive Officer of Green For All.

While working with the Obama administration, Jones facilitated connection and cooperation between many green organizations around the country. He also earned the nickname “green jobs czar.”

Unfortunately for Jones, Fox News host Glenn Beck had a bone to pick.

On July 28, Beck called President Obama a “racist,” and claimed that Jones was a “self-professed communist.” Color of Change, with which Jones is no longer affiliated, organized a boycott of Beck’s show. Beck retaliated on August 24, running a short profile on Jones that exposed his “rowdy” past. The profile suggested that Jones is a dangerous revolutionary.

Republicans had even less faith in Jones after September 3, when it was uncovered that he once signed a petition calling for an investigation into the Bush administration’s involvement in the attacks of September 11, 2001.

A quick search on YouTube reveals videos of the environmental advisor calling former president George W. Bush “a crackhead.” And saying that only “suburban white kids” shoot up schools. And making jokes about ebonics.

Dangerous revolutionary or not, Jones’ unorthodox, often humorous speeches failed to amuse congressman Mike Pence (R-IN), who publicly showed disdain for such “extremist views and coarse rhetoric.”

According to the Huffington Post, Jones resigned on September 5 because he didn’t want to get in the way of Obama’s agenda.