NAACP's focus shifts to education disparities

Houston Chronicle ^ | July 6, 2002 | KIM COBB

[JudyB1938]

After four years of trying to make a difference in the lives of inner-city children, my daughter finally gave up. She said that many of them won't even open up their test booklets, let alone care what it takes to learn the answers.

Another poster questioned whether it was a matter of intellect. That's silly. It's a matter of "WANT-TO" ... and those kids just don't want to!

So, another teacher who really cared has asked for, and received, a transfer to another school. And she is one who FOUGHT for her kids and headed up the committee to try to find ways to best motivate and educate them.

Oh, well. Their loss. Apparently, they don't care.

[laredo44]

The civil rights group in November challenged each state to produce a five-year plan

Ooooh, sounds so communistic. That should work. These guys have been in lockstep with the NEA forever and it's produced nothing but failure and more failure. They need a new approach.

"There is no denying the fact that Florida is ranked 50th in the nation in class size, 49th in student per capita spending," Jackson said. "The NAACP didn't create those facts, but it is our job to make sure there is equity in education."

What has this comparison across states to do with a within state achievement gap? It is a gratuitous, NAALCP slap at Florida for its role in the 2000 election and at Gov. Bush for being the brother of the President and a Republican. They've been doing this forever. As I said above, they need a new approach. The old ways don't work.

[TC Rider]

The NAACP has clearly shifted its focus to dealing with the gap as the largest civil rights problem in education today.

If they're shifting focus, does that mean that there are now enough blacks on tv and SC has taken down the Stars and Bars?

[Tom Bombadil]

It sounds like the NEA and the NAACP are exchanging notes on their election year strategy. They won't accept any blame for poor performance, they will embrace it lovingly as an election year club.

One would hope that the NAACP would know better. The problem with vouchers as far as most liberals are concerned is that they transfer power back to parents.

The focus here is sure to include maintaining and influencing the current power structure becuase power is everything. There are no rights and wrongs, just power.

[NMFXSTC]

I don't get it! If there is any "disparity", how does that happen if all students are in the same rooms, same teachers, same texts, etc.?

Ever listen to some of the sports interviews with "celebrity" blacks? "Dis, dat, dem, we was, etc."...

This issue is getting tired! There is NO reason any student cannot achieve...it's a matter of attitude, effort, and discipline...and those are not things that can be addressed by any school or court!

The race card sucks!

"To ensure that things be decided without regard to race, creed, color, sex, or national origin, we insist that nothing be decided except according to race, creed, color..."

[ladyjane]

Would make more sense if they challenged each black parent to come up with a plan

Perhaps all parents should come up with a plan - and kids should be required to follow it. Years ago when cities were filled with immigrants there were sometimes over 70 children in one classroom. There were no disruptions. No ADD. No acting out. The kids focused on learning or they were OUT, Their parents made sure.

[R. Scott]

Re: post#6
They regularly honor pop culture artist$ who have made a pile of money – maybe for the contribution$?

[R. Scott]

Re: post #11
That would be great – except numbers 3-10 go against everything the NAACP stands for.

[Hacksaw]

Perhaps the recent US Supreme Court decision re: vouchers has had a positive effect.

Except the NAACP was against them. I wish people would stop treating this band of racists with any degree of respect.

[Hacksaw]

I'm fairly new here, and would like to ask a question, but do not want to be banned. Is it acceptable here to raise the question of possible differences in general intellectual abilities between different genetic groups, or has that question already been decided by fiat?

Well, take a look at people who immigrate here from Africa. My old manager was an Ethiopian immigrant, and I have never seen a more hard worker.

I think that American blacks are to a large degree trapped in a viscious cycle. Those who do exceed are disparaged.

[R. Scott]

”Thus, the NAACP wants a systems that awards degrees and diplomas on black children at the same rate as white children whether they learn the same amount or not.”

I think this must have been tried back in the late ‘70s – early ‘80s.
When still on active duty I had problems with illiterate troops of all races in the mid ‘70s due to “McNamara’s 100,000". They were soon weeded out – they learned through GED programs or were forced out.
By the early ‘80s I was seeing young blacks who were proud of their high school diplomas – some even had them framed and mounted on their wall locker.
They could not read a word that was on it.

[Free the USA]

Index Bump

[Freee-dame]

encourage kids to stay in school – and strive to learn when in school.

Every student can increase achievement with a personal increase in study time. Why is this usually left off of the ways to decrease the achievement gap?

Another reason to admire President Bush with his belief in personal responsibility.

[RWCon]

Will the whining never cease?

[mafree]

On the one hand, it's good to see the NAACP turining its attention to educational disparities. On the other hand, they have to realize that it's not a civil rights issue so much as it is a personal responsibility issue.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

How does the NAACP get off on complaing about education when they have spent the last 60 years plus telling black people how bad they have been treated,what someone owes them and in general berating their people. What has the NAACP done that is really positive? What have they done to bring the family together as a unit? The only time you see the NAACP is when they are fund raising and stirring up sh--! They are more interested in filling their coffers for themselves,just like Jesse Jackson.Sure they give a little here and a little there just as tho they have built their own government within the government. They are like most politicians regardless of race they care about self first and foremost and they are in the business to agitate and stir up. Just like Hitler they want their people marching in lockstep to their tune and they refuse to really acknowledge any Conservative black,they berate and belittle them.In general they are Socialist and believe in taking from anywhere they can and redistributing to themselves,then whatever is left they will call a press conference and distribute out. Make no mind about it,they are the right hand of the Liberal side of the Democrat Socialist Party!

Bump!!

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

genetic groups

Murray and Hernstein couldn't do it, I don't suppose you probably can either. You really want to seperate out genetics from culture before you think you know what the genetic component is. That means, at a minimum, studying genetic groups in differing cultural melieus (wonder what the French plural of "melieu" is--melieux?).

I'd read Thomas Sowell on the subject before I spouted out my own opinion, personally.