Posted on 04/14/2003 12:27:26 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
I've tried to be impervious to "group think." But I've recalibrated my thinking regarding collective guilt and shame. Why? Because I'm ashamed of the low achievement today of most black kids in school systems nationwide.
Black people collectively should join me in my shame. The point being not to wallow in it, but move to do something about it.
Hugh Price, former president of the National Urban League understands, if not shares, my shame. Price's book, Achievement Matters: Getting Your Child the Best Education Possible, has identified a "crisis in our classrooms" that far too many black parents and leaders have either chosen to ignore, or are too ill-equipped to do anything about. Either way, the consequence of their inertia is alarmingly apparent, and dare I say again, shameful.
Price lays out the heart of the crisis: "In virtually every school district across America, African-American children achieve at lower levels, earn lousier test scores, are placed more frequently into special education or remedial and less challenging classes, and are discouraged from striving to excel academically, or demanding excellence from themselves. The perception is that they are intellectually inferior, which is tragically reinforced by a vocal and destructive segment within our own culture that seeks to portray academic achievement as a sell-out to a white society." Moreover, Price continues, "indifference toward academic achievement" isn't an option because it will "doom our children to a future far beneath their capabilities."
Suffice it to say, Price's book should be required reading for black parents and our leaders. It is both a prescription and a no-brainer guide to navigating the education system. More specifically, it implores black parents to turn off the television and become involved in their children's education.
How does that involvement look? It looks like the Cy-Fair Minority Parents Association, a group founded in 1991 to effect change in the Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District. Founded initially to be an athletic booster club, parents quickly recognized that their focus needed to be on failure in the classroom rather than exploits on the gridiron or basketball court.
They proceeded, as Price suggests in his book, to break down the code of "academia speak," to learn why their children, particularly black boys, were being tracked into less challenging classes. But what really moved them to action was their children's 70 percent failure rate on the TAAS test.
"I was amazed and flat out upset" about the low scores, said A.D. Moore, president of the group.
"When we started looking at the performance levels of whites, Asians and Hispanics compared to blacks, we thought, `This is unacceptable and it should be unacceptable to them (the district),' " Moore said.
What to do? The group set about to change a mindset of low expectations about black kids that permeated the district. For instance, when George Edwards III transferred from private school to a second-grade class in the district, that "mindset" was astonishingly apparent to his parents George and DeBra Edwards.
"He had a teacher who sort of felt that the only contribution a black boy could possibly make to a classroom or to a school would be through sports," DeBra Edwards said. Not to be deterred, she and her husband, who was the first black to serve on the Cy-Fair school board in 1995, got tirelessly involved in breaking down the barriers to their own son's achievement. He is now a graduating senior at Rice University, with a major in chemistry.
What happened? The Edwardses, and other black Cy-Fair parents, asked the district to challenge their children, to raise, not lower, the bar. Most importantly, they took responsibility for preparing their kids to compete.
They partnered with area churches to enlist parents in their effort. They disseminated information about tutoring, enrichment opportunities, how to get into college and shared common stories and strategies.
They also give large credit to Superintendent Rick Berry, who then was new to the district, for accepting the challenge. Now, the district has "recognized" status due largely to black students now passing the TAAS test in the 90 percentile.
Progress was not easy. District officials were initially skeptical and parents were disinterested and "lazy," DeBra Edwards said.
"I can't blame this (failure) on the white folks any more because it's really not their fault," she said. "It's our fault. In so many cases our parents don't want this responsibility. It is easier for them to allow their children to become a part of the sports programs."
And that is shameful.
Campbell, the readers' representative, is a member of the Chronicle Editorial Board. (james.campbell@chron.com)
White was unswayed: ''You're in school. I run this school, and I meet with you when I want to.'' Parents in the back clapped and nodded. ''That's right!'' said a few, calling out as if they were in church. White said he knew that some students in the crowd were making straight A's, but he wanted them to help boost the performance of the others.
One student asked the superintendent if any other Indiana school districts were hosting similar convocations. White is one of only three black superintendents in Indiana's 293 school districts. White superintendents tell him they would be accused of prejudice or profiling if they targeted black boys to improve their academic performance. ''To me, it's the truth,'' White said. ''The truth will set you free.''**
Poverty in the nation*** Is poverty pre-ordained? I think not. A married couple, both working full time at a minimum-wage job that pays $5.15 per hour, would earn an annual income of $20,600. Keep in mind that few adults earn wages as low as the minimum wage and those who do earn a higher wage after a few months on the job. If a married couple both working at the minimum wage had no children, they would not be poor; if they had two children, they wouldn't be living in the lap of luxury, but neither would they be below the poverty threshold. Let's look at poverty in female-headed households. Divorce and death of the father might explain a small part of why there are so many female-headed households. But the bulk of it is explained by people having children and not getting married in the first place. ***
Speaking Truth With Power ~ John Fund*** Black leaders who focus on racial divisions are too often showered with media attention and, what is worse, given a free pass on demagoguery. Presidential candidate Al Sharpton, handled with kid gloves by other White House contenders, comes to mind. At the same time, leaders such as Clarence Thomas, J.C. Watts, civil-rights leader Roy Innis and even Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice are often called "sellouts," or worse, for not viewing every issue through a racial prism.
Nonetheless, a growing number of black officials are breaking ranks by calling for a more honest approach to race relations. The latest is David Clarke, the elected sheriff of Milwaukee County, Wis., who accused other black elected officials of practicing a "cult of victimology" instead of making "real efforts to better the lives of black people." His critics claim that the 46-year-old Democrat is pandering to whites, but his message has struck a chord among voters of all races and could catapult him into higher office. ***
You've had 3 generations to prove you can educate America's children, and you have failed. Costs have only gone up, and quality has only gone down. It's time to step aside and give parents a choice.
Call your state representatives and tell them to support vouchers for ALL of America's children.
I know. I respect that.
I'm just saying that the most fundamental problem that the Black community has to deal with is that something like 70% of their children are born into single-parent homes.
When it comes to raising kids, that doesn't work. It can't be made to work with social programs. There is no substitute for having the traditional team of two parents.
My favorite Democrat, Daniel Monyihan (sp?), recognized this problem years ago. I don't know the solution. Neither did he.
I agree.
Yeah, they would. Since they would have to pay to park both kids in "day care". Which they couldn't actually afford. Have you priced day care? $100/week for kids -- per kid, $500/week for infants -- per infant. So only one of the two adults in this example could actually work, the other would have to stay at home. Which means the 1st adult would have to earn at least twice minimum wage.
A black friend of my husband's from college days has confirmed this, that to study and get good grades is to "act white".
Bump! And don't buy the line from public schools, "We need more money." They need better educated teachers, less bureaucracy and school days free of pc, touchy-feely, self-esteem bs.
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