OMG! The “Beats”! I taught in a predominately black school district for 10 years. That’s all those kids did was beat on their damn desks! Sometimes they didn’t even realize it, the blank stares. It was automatic. It was just mindless. Sometimes I would see them pick up a pencil sideways with their hand poised and give them a look or call their name and break the trance. They would say, “But I gots ta have mah beats!” I used to say, I’ll give you a beat you won’t forget, now knock it off and focus! I never allowed it, they would start and if they didn’t stop, there was a consequence. And then the middle schoolers would always want to show me how to beat. The beats - that drove me up a wall more than anything.
I recall several months ago that you shared some of your experiences in attempting to teach negro youth. I believe you have more than enough experience to write a book that spells out the festering mess that belies the bleating ‘Diversity is our strength.’