50 years later, Brown disappointments

The Washington Times ^ | May 17, 2K4 | George Archibald

[rdb3]

Fifty years after the U.S. Supreme Court ordered racial integration of public schools in the historic Brown v. Board of Education decision, middle-class flight has resegregated most big-city public-school systems.

"Why are we not all joyfully dancing, celebrating our collective release from the bondage of prejudice and inequality?" asks Ellis Cose in a report to the Rockefeller Foundation about the results a half-century after the court ruled that state-enforced racial separation in public facilities was unconstitutional.

[leadpenny]

Obviously, more needs to be done.

I know!

Reparations!






/s

[rdb3]

Yeah. Sure.

[spetznaz]

The paramount reason and core impetus behind the self-sustaining under-achievement by African-American kids in public schools stems primarily from cultural encumbrances established by in-grown beliefs towards education and scholarly pursuits. Namely, and putting it bluntly here, education does not have a high premium in most African-American homes, communities and schools.

Basically, having an A in class is to be desired less than to excel in athletics or in the knowledge of the latest urban fad and trend. In fact, in its extreme there can be downright acerbic attitudes towards scholarly excellence. I always say that the only racism I’ve ever experienced has been from other black people. The first because I was apparently trying to be ‘white’ (which was always interesting to me since I’d just come to the US, this was in 1999, and thus how would I step out of the plane ‘trying to be white?’). The second was when this African-American lady at work said I was being a ‘White-Black kid.’ What’s interesting is that in three months from when I started I had risen to a position twice-removed from vice-president, and this was not due to some affirmative-action what-not but because I was basically creating new methods for the firm to accrue additional revenue and basically shocked them all right off their socks. Hence, I guess being a ‘white-black kid’ wasn’t that much of a liability!

Anyways, I digress. Before I went off tangent, I was saying that the lack of education having a premium is one of the biggest reasons why many African-American kids lag behind. Go into any school library, and you will notice that most of its denizens are Asian-American or immigrant. Then go to the school gymnasium.

The only way this lag can be removed is for education to have a higher premium, and this will never happen through some panacea dotted out by the federal government! Nope, sorry to all who would want that. The change will have to start in the homes, and then the communities, and finally something tangible will occur. The change has to start from within going without, and not the other way around.

That is the only way. The only problem with this methodology is that it necessitates personal and community responsibility, and that is something that runs against the established grain! It is much easier to find fault with the way the state and federal government, and the school boards and zoning laws, are doing things than it is to stand up and say “I am the solution to this problem.” And as long as that paradigm shift does not occur, then the grades for most African-Americans will continue to lag behind, and more ‘why’ questions will be perpetuated!

I wish peoples’ eyes could be opened so that they could see the leviathans and dragons waiting outside the gates …currently obfuscated, but a threat nonetheless. Cryptic ending, but not that cryptic nonetheless with a little insight and a tad bit of thought.

[Caipirabob]

I can't think of a single solution that can immediately resolve the issue. Sadly, it seems the current issues strangling an entire generation of certain minorities was specifically "cultivated" by liberal policies and left unchecked for years. It may take generations to undo the damage, and that's with an actual commitment to help and not exploit the situation.

Think of it... an entire generation of a people sacrificed so that liberals could increase their power base. Their potential stifled, their education thrown out the window, their futures bleak. I am sickened at the thought.

[rdb3]

You got awfully deep this time of morning!

I agree with what you say. In fact, I love to hear non-American-native blacks' opinions of us here. To most of us, an honest look in the mirror is just too much to bear.

[Drammach]

"The fact is, there is a complex array of reasons, it's not just budget, but I think resources are certainly one of the reasons why there is a big achievement gap. Like some of the schools I went to don't have labs or don't have basic resources, don't have up-to-date books and things of that nature. Clearly, you're going to be behind."

No, the complaint is clearly budget.
That, and what one considers "basic resources".
The only reason for consideration of "up-to-date" books, would be social studies..
Basic Math, Algebra, etc.. remains the same. Textbooks from the 1920's would be just as relevent today...
Likewise, basic chemistry.. English literature, and the classics.. (obtainable FREE, on the internet.) History may need some "updating", if one wishes to be PC rather than historically correct.. Geography likewise, the continents are still in the same place, only the names have changed in some localities.. Judicious use of pens and markers can solve those problems and educate at the same time..

Lab equipment is EVERYWHERE!!!! Look around you, the WORLD is a laboratory, and everything in it..
Likewise, materials for lab experiments are available. Often, at the local supermarkets, hardware store, etc..

Currently, lawsuits are under way in 27 states that challenge school-financing arrangements.
"I don't think that this is ultimately going to be solved by lawsuits, but I think they are raising a very important question, which is, what kind of resources do you really need to educate someone to be a competent, functioning citizen? I think we need to have a major national discussion about this and arrive at some consensus, and I think it's happening to some extent from all these lawsuits."

Again, this is about money.. Some would say for teachers, but I would say for more administrators. That is where the majority of this money goes...
Not the teachers, who deserve a decent salary, not the students, who deserve a decent education, but administrators, who often get in the way of both..

[rdb3]

I can't think of a single solution that can immediately resolve the issue.

There isn't any quick-fix. The things you see today were cultivated long ago. Now those seeds have given their bitter harvest.

One sure way to start is to dismantle the stranglehold teachers unions have on public education. After that, I don't know.

[Barney Gumble]

Well said.

I think lack of parental involvement is a big factor that is lacking. Indian and Asians children typically accelerate more because of the reinforcement that is placed at home. Without parental involvement, any child (whatever race) will tend to slack off.

The other problem is culture. Typically, if black man succeeds in an industry besides sports or entertainment, he is deemed a "sellout." It's encouraged in parts of black AND white society.

While I would Brown was a good thing, it alone will not solve problems.

[Jim Noble]

Liberal policy experts emphasize the comparative poverty of most inner-city families and the fact that local school funds mainly come from real-estate taxes, meaning that poor districts have less money and educational resources than wealthier suburban districts.

Yeah, that's it! Money!

It must be that all those successful all-black schools prior to 1954 had tons of cash, huh?

[rdb3]

It must be that all those successful all-black schools prior to 1954 had tons of cash, huh?

Precisely! Those are the schools that Americans, both black and white, have forgotten about. Black kids who went to those schools kicked butt in academics. They were seriously competitive. Dr. Sowell has written tons about this.

[Caipirabob]

Fortunately, I read past the title of the article this time before I made my commentary. ; )

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

Up-to-date books? If you can't read "Dick and Jane" in the early grades, you won't need any new textbooks in later years because you are illiterate. You can't use personal computers or lab equipment which requires literacy. You are finished before you ever start.

[freeangel]

"only one in six African -americans can read "

It's the NEA stupid. My guess is that even when schools were segregated, the kids had better reading scores because they were taught the basics by teachers who cared.

[Drammach]

Literacy is an absolute requirement..

The kids in my family (nieces/nephews) love to get on the computer..
I have spent the money to get them some games, downloaded others, etc.. but I demand they be able to read the instructions, notes and commentary that come on-screen.. They can NOT ask someone else to read it for them..
I will "help" them to read if it is above their reading or comprehension level, but they must make a sincere effort to do it on their own..

It has been my experience that those choices have resulted in a family that can and does read books.. ( granted, some of it is trashy romance novels, but they're actual books. )

You gotta start 'em young though, or you can lose 'em.

[Drammach]

While I agree the NEA is a major impediment to education, emphasis should also be placed on student-teacher ratio, and population density..

An urban setting can be disastrous for learning..
Too many students, not enough individual time, lack of motivation at home, (or in school for that matter) can take it's toll on any teacher, even the "good" ones..

Generally speaking, a student is much more likely to recieve a better education in a small-town, rural setting..
Better student to teacher ratio, greater opportunity for individual time, probably better access to parents, greater oversight of students by the local community, etc..

We have lost a staggering number of those small-town, rural communities...

I think we still have many teachers who care, it's just that many are overwhelmed by the "mass production" attitude of the education industry today.
Additionally, there are any number of PC interest groups that want their finger in every educational decision that is made..
Frankly, I wouldn't WANT to be a teacher under the present conditions..

[freeangel]

"Too many students"

Sorry, I stand by my original conjecture. I know this sounds like an"I walked five miles in the snow to school" story, The truth was, that I spent more than a couple of years in classrooms that had between 45 and 50 students when I was growing up. Those were the teachers that had very little time for individual attention. However I and most of my fellow students learned by being taught the basics.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

the lack of education having a premium is one of the biggest reasons why many African-American kids lag behind. Go into any school library, and you will notice that most of its denizens are Asian-American or immigrant. Then go to the school gymnasium.

. . . The change will have to start in the homes, and then the communities, and finally something tangible will occur. The change has to start from within going without, and not the other way around.

. . . and trying to do it "the other way around" obviously is not merely useless but a hinderance. "The other way around" is the soft biggotry of low expectations. It may feel good, but it is still biggotry - and exactly because it feels good ("all my troubles are someone else's fault") it is all the worse for the victim - just like a drug wouldn't be addictive if it didn't make the user feel good.

If even 25% of blacks could shake off that addiction enough to vote for the middle class Republicans instead of for the rich Democrats, the problem would be recognized to be vanishing, within a generation. Instead we have people who can't wait that long - and insist on remedies which produce no improvement in their whole lifetime. Puts you in mind of the definition of insanity as doing the same thing over and over - but expecting a different result than you got every time in the past.

[leadpenny]

This 45 minute segment starts a 9:15AM Eastern. Should be a pretty good debate along with the Call-In. Abigail Thernstrom can be quite outspoken. Don't know about Jones.

________________

Call-In
Brown v. Board of Education 50th Anniversary
C-SPAN, Washington Journal
Washington, District of Columbia (United States)
ID: 181866 - 4 - 05/17/2004 - 0:45 - No Sale

Jones, Vinetta, Dean, Howard University, School of Education
Thernstrom, Abigail, Commissioner, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights