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Field trip for black students sparks controversy at Ann Arbor elementary school
AnnArbor.com ^ | May 4, 2010 | David Jesse

Posted on 05/04/2010 6:24:57 AM PDT by Darren McCarty

An Ann Arbor elementary school principal used a letter home to parents tonight to defend a field trip for black students as part of his school’s efforts to close the achievement gap between white and black students.

Dicken Elementary School Principal Mike Madison wrote the letter to parents following several days of controversy at the school after a field trip last week in which black students got to hear a rocket scientist.

“In hindsight, this field trip could have been approached and arranged in a better way," Madison wrote. "But as I reflect upon the look of excitement, enthusiasm and energy that I saw in these children’s eyes as they stood in the presence of a renowned African American rocket scientist in a very successful position, it gave the kids an opportunity to see this type of achievement is possible for even them.

“It was not a wasted venture for I know one day they might want to aspire to be the first astronaut or scientist standing on the Planet Mars.

“I also think it’s important that you know that I have talked to the children who did not go on the field trip, and I think they have a better understanding of the purpose of the AA Lunch Bunch now, as I hope you do. I’m sorry if any kids were upset by the field trip or my discussion afterwards with them, and I have let them know that.

“The intent of our field trip was not to segregate or exclude students as has been reported, but rather to address the societal issues, roadblocks and challenges that our African American children will face as they pursue a successful academic education here in our community.”

(Excerpt) Read more at annarbor.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: Michigan
KEYWORDS: annarbor; racism; schools; segregation
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To: magslinger

Dicken Elementary School Principal Mike Madison

The Principal shows up to work in a Hawaiian shirt?

81 posted on 05/04/2010 8:11:06 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (Judas Iscariot - the first social justice advocate. John 12:3-6)
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To: knarf

In today’s dire economic conditions, wouldn’t it be more efficient and cost effective to work on slowing the white kids down instead?


82 posted on 05/04/2010 8:14:03 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (Judas Iscariot - the first social justice advocate. John 12:3-6)
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To: Jeff Chandler

Do you think an ‘educator” that shows this kind of bias would let by gones be bygones?

Knowing how the left destroys ANYONE who calls them out, I think it would be prudent for students to change schools.


83 posted on 05/04/2010 8:14:57 AM PDT by Voter62vb
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To: silverleaf
Was he speaking to them in ebonics?

I think examples of a rocket scientist speaking in ebonics deserves its own thread.

84 posted on 05/04/2010 8:16:01 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (Judas Iscariot - the first social justice advocate. John 12:3-6)
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To: Voter62vb

This whole thing just brings up old memories. I never disliked school per se, it was the Principal of the thing.


85 posted on 05/04/2010 8:17:53 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (Judas Iscariot - the first social justice advocate. John 12:3-6)
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To: Tax-chick
When I saw Thomas Sowell speak (early 90s, maybe), there was a line of young girls waiting to get his autograph on copies of his most recent books.

In the first place, Thomas Sowell would NEVER be invited to speak at an elementary school; he's too conservative.

In the second place, maybe those young girls were attracted to nerds?

86 posted on 05/04/2010 8:19:40 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (Judas Iscariot - the first social justice advocate. John 12:3-6)
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To: Carley
girls CAN do math!!!!

SOME girls can. My girls are a smart as a whip, but they didn't inherit my math gene.

87 posted on 05/04/2010 8:20:55 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (Judas Iscariot - the first social justice advocate. John 12:3-6)
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To: Jeff Chandler

I think being attracted to nerds is a good thing. Nerds get good jobs!

(By “young girls,” I meant 18- to 21-year-olds, not elementary schoolers.)


88 posted on 05/04/2010 8:21:42 AM PDT by Tax-chick (It's a jungle out there, kiddies; have a very fruitful day.)
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To: Voter62vb
How about reflecting on the look on non-black kid’s faces displaying a sense of injustice?

The lesson for today is: Life isn't fair. Segregation is good in education if the goal is to maximize everyone's achievement, rather than the envy-driven goal of producing equal results. Segregate the dumb, average, smart, the girls/boys, the disruptors from the well behaved, and everyone's education can be tailored to not waste their time or taxpayer resources. The leftist goal of desegregation was to produce equal outcomes in the name of envy, not providing equal opportunities so children could develop into the best they could be.

89 posted on 05/04/2010 8:27:20 AM PDT by Reeses (All is vanity)
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To: Tax-chick
(By “young girls,” I meant 18- to 21-year-olds, not elementary schoolers.)

"Yes I do like children ... Girl children...about eighteen or twenty."
-W.C. Fields

90 posted on 05/04/2010 8:27:35 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (Judas Iscariot - the first social justice advocate. John 12:3-6)
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To: Darren McCarty; All
Boy this is a tough one, I know a retired "A Squared" teacher.

He or she would be brow beaten by the Admin-Union types that they weren't getting the grades up and it was all racially orientated, I used the word Propaganda and they agreed. But this teacher noted, these kids brought a great deal of problems and dysfunctional to the plate that they had to catch up on, and so much diversity training stuff tied their hands. The teacher was exhausted before retiring, their only recourse was to go out to the car and listen to Rush @ lunch.

My question is with a desire to get the kids to achieve excellence in a politically correct environment of obtaining the bland level of socialistic mediocrity, is this principal a closet Conservative or Republican? Wouldn't that be the kicker if that is why everyone's panties are in a wad...

91 posted on 05/04/2010 8:29:00 AM PDT by taildragger ((Palin / Mulally 2012 ))
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To: Gay State Conservative
WHAT IS WRONG WITH BLACK KIDS WANTING TO BE ROCKET SCIENTISTS????

Next on the agenda, a film about The Old Negro Space Program.

92 posted on 05/04/2010 8:31:30 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (Judas Iscariot - the first social justice advocate. John 12:3-6)
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To: Jeff Chandler

Yes, principals that don’t seem to understand principles and the growing awareness of untruths, lies, corruption and having to go along with bs...

This is exactly why the founders wanted LIMITED government. Government schools, in the guise of “doing good” are teaching racism.

And sometimes it takes people years to break free of the doubletalk.

Same for gender bias.


93 posted on 05/04/2010 8:31:55 AM PDT by Voter62vb
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To: Darren McCarty
Schools will never fix issues that arise from such a broad section of our culture defined largely by race of which a lot of the children have little or no parenting.

This fact escapes even some here who are an otherwise bright lot.

I lived through this in my experience with public schools in Nashville. Very few blacks kids (who were imported from downtown) had any support at home aside from raggedy clothes, cereal, Happy Meals and a place to sleep....they were starved for tenderness and affection...they had been dealt with harshly since birth...no, I'm not making excuses like a lib but if you neglect toddlers you can expect Lord of the Flies...trust me.

Schools can feed them lunch and breakfast in some places even and teach them a wee bit but they will only “fix” a handful.

No matter how screwed up this school was it has no effect on the outcome.

It's a shame that Obama with the ear of the black community like he has does not use his power to try to get blacks to heal their crumbled family structure.

But given what he himself came from...who is surprised. Besides...a broken black family life is is a big power base for the left.

And we can't get them to listen to us...their view of the white right has only gotten worse not better. I'm 52, this has become a permanent underclass...a rich mine vote for progressives....and now they hope to do the Mexican illegals the same.

94 posted on 05/04/2010 9:31:35 AM PDT by wardaddy (never been particularly pious but I stand with Franklin Graham...bigtime...you betcha...ya'll)
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To: wardaddy

The left has no intention of fixing the crumbling black (or welfare folks in general) family structure - it’s the source of their power.

And 0bama, far from intending to bring America into a post-racial condition, is actively seeking to incite a racial war.


95 posted on 05/04/2010 9:35:13 AM PDT by MrB (The difference between a (de)humanist and a Satanist is that the latter knows who he's working for.)
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To: Jeff Chandler

My kids did not inherit their math gene from me.......their mom. That’s for sure!!!

They got it from their dad.


96 posted on 05/04/2010 9:48:03 AM PDT by Carley (WE CAN SEE NOVEMBER FROM OUR HOUSE)
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To: Tax-chick

A couple years ago we were in a store at the mall. Books, posters, etc.

There was a youngster, pre teen, buying a poster of Albert Einstein. My kids were so impressed. They too felt there was hope.


97 posted on 05/04/2010 9:49:37 AM PDT by Carley (WE CAN SEE NOVEMBER FROM OUR HOUSE)
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To: Carley
Her high school advisor asked her why she would want to spend a Saturday going to hear that scientist.
Good heavens -- instead of encouraging her like he should have? Sad.

I didn't see anyone say what I was thinking: What lesson did they teach the kids? They taught the kids that it is OK to segregate based on race.

One of my cow-orkers in my life as a sysadmin was married to a teacher and he told this tale: His wife's grade school class (3rd, 4th, I don't recall) had a "diversity trainer" assigned for an indoctrination session. So he comes in and askes "How am I different from Mrs. Teacher?" The kids do "taller" "man" "slender" and run out of ideas. So Mr. "diversity trainer" says, well, she's white and I'm african-american.

Way to teach the kids racial differentiation, idiot!

98 posted on 05/04/2010 10:03:58 AM PDT by Peet (<- A.K.A. the Foundling)
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To: Jeff Chandler
In the second place, maybe those young girls were attracted to nerds?

If you're smart yourself, smart is hot.

Didja read the whole article? He kicked the black girls out too because there was only enough room on the bus for the boys. The comments afterwards indicate that he's had this issue at other schools he's administered, and the board just keeps moving him around. I'm not normally the suing type, but it looks like the parents are out of options.

99 posted on 05/04/2010 1:04:54 PM PDT by nina0113
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To: nina0113; Jeff Chandler

Jeff was talking about the girls going to the Thomas Sowell lecture.


100 posted on 05/04/2010 1:08:02 PM PDT by Tax-chick (It's a jungle out there, kiddies; have a very fruitful day.)
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