NAACP issues call to end inequality in schools

AP ^ | Nov 15 2001 | Tamara Henly

[stainlessbanner]

WASHINGTON

[HeartOfDixie]

Its time to make all the white kids as dumb as the black kids coming out of publik skoolz.

It's been been going on for some time now, right before our very eyes.

[summer]

He said many inner city and predominately minority schools lack qualified teachers and adequate educational resources. Also, Mfume said, the schools have a higher rate of student suspensions and expulsions, and increased placements in special education.

Dear NAACP President Mfume:

As a FL certified teacher who taught in an inner-city public selemtanry school, where only ONE of my students came from a TWO parent home and ALL of my students were black and qualified for free breakfast and lunch from the federal government, and I spent over $1,000 (one thousand dollars) of my own 1st year teacher's salary on school supplies for my students, here is what I have found to be the biggest obstacle for black students:

They lack parents. Literally. This is not a criticism of caring, black parents. This is a criticism of NO parents.

Can you do something about that? Black students never seem to have TWO parents.

Sometimes they have one -- but, often these kids are in the custody of relatives. And, shuffled from relative to relative, and school to school, if mommy goes to jail, because: daddy's identity is still unknown. And his whereabouts are still a mystery.

I am not trying to be rude or funny. I am dead serious. ALL STUDENTS -- including: black students -- would improve in their academic achievement overnight if SOMEONE WAS AT HOME TO SUPPORT THE LEARNING THAT WE TEACHERS TRY TO DO WITH THESE STUDENTS ALL DAY IN SCHOOL.

Could you help us teachers out here? Please? Every kid WANTS two parents. Even ONE parent would be a big improvement for some of these kids.

Then, after you get TWO parents for these kids, we can talk about whatever else you think you need. But, first, do YOUR part, as GW, Jeb Bush, the rest of the GOP and teachers like me did NOT create these kids.

I wish you would find the men who did. These kids need their fathers.

Thanks. Seriously.

Sincerely,

summer

PS AGAIN: Please note that ALL students are helped by having TWO parents. INCLUDING BLACK STUDENTS. PLEASE GET A CLUE as to WHY the black students often have so many problems in school. Pick up any educational research done on the influence of parents on students in the past 50 years and you will see what an influence parents have on their kids' academic achievement.

Better teachers and more money are wasted on kids who go home each day to a empty home -- or a crack house. And, believe me, I know such sad circumstances can happen to kids of any color. But, I'm giving you the facts. PLEASE WAKE UP SOON.

PROMOTE MARRIAGE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES. GET THE TWO PARENTS TO MARRY EACH OTHER.

STOP THE HIGH TRANSIENT RATE OF THESE STUDENTS WHO CHANGE SCHOOLS FIVE TIMES A YEAR BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO PARENTS: THEY ONLY HAVE TEMP GUARDIANS.

THESE TRANSIENT STUDENTS' LEARNING IS SEVERELY INTERUPTED. WE TEACHERS ARE IN OVER OUR HEADS WITH YOUR COMMUNITIES. WE CAN'T FIND THESE KIDS' PARENTS.

THERE IS NO ONE TO READ WITH THESE KIDS AT HOME. NO ONE TO WORK ON HOMEWORK WITH THESE KIDS. ALL THE LEARNING BY THESE KIDS ENDS WHEN THE BELL RINGS AT THE END OF THE SCHOOLDAY. EVERYTHING WE DO GOES OUT THE WINDOW. PLEASE HELP US TEACHERS FOR A CHANGE, OK?

AGAIN: NUMBER #1: PROMOTE MARRIAGE. FIND THE PARENTS - BOTH OF THEM. GET THEM MARRIED. OK?

PLEASE WORK ON THIS. Thanks!

[hinckley buzzard]

...federal Office of Civil rights could be asked to investigate disparities.

Simple bastards. Don't they notice that the schools depriving Black children of a quality education are largely in core urban areas, and all run by Black administrators and Black school boards?

I want to see this. Who are they going to blame when the perpetrators are themselves?

[summer]

BTTT to your post #15, and see my post #22. From your fellow teacher, summer :)

[summer]

Please see my post #22, and thanks so much for your freepmail. Sincerely, summer :)

[summer]

selemtanry = elementary

[bjcintennessee]

So they want us to just keep poring money into this black hole ... um -- no pun intended. (well maybe just a little)

[summer]

a empty home = an empty home

[Amelia]

We are singing from the same hymn book, sister.

Maybe the NAACP should support vouchers, then start their own private schools for these inner city children, and see if THEY could find a way to help the children achieve.

[mathurine]

How com' he don' notis dis befo' durin' de previus adminstashun or durin' de time he be in congress?

[Elkiejg]

WOW - Summer - what a great post in #22!!! Did you send that to the NAACP??? If not, you should. Well said.

[Amelia]

We don't need lower standards. We need to acheive. NAACP, look up, not down.

I agree, and I agree that most of these children can succeed. I've had children tell me that they couldn't remember their lessons. I ask them how many songs they know - they usually know a LOT of songs. Then I tell them that if they can remember the words to all those songs, they can remember their schoolwork, IF THEY WANT TO. (Most of them have no answer to that.)

[summer]

I honestly think some of them should start charter schools in black churches. That would REQUIRE parental inivolvement. And -- THAT would require some PARENTS. TRY THAT SOLUTION: MARRIAGE FIRST, AND THEN KIDS. AND, PARENTS IN THE SCHOOLS ALL THE TIME. TRY IT.

Whew. Thanks, AMelia. I'm surprised I didn't make more typing mistakes in that letter I wrote above. This is such an emotional issue for me. Because I saw it for real. And blaming the government is not really true: there is plenty more blame to go around to explain what happens to black students. Starting with a common problem: NO PARENTS EXIST.

[Sgt_Schultze]

His actual "slave" name is Frizzel Gray. And I believe he actually has 5 children by 2 women (none of the women he has bothered to make Mrs. Gray-Mfume, by the way).

[summer]

Thanks. You can send it. Use your name or my screen name.

The NAACP will never again get my attention unless they start talking about the LACK OF PARENTS and LACK OF MARRIAGE in those communities. Because, believe me, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure out how such factors adversely affects student achievement. And, for the NAACP to NOT mention these factors is just plain DISHONEST -- both to the public, and to these black students. There is nothing any kid wants more than TWO parents. PERIOD.

[summer]

inivolvement. = involvement

[AlaskaErik]

Concerned about the slow progress in equalizing education achievement in the USA, the NAACP on Thursday launched a campaign to end racial disparities in the nation's public schools, colleges and universities.

Does this mean they will now be opposed to affirmative action?

[Elkiejg]

Consider it sent - thanks again for the good words.

[OldEagle]

I agree with what you say although I see more to it. There is a cultural problem. A-A youths are constantly being told by their so-called A-A leaders that whites are to blame for all A-A problems and that that all A-A's are owed reparations. Additionally they are part of a culture that in a large sense shuns education as a white instutution and that no A-A should participate. It has been pointed out that an increasingly larger number of the individuals in charge are A-A's. Could this be part of the solution or is it part of the problem?

[Amelia]

And blaming the government is not really true: there is plenty more blame to go around to explain what happens to black students. Starting with a common problem: NO PARENTS EXIST.

You're right. When you call a students' home, you might get Grandma, you might get Auntie, you might get a brother or a sister, but you almost never get Daddy. Some of them don't even have a daddy listed on their birth certificates. And I can't tell you how many times I've gotten Mama, and she said she'd try to talk to her child, but she didn't know when, because by the time the child got home from school, Mama would be at work, and when Mama got home, child would be asleep, and MAYBE Mama could get up in the morning before child went to school, but maybe not, because she works SO late.....