Don't blame Bush or bias: Just teach kids [FL liberal blames parents -- and, defends Jeb!]

The Orlando Sentinel ^ | June 3, 2003 | Mike Thomas

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Mike Thomas

Don't blame Bush or bias: Just teach kids

Published June 3, 2003

...Black communities destroy black schools. Too many parents don't get involved in their children's education. So the kids don't care. The good teachers burn out trying to get them to care. And so they leave. That attitude goes right up the system.

"This ain't a black thing," said Bishop Victor T. Curry, former president of the Miami-Dade NAACP. "This is our children's thing."

I'd suggest he use proper grammar, but Ernest Page might accuse me of being culturally biased.

...The people who did not prepare the families are the parents. And the punitive measure they inflict on their children is a lifetime of poverty.

The kids who failed the FCAT may be victims, but they aren't Jeb Bush's victims. Their fate was sealed when they entered first grade not knowing their letters and numbers, which was long before Bush got to Tallahassee....

...At what point do we tell black kids that being 60 percent or 70 percent as good as white kids isn't good enough? The only racists I see in this debate are the ones who think black kids are too stupid to pass the test....

As for Bush's FCAT critics, they need to come up with better solutions than promoting inferiority and blaming the nearest Republican for it.

Mike Thomas can be reached at 407-420-5525 or mthomas@orlandosentinel.com.

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And re your post #15 - BTTT. :)

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My pleasure, windchime. :)

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...Is there some kind of a new "Bush effect" phenomenon? Is there really hope?

Yes, there is definately more hope now. And, your reaction was my reaction, NonValueAdded.

Some people may forget that while Dems ran this state for two terms under CHiles, and Dems ran this country for two terms under Clinton, there was NEVER -- repeat: NEVER -- the focus on education under those Dem administrations like there is now under GOP leaders.

Speaking as a independent voter/teacher interested in increasing student achievement, seeing mroe progress in education and moving students forward, I can't help but think a vote now for a Dem is like taking a step backwards, to the time when education was most definately on the back burner -- and I, for one, don't want to return to that.

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mroe = more

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As far as what he says, it is about time!!

I agree.
PS I don't know who made that quote you mentioned, Joe. Sorry. :)

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I can imagine what his inbox will look like in the morning

LOL....yes, I am sure he will hear from some readers, screaming at him to stop supporting Gov Bush. But, the vast majority of people down here do support all the reforms Gov Bush has made in education. I really hope Gov Bush is recognized someday on a national scale for what he has done in this state, because what he did took a lot of guts on his part.

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Thanks for your insightful post #9, Rat Patrol. :)

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RC, Thanks so much for your post and kind words, and those links.

I noticed on Gov Bush's homepage, he now has a link to "Editorials" and underneath that heading, to
FCAT Editorials.

But, I think you have linked an important article they don't have listed - maybe you could email myflorida.com and ask them to include it (the one about the homeless Hispanic boy). Thanks for keeping them informed!!! :)

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loomis, Thanks for your thoughtful reply. You mention so many different points, I don't think I can adequately address them all here in this post.

However, I thought you might be interested in reading this recent editorial from Investors.com --

Issues and Insights: Before it's too late -- May 29, 2003

Based on that article, it seems to me some people in the business community are strongly backing FL's Favorite Governor on his education reforms! :)

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Check out the link to the editorial in post #29, from Investors.com, re Gov Bush and education.

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See post #30, as I meant to include you. :)

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JIoe SixPack,m my apologies,; JoeSixPack1, I meant to include you in my post #30. :)

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Joe SixPack, my apologies,; JoeSixPack1, I meant to include you in my post #30. :)

[MeekOneGOP]

Re #20 & #21:

[JoeSixPack1]

I'm here, I'm here!! hehehe :-)

[windchime]

"Education: Florida is facing protests and boycott threats for not waving everyone through its high school exit exam. It must be doing something right."

Terrific!

[r9etb]

I happened to be in FL last week, and heard some black woman bemoaning the "bias" in the tests. She did a better job of destroying her own arguments than anybody else could possibly have done.

When all was said and done, one had to conclude that her argument boiled down to "us black folks is stoopid, so ya gotta give us a break."

If black Floridians follow "leaders" like that, it's no wonder their kids can't get a decent education.

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When all was said and done, one had to conclude that her argument boiled down to "us black folks is stoopid, so ya gotta give us a break."

Another factor in this matter, though not mentioned in any recent articles citign Biushop Curry, is that he himself was the head of an independent commission here in FL, which looked into the impact of One FL -- Gov Bush's policy eliminating race as a factor in college admissions.

And, as reported by national media, Bishop Curry, who had been one of Gov Bush's most outspoken critics, concluded Gov Bush's program was in fact fair to blacks, because: Gov Bush is requiring more Advanced Placement classes in high schools with high minority student populations, providing free PSAT testing (the test before the SAT) to all FL students, and doing a lot more that no other governor in any state has ever done in an effort to level the playing field for all FL students.

So, Bishop Curry concluded back then: Gov Bush is doing the right thing by blacks.
But, now that the numbers of black students failing FCAT have shown there is still a lot to be done in terms of these kids achieving more in school, Bishop Curry has reversed his position -- and again starting publicly criticizing the governor.
Yet, I think his new criticism is political, because on one hand, the Bishop has already agreed eliminating race under One FL was in fact fair, but on the other hand, the Bishop is now saying, "Whoa, you don't really expect black kids to MEET those standards, now, do you?" Well, yes, Gov Bush does expect those kids can meet those standards, and he is trying like h*ll to provide those kids with all that he can to help them in school.

I have long felt that if the black leaders in FL opposed to Gov Bush spent just a fraction of their time focused on those kids in their communities (as most of those kids don't even have a father in the home), instead of all the time those black leaders spend criticizing Gov Bush -- wow, what miracles we might see here in FL. And, I think the majority of voters in this state feel the same way I do. The black leaders have now alienated themselves from white support they previously expected to get. They no longer get it, because too many white people in this state agree with Gov Bush, as do some blacks and many Hispanics.

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RE my previous post to you - This editorial by Mike THomas is another one that myflorida.com should be posting. :)

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I recently saw the following bumper sticker on a car: "TEACHERS FOR JEB!" No kidding. :)