In a time when our public schools can't even mention the word "Christmas," this strikes me as a form of religion or pseudoreligion not only being mentioned, but indocrinating these students in that belief system. Not only that, it doesn't seem to me to encourage the goal of racial harmony and tolerance. Rather, it's an intentionally racially segregated school.
I'm all for pride in one's ethnic heritage and for striving for excellence, but this seems over the top - unless someone can steer me to a taxpayer-funded "Irish-centric" or "Italo-centric" public school.
The school system's website description of the school here doesn't mention the link to black nationalist Karenga.
Can some Columbus area reader explain this to me?
Well --- the government does fund schools to teach kids in their own language which is Spanish --- at least here it's being done on a very large scale. And they are being taught their own country's history and culture --- that's what political correctness and multiculturalism are all about. What's given to one group probably has to be given to any other group that demands it.
What do you expect from a university town that's full of academic crackpots and cranks?
So, what was the score? Did they win?
I sent quite a bit of time looking -- in vain, it turned out -- for some solid information about this school: how many students and in what grades, how many actual teachers (as opposed to "staff"), and how many students per class. You know, nothing particularly top secret. But it must be, b/c I surfed and surfed and surfed that site and all its little side-sites -- nothing. A lot of pictures, a lot of rah-rah, and... for Pete's sake, I had a time just finding anything solid. I finally stumbled on to the list of teachers/staff. Turns out it took so long b/c they are now called "teachers and/or staff",. Instead, they are refereed to as (I'm not making this up): "Nation builders" The females of whom are called "Mama (last name)", the males are called "Baba (last name)"
HOWEVER! My search was not totally in vain. I did discover the school's official song, and I hereto wit present: (NB: Formatting is from site)
Baba Michael Owens
musician and CAS 6th grade teacher
As I walk through the door I know that I have arrived.
Its rich, calming spirit gives me a sense of pride.
Its strength and its power gives me courage to succeed.
In the eyes of those before me, I see all that I can be.
Where else can I go, where my soul can really grow?
Where else can I go, where my love can truly flow?
Where else can I go, where traditions abound?
Where else can I go, where my culture is found?
Chorus
It's the Africentric School, we're the brightest and the best!
It's the Africentric School, we honor elders with respect!
It's the Africentric School, where learning is the key!
It's the Africentric School, where learning is the key!
It's harmony and family, inside of me!
Tradition has taught me, that we come from Kings and Queens.
Tradition has taught me, we can realize our dreams.
Tradition has taught me, we have a rich legacy!
It's harmony and family inside of me!
Do they allow whites in, or not?
If they can actually educate kids (unlike 95% of ghetto schools), and if they don't discriminate against anyone who wants to apply, there's no reason to set them apart from any other charter school.
Around here, black parents have been trying for years to get their kids into suburban schools with winning programs (Pickerington Girls hoops in the '90s for example).
Columbus Public Schools are a joke.
My folks took me out of CPS after 1st grade and put my sister and I in Catholic schools, where I stayed through high school. Thank God I ended up there.
The stupid voters in Columbus continually vote for school levies when the school district continues to sock it to the taxpayers of this city. They passed one in 2002. They passed another one this year. What happens after it passes? It is revealed that there was a $13 million deficit in one of the teacher funds.
I have never voted for a levy for the Columbus Public Schools and I never will!