NYC Ed Dept. eyes charge kids bullied, 1 beaten (called "cracker" and "white boy,")

NY Daily News ^ | 10.10.05 | KATHLEEN LUCADAMO

[Coleus]

Ed Dept. eyes charge
kids bullied, 1 beaten

Students victims of race hate, mom sez

 

Lisa Brown moved from Oklahoma so that her two sons, Sloan (l.) and J.T. and her daughter Robbie could experience diversity in Brooklyn.

City education officials are investigating the claims of a pair of boys from Oklahoma who moved to Brooklyn to experience diversity, and instead say they got schooled in racism and violence.

Mom Lisa Brown, 33, told the Daily News she relocated her family from their small Oklahoma town so her husband, a Brooklyn native and social worker, could more easily find work and her sons could experience different people and ways of life.

Brown enrolled her sons, Sloan, 12, and J.T., 13, at Ebbets Field Middle School in Crown Heights. But when the boys, who are white, showed up, their mom said, they got a chilling indication of what was to come.

"Oh my gosh, we are going to have fun this year," a security guard muttered, according to Brown.

Things quickly got worse.

Sloan was beaten mercilessly, called "cracker" and "white boy," and chased into traffic by his new classmates, his family said.

The abuse got so bad that Sloan routinely bolted out of the building to find his brother and run to a nearby subway, dodging verbal and physical attacks, he said.

"It almost makes me cry," Sloan said. "I'm scared to go back."

The brothers skipped school all last week while their parents tried to sort out the mess.

"Do I have to send the National Guard in to get my children an education?" asked the distraught mom.

When Brown tried to alert Principal Marge Baker to the abuse, "the principal refused to take the calls," she charged.

Brown filed several police reports at the 71st Precinct stationhouse about the alleged abuse, but said she was ignored.

Police sources said precinct cops did take the incident seriously but believe school staff are in a better position to deal with what appeared to be a series of schoolyard fights and bullying.

The boys' stepfather, Ken Brown, requested a transfer for the boys on Sept. 28, but Education Department officials noted he can't seek the change because he is not a custodial parent.

Eventually, the fedup mom went to nearby Elijah Stroud Middle School to transfer her sons there, but said the principal told her: "They'll have the same problem here."

Education officials promised to help the Browns - after being contacted by The News.

"The principal was not sufficiently attentive to this situation," the Education Department said in a statement. "Upon learning of the situation, the region is taking immediate action to arrange a transfer for these children.

"We will fully investigate what happened, including whether racist statements, which are not tolerated, were made and take appropriate action."

Brown said the Education Department called her several times over the weekend, after The News made queries, pledging to get the kids into Elijah Stroud and chastising her for calling in the press.

Despite the principal's warning, Lisa agreed to send her boys to Elijah Stroud tomorrow.

"I'll make sure my kids are safe because it is the school system's job to make sure they are," she said.

For Sloan and J.T., escaping Ebbets Field Middle School will be a relief. The school opened in September as one of the city's many new small schools, with plans to "become the crown jewel" of Crown Heights, according to the Education Department Web site.

The Browns said their ethnically and racially diverse neighbors in Prospect Heights have embraced them, and they thought New York was "the greatest place on Earth" - until they started battling the school system.

"I was excited to expose my children to a complete variety of people," Lisa Brown said. "I thought it would be an advantage. I always told my children that children could be cruel - but not to this extent."

[durasell]

I intentionally down played what I mean by "bright." There is no source on say, Dalton, Fieldstone or Ethical Culture taking poor smart kids on scholarship. However, trust me, it's done frequently through informal channels. If there is some kid in the ghetto or a public school doing high level calculus in the sixth grade, then calls are made. It's not something you can apply for, it's just something that "happens." And nobody ever talks about it.

Stuy and Bronx Science are competitive, but the vast majority of the kids aren't super bright. They are simply highly motivated.

The genius of NYC is that it continues to foster homegrown talent. A ton of money is dumped into the most competitive schools and most of the graduates return to the city after college to start their careers.

[durasell]

Oh yeah, I would contrast the attitude NYC has toward educational meritocracy with that of other areas in which "gubmint schools" are under constant attack and private "day schools" are largely closed institutions for the country club set from which graduates depart and never return to their home towns.

[rmlew]

I never have had the fortune of actually being a student at an NYC public school, although I did pass the tests for Stuyvesant and Hunter. Competition is intense for places at these schools.
The problem is that private schools are obscenely expensive in New York. Some of the elite ones such as Collegiate, Trinity, Dalton, Horace Mann, and Ethical Culture charge over 20,000 a year. The lesser public schools are less expensive, but still expensive. Parochial schools, which may not provide the support of private schools, are at least safe and fairly rigorous. Unfortunately, the Catholic Church is increasingly unable to subsidize them. Even Middle class children, who are not gifted are screwed.
If the parents of white kids being bullied by their "peers" and belittled by leftist textbooks have any sense, they will join in a class action lawsuit for institutional bias.
Alternatively, if the queer kids can have a school, perhaps white kids can have one for their protection.

[durasell]

It probably would go like this:

Teacher notices little genius kid and mentions it to either the school social worker or guidance person, who mentions it to the principal, who makes the call. But this is only conjecture on my part. I've seen it happen, but don't know the mechanics of the thing. Apparently it isn't formalized.

I like the idea of a prep school overlord group as well, though I doubt it exists.

[68 grunt]

Stupid cracker had it comin'. How does diversity taste now?

[durasell]

Not to sound unkind, but look around. It's an all or nothing world right now. People don't generally get to linger in the comfortable middle.

[Vision Thing]

I've become a sucker for Oklahoma gals (except, of course, for the mom in this article).

The Oklahoma University Sooners and the University of Texas Longhorns play their yearly game here in Dallas. On the night before the game, I enjoy going out to the West End to party with them all. The gals who drive up from Austin are more big cityish, phony, and covered with makeup, whereas the OU gals are refreshingly simple, pretty, and fun.

[SuziQ]

MA has similar requirements for letters of intent, etc., but the parents can choose the method of assessment, as long as it's acceptable to the school. Usually schools just accept whatever method the parents choose.

I registered our daughter with a private school for diploma and transcript purposes. When I'd send in our Letter of Intent, I just mentioned that she was registered at that school, and I just sent in a copy of the transcript when I received it. And after she turned 16, I didn't have to send even the Letter, anymore.

I have to send in her portfolio to the private school after the end of the school year (which is Aug. 31st), but I have to document everything so the school has copies of tests, writings, the Daily Log, etc. so that if they are 'audited' by the accrediation folks, they have what they need to show that they credentialled her work properly. I don't mind the portfolio thing because since I had to do it each year, I didn't procrastinate and try to do all four years from memory! ;o)

[rmlew]

I like the idea of a prep school overlord group as well, though I doubt it exists.
For the most part , they are limousine liberals, Southampton Socialists, Mercedes Marxists, Trustafarians or have been completely turned off by liberal preaching on elite responsibility.

[durasell]

Watch what they do, not what they say.

[oceanperch]

Bump to rural small communities.

I grew up as "the cracker" and all the ass whoopins.

No way was I going to raise my son in that environment.

Now 26yrs old and we live in the same small town and he is very thankful.

Only thing to he fears is Bears.
He is convinced regardless of all the homework and Rangers who have talked to him that they can be in the forest around the home, heck if they are in other areas of the county why not.
Can't even have pictures of bears in the house as a joke.
Good thing he doesn't realize the Boomers (aka chupachra) live in tunnels all around here. Saw one and they are very scary lookin'.

[oceanperch]

So where did you move to?

Regardless of who is on the recieving end of hate, why stick around?

[durasell]

...and then you went to have lunch at the restricted hotel.


Times have changed.

[rmlew]

Watch what they do, not what they say.
I grew up with them. I am well aware of the hypocracy. I think that they perpetuate this to limit competition for those rich children affected by their mothers' use of valium or the handyman. There are only so many poor or middle class kids with an IQ above 145 who can get into the private schools on scholarships. Those kids with an IQ of 130-145 can get into the better public schools, assuming that their parents make an effort. But the kids with IQ's below that are at a real disadvantage competing with their wealthy peers.
Add in the failure of public schools to teach children proper english or fully Americanize them and the Kids at Columbia Prep, Dwight, or Calhoun are set.

PS. Before anyone asks; I went to Ramaz, Buckley and Collegiate.