Streamlining the “school-to-jail pipeline”, an Afrocentric school in Toronto receives approval. And not a moment too soon!
2001-2002 statistical data from the [Toronto District School Board] indicates the percentage of students from specific geograpical locations at risk of not graduating:
– 45% of Western African, Central and South American students at risk
– 39% East African
– 24 % of South Asian
– 23% Eastern European
– 16% Eastern Asian
Watch for the next step in this brave new social scheme – redefining academic standards to “normalize” Afro-achievement.
More here, here and here – “where race and failure are the only criteria for entrance”.
And here (from Jan. 26th);
My black special ed students were quite a challenge. I set and upheld high standards and my students all improved markedly, both behaviourally and academically. But, as I said, this took constant vigilance and intervention on my part, with no to negative pull from their usually single mothers. This group is now in another class, with a much less experienced teacher. Their behaviour has deteriorated rapidly. Very sad.
I also taught summer school in an inner city school with many black kids, many of the girls wearing hijab. The insolence, sense of entitlement, and plain bad manners of a good number of these kids was most disturbing, not to mention that, academically, the standard was pretty low. (One “hijabbed” young miss, about 10, refused to stand for “O Canada”: “It’s not my country.” That only happened on the first day as I made it altogether clear that sitting for the national anthem was NOT an option.)
It’s occurred to me that an all-black school—presumably for the most troubled and troublesome kids—would be hell (for the all black teachers, I suppose) to work in UNLESS it set a very different standard from most public schools: uniforms, high behavioural and academic expectations, upheld on a consistent basis. In other words, Tough Love. I don’t, however, see that happening. E.g., I saw a panel discussion on TVO about the Falconer Commission: Board Director, with her pasted on smile, slogan spouting head of the union, two almost inarticulate parents, one white, one black, a yappy, chip on the shoulder, black trustee, and John Snobelen. As no one was willing to actually diagnose the problem, the solutions they suggested were mere bromides. The problem for most of the problem kids? The accepted family structure of many kids by many fathers, with no dad around the home sets these kids up for failure from the start. Their mothers are often very young, uneducated, inarticulate, chip on the shoulder women who are not able to provide the security and role modelling necessary to socialize their kids. Any school for this type of kid would have to be built on a philosophy of high structure and non negotiable authority, consistently and seriously enforced. I believe any “solution” which overlooks this is not going to make much of a difference.
Racist!
There. I saved you the trouble.
“Country music stars shooting each other?”
I havn’t heard of that but it would make a good country song if you could work in a pickup truck, closing time, daddy in jail and a railroad. (and don’t forget the dog too)
RPB @ 7:53 a.m. today, “But what I’m asking is, ‘Isn’t it possible that this type of school might help to counterbalance those negative forces? If not, why not?’ RPB keeps insisting that the questions he’s asking haven’t been answered.
Language processing is what each of us has to do with the words we read in order for them to make sense. First, we need to decode the words, that is, “convert (a coded message) into intelligible language” (Canadian Oxford Dictionary). Then we have to construct meaning from the decoded text. I’ve spent my career teaching many of the most challenged kids in the board how to do both. (It’s easier in most cases to do the former than the latter.)
A suggestion for RPB: On this thread alone, there are plenty of posts that answer his questions. I believe if he 1) took the time to decode, e.g., read, those messages, and 2) construct meaning, which sometimes includes making inferences (“reading between the lines” to put it simply), he would have in his possession the answers he seeks. (He might particularly like to check out Trustee Stephanie Payne’s message.)
However, from such comments from RPB as, @12:24 a.m., “I realize that Toronto’s Hebrew schools are private. Their funding status was/is, for my purposes, beside the point”, which entirely contradicts the clear meaning of RPB’s earlier words*, perhaps language processing isn’t his strong point. (Or maybe his fudging and backtracking—to put it politely—are caused by something else.)
*@ 11:19 p.m. yesterday, RPB wrote, “The title of this post is ‘Apartheid High.’ The term ‘segregation’ has been tossed around quite liberally in the comments. Are you suggesting that you support apartheid and segregation of blacks as long as it’s privately funded?”
Not only does this clearly contradict RPB’s later words (quoted above), it suggests a possible language processing deficit. From the posts of many, responding to RPB’s apparent confusion about the difference between private and public schools, the very clear, one word answer to this question is, “Yes”.
This whole argument begins and ends with personal accountability. Individuals make there own choices, blame falls on those weak enough to lay it. If blacks, or any group, cant conform to societies laws, build prisons, not special schools.
Wow. What a bizarre thread this has become.
RPB, If I can make some attempt to answer your question:
There are a number of problems at work here which have made the matter a very confused one, but I think the central question is this: is a school entitled to privilege its role as a “socializing influence” above and beyond its more obvious role as, well, a school? That is, a place that offers a certain, generally agreed upon standard of education. My particular concern with Afrocentrism is not so much the effect it will have on social cohesion (though I don’t think this can be ignored), as it is with the fact that Afrocentrism is largely a bogus concept. If I am right (and there’s far more to suggest that I am then there is to suggest I’m not), then it is a vexed question to ask what the benefit of an Afrocentric education is; it is not, as far as I can tell, an education at all.
I deal with the matter in a little more depth here:
http://edwardmichaelgeorge.blogspot.com/2007/11/afrocentrism-or-i-had-weirdest-dream.html
(And I encourage you to follow the links to Steve Janke’s research on the subject.)
Someone said above that this was not a concern of curriculum, but from my point of view it is, first and foremost. I find the idea of racially-oriented schools extremely objectionable, but what I find more objectionable is cultural and historical revisionism daring to call itself an education. By any academic standard (other than its own, obviously) Afrocentrism is quackery. This is not the road to equality or (to use a term I loathe) empowerment.
laughing and EMG, I appreciate both your posts.
EMG, your reasonable ideas here have been covered, in other words, many times in this thread. And, yes, curriculum is extremely important.
As I noted above, the Eurocentric program–the 3Rs–I used with my challenged black students was very successful at teaching them the necessary skills to be responsible and productive citizens. My students worked hard and felt proud of their achievements.
EMG, I entirely agree that, “By any academic standard (other than its own, obviously) Afrocentrism is quackery.” Putting black children in a school with that as its basis will only doubly victimize them: the “soft racism of low expectations”. What a despicable fate for these children. The adults responsible for such abuse should be ashamed–except that lefty idiots have removed “shame” from their lexicons.
Our black kids and all of society deserve much better.
Hey Jon. You use Tu Pac as an example of what’s good about Rap? He’s dead, you know. As in shot to death. I guess it was because he was so full of love.
He wasn’t shot just as a result of listening to Hip-Hop. But the thug culture some of it glorifies is undoubtably a contributing factor. Live by the sword …
As for my clearly not understanding “the concept of sisters & B##ches.” There’s a concept there?
Try reading a book, Jon.
“One thing that i have not heard commented on, was the black trustee that stated black students need to learn from an afro-centric point of view..that the Greek Pythagorous stole his theorem from the ancient black cultures in Egypt, and exported them..”
This illustrates a potential problem in defining exactly what Afrocentric studies are. It could end up being historical revisionism like the above statement, which is obviously not true. There were no ancient black cultures in Egypt, at least amongst the ruling class.
Still worse, the studies could become racist, ie the black supremacy doctrine that has seeped into black culture from organisations like ‘Nation of Islam.’ The ‘Melanin and Melanin Theory’ for example, gave birth to the notion of killing whites that incited the ‘Zebra Killings’ in California during the 70’s. I recall there was a black professor teaching this so-called theory in Toronto last year.
RPB, I commend to your attention the above comment by the learned Mr. EMG, who has eloquently stated what I was trying to say earlier regarding the scam that is Afrocentric schooling.
Now, as to your objectionable comments:
“First, the fact that you call it a “blacks-only” school serves only to demonstrate your fundamental misunderstanding of the TDSB plan. Second, if you’re so convinced that it’s doomed, what would you do with the $800,000+ instead? My guess is, you have no viable innovative ideas to offer, and in fact wouldn’t support any proposal that dedicates resources specifically to black students. It’s clear enough that their well-being is the furthest thing from your mind.”
Taken in order,
1) Ask yourself not what is intended, but rather what will actually happen. How many White/Asian/Indian/Whatever kids are going to the “Afrocentric” school up at Jane/Finch? I think “blacks-only” can expand to include the 0.1% non-blacks who will make a great show of attending. For a month.
I don’t “mis-understand” the plan, I just reflect on the fact that no plan ever survives contact with Reality, and the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.
2) What would I do with $800,000 dollars? I’d fire ever single moron who had anything at all to do with this Afrocentric school obscenity for a start. Then I’d take the 800 G’s, back it up with a 10% budget cut and give the money back to the taxpayers. Nothing like a major budget cut to focus the minds of a bureaucracy. Money saved by decimating the deadwood middle management would be spent on new-hire teachers and TESTING. Administrators and teachers whose schools tested below standard would be fired and replaced until the school met standard. Radical, eh?
3) You’re right, I would not support any proposal that dedicates special resources specifically to black students. Or Muslim students. Or White students. Because, my dear RPB, assigning resources based on a student’s race is… wait for it… -racism! What part of “I would like the black kids to become doctors like the Jewish kids” failed to communicate to you?
My innovative idea is to treat all students exactly the same regardless of race or religion, and teach them the skills they need to prosper and contribute in Canadian society. You know, basic arithmetic, how to read a text book, map or blueprint, how to tell a good idea from a stupid one, and the proud history of the Canadians (and Brits and Americans and yes even Frogs) who worked their collective asses off to create this civilization where black kids get treated exactly the same as Asian kids. Treated like gold, not to put too fine a point on it.
4) You have mental filter in place which prevents you from reading what I’ve said here and understanding what it means. You think that all good things come only from government, and only more government money can fix the problems that ail black kids in the city of Toronto. You instantly identify anything which deviates from this model as evil.
Since it is my contention that most of the problems black kids are having are caused by government, and that the cure is less of it, you naturally assume I am a racist regardless of what I actually say or what evidence I may produce.
Please bang your head with the nearest blunt object, then read this post again. Repeat the process until the possibility that I might NOT be a racist/bigot/homophobe intrudes itself into your solid bone Liberal cranium.
Phantom, BRAVO and Amen!
I have a simple question I’m struggling with. How did the concept of treating everyone equally without consideration of race become racist?
“Try reading a book, Jon.”
IT IS DIFFICULT TO HAVE A PRODUCTIVE CONVO. WHEN ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY ARE COMMENTS LIKE THE ONE ABOVE. HAVING A DIFFERNT OPINION IS MY RIGHT(4 NOW) BUT I’M SURE YOU WOULD RATHER ONLY PEOPLE WHO AGREE WITH YOU BE ALLOWED TO HAVE AN OPINION.
WRT TU-PAC I WAS ATTEMPTING TO USE A REFERENCE THAT IS COMMONLY KNOWN. PEHAPS I SHOULD QUOTE JAY-Z SINCE HE IS STILL ALIVE.
“As for my clearly not understanding “the concept of sisters & B##ches.” There’s a concept there?”
“Sisters get respect b****’s get what they deserve; Sisters work hard b*****’s work your nerve.
Sisters hold you down, B*****’s hold you up; Sisters help you progress B*****’s slow you up.
Sisters cook up a meal and play thier role with the kids; B*****’s in the street with thier nose in your biz.
Sisters tell the truth, B*****’s tell lies; Sisters drive cars, B*****’s want a ride.
Sisters do thier dirt outside of where they live; B*****’s have brothers all up in your crib.
Sisters tell you quick you’d better check your homie; B*****’s don’t give an F they want to check your Homie.”
GET IT?
FYI I love to read.
‘Cause its more convenient for the ‘Tards this week, Jimbo. Next week it’ll be some other damn thing.
That’s real uplifting Jon. It … moved me. Well, my stomach turned if that counts.
I think Jimbo meant read something where bad language doesn’t make up quite so much of the story, know what I sayin’?
Jon. Sorry if I’ve insulted you. Depending on the context, I don’t have a lot of respect for those who say things like, “Sisters get respect b****’s get what they deserve”.
Maybe it’s a generational thing. If I ever used words like that (or, god forbid, the “N” word) around my family (some of them black) I would have caught hell like you wouldn’t believe. When I hear others talk like that, it’s like I can see their IQ drop as they speak.
Just to put it into perspective for you, I’m a white musician (guitar/vox, part-time these days), but I’ve played R&B, Funk, Blues etc for more than 30 years. I bought my first Funkadelic record in 1973 (Cosmic Slop). I currently spend 6 months every year touring Alberta on weekends with an R&B band from Chicago. I’m very familiar with Black music styles, and listen to, and enjoy lots of Hip-Hop (current fave Aceyalone), though these days I’m moving on. I’ve grown up listening to all that stuff.
You won’t find a lot of doctors, scientists, accountants, bankers, etc using that kind of language. From my perspective, artists bear a certain responsibilty to aim a little higher than what I hear from a lot of Hip-Hop these days. I’ve heard all of the arguments from both sides, and still feel that way.
I think it’s a sad reflection of the state of our culture today.