Today, the Journal Star Editorial Board stopped just short of calling statements made by a local attorney what they are – race baiting. When you know the facts to be this:
… but you have a respected member of the community making statements like this:
... this, my people is race baiting.
I am personally offended by the comment and in my opinion, the teacher's attorney owes the black community and the Peoria community as a whole an apology. To date, the story in which the statement was made has garnered a voluminous number of online responses - more than any story in Journal Star memory. Disappointing.
Reverse discrimination does happen, however, it is unfortunate that the teachers who are alleging racial discrimination against District 150 are only suing for a monetary remedy, rather than the hope for change and better understanding within District 150.
As I read through comments from teachers and their supporters on local blogs, it is evident to me teachers and administrators within District 150 are in grave need of racial sensitivity training. This demand for training should have been a part of their lawsuit.
There appears to be some misunderstanding by teachers about exactly what “black culture” is. Black culture is not a bunch of angry, disrespectful kids with their pants hanging down – that is “hip hop culture”. Look around, the “hip hop culture” is embraced by youth black, white and otherwise. It is not particular to black children.
Black culture is a culture that is rich in history, family, philanthropy, the arts and citizenship. (See the Obama's, the Heritage Ensemble, Preston Jackson, EmergePeoria, Annie Jo Gordon) Apparently, the local teachers union has become confused about the pride many of us still take in our culture, because they are attempting to make a mockery of it on a regular basis. Look at the lawsuit, what are the teachers complaining about? Be they right or wrong, they are issues that are based around culture.
In my opinion, it is black parents who should be suing District 150 for their massive failure to educate our children. Can we get an attorney in Peoria to take that case?
20 comments:
I'll just stand and clap for your post.
Evidently, you didn't hear the "race baiting" from Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton when LA police officers were accused of "beating" Rodney King for no reason? Emerge, the door swings both ways. I was raised to treat people equally, yet my AF-Am counterparts expect me to treat them BETTER. Yes, I have lived it in D150. You bet.
One thing is clear. Reverse discrimination would not be an issue if discrimination had not come first. So far, in my opinion, there is no reverse discrimination situation that could possibly "compete" with the racism of this country's past. Right now public schools (and the public sector as a whole) are probably the one place where reverse discrimination is likely to occur. The private sector (business, etc.) is not "integrated" enough yet for such situations to occur. Black people have not yet had the opportunities (in large numbers) to rise to the highest positions in the private sector. (It was probably easier for Obama to become President of the United States than to become president of a Fortune 500 company). However, the opportunities have opened up in many of this country's schools (still mostly in the big cities and in the inner city). In Peoria, the Trewyn lawsuit alleging reverse discrimination is the first to go public. I have stated before that I regret that this issue ever was allowed to get to this point. District 150 should have been able to resolve this particular issue "in house." But the resolution would not or will not be easy. No matter how badly it started and, in spite of the lawsuit, this situation could be resolved through good leadership in District 150--at least, the attempt should be made. People in power regularly discriminate against those who are lower on the "totem pole." The situation is worsened when the races clash, as in this case. In the public schools there should be no "winners" or "losers"--for that reason, I do agree with Emerge that making the settlement about money is inappropriate and will not result in a resolution to the problem (just vindication for one side or the other)--and that will only breed more problems down the road. I just can't in good conscience complain that there are "too many" black administrators when for so long all administrators were white. The list of complaints (and I haven't read them thoroughly) may seem petty, but when teachers are forced to deal with these "petty" issues day after day, they don't seem that insignificant. I hope that this situation will lead to healing instead of further conflict--but that is probably a very idealistic dream on my part.
D150 has had a habit for the past 4-5 years of hiring principals based on their skin color, not their ability. Just because you posess a Type 75 certificate doesn't mean you are qualified. The many Af-Am principals that have been found completely unqualified after they have taken a school "backwards" usually end up being bounced around the district, given all kinds of different jobs, none of them EVER being let go. So much for affirmative action being dead.
That this is even an issue in 2009 blows my mind. One more reason why Peoria can see it's nose despite it's face. Folks don't have the good sense to shut up and stop making their community look like the last bastion of redneck-ed-ness it is. This should be a thriving corridor of commerce.
This is a cultural issue. 100%. I have first hand accounts of administrators saying such thing as: The reason Steven Spielberg has won so many Academy Awards is because "Jews control Hollywood". I heard this in 2006. In this area. And although I had hoped what I had heard was an anomaly, I'm sad to say it's not. I have heard similar statements made about Hispanics, Blacks, Italians....you name it.
These are attitudes and beliefs that are firmly entrenched in our communities and must be called out at every opportunity. When I point it out I'm labeled "Fucking Liberal Hippy", when a person of color points it out they are labeled troublemakers and not able to take a joke.
And finally...."Af-Am"? If it's too many letters to type African American, I feel certain my African American peers would prefer Black.
Please, Anonymous, haven't you ever known of a white administrator that wasn't really qualified for the job but had friends in "high" places. That has been the norm for 150 for quite some time. Also, please note that most black administrators are in inner city schools. Delores Turner at Rolling Acres is probably an exception--and I have never heard any complaints about her, but just as sure as I write this, someone will probably prove me wrong. During the brief time that she was at Manual, I was very impressed with her professionalism, etc.
This lawsuit brought by District teachers is a farce. The allegations set forth in the complaint describe ineffective management but . . . discrimination, hostile work environment, please!
The allegations certainly do not paint the white teachers in a favorable light, let’s see, they were late to work, like their black co-workers, they wore inappropriate attire to work, like their black co-workers, they feel it is highly unfair they should be made to go to work-related meetings when their black co-workers are not made to do the same . . . and so on. Sorry, how have these white teachers truly been harmed??? Oh, that’s right, they can’t show up late to work in their pajamas.
The matters complained of in this suit seem awfully trite compared to the larger issues facing District 150, i.e. huge budget deficit, failing schools, school closures, teacher negotiations. The District will easily spend $50,000 defending themselves against this frivolous suit before it is all said and done, but that’s o.k., because it is all about the kids, right?
Frustrated: I admit that I couldn't bring myself to read the suit in detail. I can't say that I don't agree with you--I get your point. My own complaints would have been so much more "student" oriented. The real issues should revolve around a difference in philosophy regarding student behaviors and consequences (or lack thereof)--issues dealing with the lack of administrative support for teachers who try to maintain the disciplinary measures necessary for maintaining a safe learning environment.
Ms. Sharon - I totally agree with you. Something is obviously very wrong at Trewyn and it is unfortunate that poor management and communication was allowed to fester by the leadership of 150 to this point. It is even more sad that students at this school are being short changed.
Sharon, do you have any information about whether any type of grievance was filed by these white teachers about their "issues" at Trewyn. It seems this would have been a more direct forum in which to get the District leadership's attention to take notice and get matters resolved.
Your assessment is right on Frustrated. This is a frivolous lawsuit; Benassi should have told them the same thing, instead of going on record with such a ridiculous comment. She should have known better. Apparently all she cares about is getting paid - times must be rough over at Benassi and Benassi.
I hope District 150 fights this lawsuit and any other lawsuit from people with their hand out trying to get paid. I guess attorneys take confidence in asking for a jury in Peoria, because they know it will be only people who look like them deliberating.
Frustrated: I've known about this situation for a long time. Jim Stowell called me once to talk about it--so I know that the board was well aware of it long before it reached the legal stage. I am almost positive that more than one grievance was filed. From that standpoint, I don't believe that legal action was totally uncalled for. I know about two other schools that are having similar problems. Obviously, by ignoring these situations, the board and administration are siding with the administrators; therefore, I'm not sure what teachers are supposed to do--I guess just quit their jobs or hope to get transfers. However, this situation is really about discipline problems that affect the teaching environment and students. I admit those problems might not be the focus of the lawsuit, but they are at the root of the problem (I believe they are mentioned in the suit). I'll have to locate the suit again--I just read it once.
There is no such thing as reverse discrimination. That phrase doesn't make sense. Discrimination is discrimination is discrimination, whether the victim is black, white, old, male, gay, handicapped, etc.
Sharon - thank you for sharing additional information about this matter.
Anonymous - talk to the people at Webster about it...
reverse discrimination definition ☆ reverse discrimination
discrimination in hiring, college admissions, etc. directed against members of certain social or racial groups, as white males, thought of as being dominant or having benefited from past discrimination against minority groups who are now favored, often as a result of affirmative action
I just reread the lawsuit. I'm not too good at reading legalese, but it seems that the plaintiffs are asking for monetary compensation in the situations where they lost money due to discrimination--such as when they had extra-curricular jobs taken away, etc. That seems reasonable. I am assuming Benassi must have considerable evidence of all these charges. The chargnes might be more substantial than they seem, depending on the evidence she has gathered.
Sharon - I would not assume there is a mountain of evidence to support these allegations. Benassi is a master of twisting the slightest managerial indiscretion into a claim of discrimination or retaliation. An organization like the District is ripe for the picking . . . weak leadership, no established organizational philosophy to guide frontline supervisors (i.e. principals and assistant principals) in the treatment of subordinates, and likely little or no documentation to support past personnel actions, and Ms. Benassi knows this.
Frustrated: I think you're right--she isn't going into this with nothing. 150 never seems to be able to plan for worst case senarios. They probably didn't dream that teachers would get Benassi to take a case--probably figured that they could take on union lawyers or most likely believed that teachers wouldn't go this far.
"One more reason why Peoria can see it's nose despite it's face."
What a classic mixed metaphor!!
Thanks RIXBLIX for the laugh of the day...
And you are a teacher?? That alone says a lot about the state of education here.
Woops! I certainly did mangle that metaphor. Feel free to replace it with any other metaphor that means wake the hell up, Peoria.
So, what's going on with the lawsuit? It's been a few months and it seems to have disappeared.
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