I don't think it is a stretch to assume that the vast majority of parents feel that their children should be allowed to attend close, safe, healthy, successful, neighborhood schools. They don't think about any federally-imposed busing or desegregation orders.Even if parents don't think about issues of desegregation, school districts must. In most cities, inner city growth patterns and NCLB are forcing school districts to take a careful look at what it will take to bring equality to education.
NAACP Says North Carolina School District Shows Return To Jim Crow
Post by Associated Press in Nation on Dec 3, 2010 at 5:58 pm
RALEIGH, N.C. – The country’s most prominent civil rights group has come to Raleigh to draw attention to what it calls a growing erosion of the gains made since a 1954 Supreme Court decision made segregated schools illegal.
Using Wake County’s ongoing debate over school diversity as a backdrop, the NAACP is holding a national conference on education in Raleigh to argue that schools around the country are, in essence, returning to Jim Crow-era patterns of segregation.
“Resegregation is on the rise,” said the Rev. William Barber, chairman of the state NAACP chapter. “The rates now are worse than in the 1970s.”Wake County has been the scene of acrimonious dispute since the school board voted to scrap a decade-old policy that used busing to achieve socio-economic balance in public schools. The NAACP and other groups have staged protests and marches and filed a federal civil rights complaint. Barber is among several who have been arrested in demonstrations against the end of the policy.
“School boards across this country are rolling back the clock to the time before Brown vs. Board of Education,” NAACP national president Benjamin Todd Jealous said in a statement. Jealous was scheduled to address to the conference Friday.But that sentiment is out of touch with both the reality of public education and recent Supreme Court rulings, according to Roger Clegg, president of the Falls Church, Va.-based Center for Equal Opportunity.
A 2007 decision by the court found that school districts can’t pursue integration policies by using students’ race as a basis, which Clegg argues is what busing for diversity amounts to.
“Even if you think there’s something desirable about having a politically correct racial and ethnic mix, it doesn’t justify the enormous costs of engaging in racial discrimination,” he said.Clegg also challenges the claim that schools are becoming more segregated, arguing that falling percentages of white students matches the declining number of whites in the population overall.
The term “segregation” doesn’t refer to demographic change, but to legal policies explicitly designed to keep people of different races separated from each other, Clegg said.
“If you use that definition, not only is there no resegregation in the United States, there is not a single segregated school in the United States,” he said. Source
Related articles:
Racial Tensions Roil NC School Board; 19 Arrests
New School Board Has N.C. Worried About “Resegregation”
30 comments:
Emerge: as a teacher in District 150, I have been told by an African-Am. Principal and by numerous African-American "parents" that WHITE teachers do not know how to discipline black children. My usual response is, well then, you don't know how to discipline them either because, if you did, they wouldn't come to school acting like morons. If, and I say, infact it is true that I, as a white teacher do not know how to discipline black children, then why wouldn't you want your child at an all black run school? You can't have it both ways.
Personally I would have no problem with my child being at "an all black run school" if is a good school. So, I guess I can have it "both ways".
I don't operate as part of the mythological black monolith; so I don't have all the answers as to why black people may say or do whatever.
Would you be surprised to learn that I don't agree with what you allege you were told by African American parents and educators?
However, considering District 150 teachers are predominately white and we have such huge discipline problems, one could come to certain conclusions.
Unfortunately, many of us have heard about a particular 150 administrator who has made such statements. I have heard more subtle comments from one or two myself--not nearly that blatant. I didn't feel threatened by them, but I know that younger teachers were.
Of course, I have to remind myself that there was a "day--many of them" in my lifetime when black teachers were told that they couldn't teach white children. Remember that my friend Audrey Gipson and Adrian Hinton were the first two black teachers in Peoria that were deemed fit to teach high school (students of any color).
The truth is that I have never heard a black teacher (especially a veteran teacher) say any such thing--because we were in "it" together.
Anyway, like it or not (and I don't), our schools are becoming more and more segregated. Since the 1960s there are many escape routes because of all of the private schools that have cropped up. The difference now is that there are some black families who are, also, escaping inner city schools.
Lack of or decreasing behavioral and academic standards, I believe, are the reason--more than race--for the current flight from our schools. That is the reason that I have hoped for a superintendent who recognizes that fact and finds a way to convince the community and parents whose children are most at risk that these standards must be restored or the public schools will be totally destroyed.
Changing District 150's boundaries or busing, etc., will not achieve integration this time. In the 1960s there were few private schools--and there is nothing to say that even more won't crop up. The charter school movement in this country is one of the avenues through which such "flight" is allowed even in the public school system. And anyone who thinks that flight was designed for black children better think again.
Sharon:
I think that avenue to flight [charter schools] was created for every parent (regardless of color) who wants the choice.
Emerge, please read what Ravitch has to say about that--at least, consider her point of view.
However, I do believe that "segregation" this time around is based more on economic status than on race. Since there are more blacks in poverty, the segregation looks more racial than it really is.
And by the way Anonymous:
It is unfortunate that you sound so bitter and cynical. Why do you continue to teach if you feel like you are dealing with "morons"?
You should realize that your African American peers, students and their parents can sense how bitter you are about your station in life. Negativity begets negativity.
If this is how you, as a teacher, feel about the community you serve, what chance do our children have of receiving a quality education from you?
Boundry waivers have been put on administrative hold by the good Dr.
Emerge: I am neither cynical nor negative. I am an award winning educator who has a high bar for ALL of her students and who does not tolerate one IDIOT, ie. moron to interrupt the learning of the rest of her class. You should be thanking me, not berating me. If you think it is so easy to teach in this climate, come on down!
Wow Emerge, you did to that teacher what you yourself hate the most. You stereotyped all white teachers. I find no reason for this teacher to lie about what she was told or what she observed. In this case, the Moron wins.
I gave back to her/him exactly what she/he gave to me when she/he expected me to speak for some black monolith. Not much fun is it?
Her/his post drips with negativity i.e., cynicism. The word "moron" came directly from her/his post.
I am not sterotyping anyone. Just because the post from Anonymous is what it is, in my mind the only person it reflects on is the person who posted it - not every person who may be of a similar station in life.
I am an involved parent who VOLUNTEERS daily for District 150 schools and I have consitently for the last eight years - perhaps Anonymous should be thanking me and not berating me.
The issue of school disruption is NOT unique to district 150. The nature of the disruption may be different, but there are widespread issues.
I don't believe that expulsion and suspensions do one single thing to decrease anti-social behavior in school. In fact, most of the kids who act out do so knowing they will be expelled/suspended...and what do you think they do when then AREN'T in school?
Saying that schools don't want to expel kids because they miss out on money is a cheap shot. The state isn't paying it's bills anyway so there's no loss on ADA money. My perception is that districts have come to a point with NCLB where they fully realize they will NEVER meet the goals/expectations and mandates. For a while we could expel kids in an effort to meet AYP. The reality is that the current levels set by NCLB are 100% bullshit. They cannot be met. Take a look at how many schools in Illinois are on the watchlist or in 'restructure'. For this reason, schools are, on one had, trying to keep their 'well-performing' students on track while also addressing what the years of NCLB and unfunded mandates have done to those who don't fit the mold.
I work with expelled students every single day. These are children. Children, who, for whatever reason have become so completely disenfranchised that they no longer have the basic life skills for self-preservation. I have heard 14, 15, 16, 17 year old children say they don't give a fuck about school because no one at school give a fuck about them. [excuse my language]. There is an every-man-for-himself mentality that has been drummed into their heads.
We go around and around about how they need to be respectful in order to be respected and they believe exactly the opposite....why should they respect anyone who won't respect them.
We are failing an entire generation of non-traditional, at risk teenagers and until we stop fighting with each other about why it's happening and who is to blame, it will continue.
There are great success stories out there...I have students come back to me at least once a week who tell me (and my fellow teachers) that if we hadn't believe in them they'd be dead. We have students who were kicked out of every program they've been in who come back with nursing degrees; who own businesses. I always ask them why they think they were the way they were and all most 100% of the time they say "I didn't care because no one else did."
Rixblix: I AM a caring teacher, yet had a 1st grader, a sweet little girl look at me during storytime and tell me that her dad (whom I have never met) said that I was a cracker. Now, someone I don't even know, told a sweet innocent child that I was not to be trusted because I was white. BTW, he had just been released from prison and did not EVER come in and meet me. I believe that respect STARTS at home and many of our students automatically do not like teachers because of the way we are put down at their homes. I replied to the little girl that I am sure if her daddy knew me, he would not say such things and that being judged because of the color of MY SKIN is not fair. She smiled, agreed and said she would tell her dad that she loved me. End of story. When children are indoctrinated with hateful rhetoric at such a young age, where do we go from here?
Dear Anonymous, I, too, have had students come into my classroom with preconceived notions of who/what I am simply because I am a teacher. They often ask me where I live, what my husband does, if I have kids. Of course they are sizing me up. Were I in your position, I would simply say, I'm sorry your dad feels that way. The issue is NOT whether or not our students come to us with 14 pieces of luggage.
I am a 'cracker' to my students. I am someone who has absolutely no credibility with my students. I DON'T know what life is like for them. I have not experienced even 1/5th of what they've been through.
I am grateful each day for the students who show up to school. I can't begin to imagine what they experience when they leave me or before they come to me. Half the time my kids show up to school it's only because they have a PO who's making them come.
Not kicking out students because of money is not a cheap shot. That is exactly what is happening. The State may not be paying all it's bills but funding for the schools is still there, such as it is. I just ran into a teacher from PHS this afternoon. This teacher said the incoming freshman were the worst in all her/his years ever seen and this teacher has seen many. I never said to put these kids back on the street, but they shouldn't be allowed in a regular learning environment if they don't want to learn. What to do? How about a juvenile work farm, where the kid goes to classes, then does road work like picking up trash. Get good grades and behave, get released. Make the parent chip in financially. It's outta hand now, time for some tough measures. Ahhh, that's too mean.
Anti-Pundit: You are correct. It is out of control. The teachers at Lincoln dreaded getting students from Glen Oak because of their poor behavior, now the high schools are dreading getting these same students. It is time to hold parents/students accountable. Quit blaming the teachers and administrators. Many of these children receive free food, free books, free clothes, free shoes, free everything....that is WHY they behave as they do. They and their parents continually get REWARDED regardless of how they are doing in school. Let's tie some of those FREEBIES into good grades/conduct and I guarantee that these parents/students will "step up to the plate".
Interesting blog comments Emerge. Getting back to your original post, the blog commments call into question what makes a "good" school. It would seem based on the comments, it is the family/student population that feeds into a particular school and the rest follows, i.e. strong core curriculum, sports programs, art & music programs, and of course, "Good" teachers and administrators.
While my children were at Washington the first re-shuffle of teachers occurred at Manual and so several teachers were transferred to Washington and guess what -- the Manual teachers were just fine, actually more engaged than some of the teachers that had been at the school for years.
I do want an administration that supports teachers and demands that children behave, etc. However, the teacher has some responsibility in this racial bias, also.
When I first started teaching, most black students didn't trust me for all the obvious and justified reasons. I accepted that and considered it to be my personal responsibility to prove to my students that they could trust me. At first, I believe I worked really hard at that and then I didn't have to work hard any more because the kids and their parents came to trust me.
I hesitate to make such a blanket statement because there are bound to be those who didn't and don't. However, my life is filled with memories of all the support I received from parents, their children, and later the grandchildren. The rewards for what little I did to earn trust were great.
I do more complaining now that I am out of the classroom than I ever did when I was in the classroom. Maybe I am letting teachers off the hook too much. Teaching is all about relationships--they have to be built and nurtured.
I remember at least once I was called a cracker, and I said, Yes, I am salty. (My attempt to diffuse with humor and it usually worked). However, my fondest memory is when a student named Michael Welch called me a reverse Oreo.
Teachers need to do everything in their power to help kids overcome the prejudices handed down to them (and those are on both sides of the racial divide).
However, I still maintain that administrators in my early years helped provide the environment in which I could build relationships. I do contend that administrators and administrations (not parents, not kids) have done the most harm by not letting the parents and kids know that there are boundaries which they cannot cross.
Frustrated, thanks for the plug for the Manual teachers that went to Washington. I maintain that some of the best teachers in the district started their careers at Manual. I really do believe that our teachers worked hard yet effortlessly at building strong relationships with kids while expecting them to maintain standards (discipline and academic).
Don't forget Peoria has a mob of outsiders from North Carolina running our schools
A lesson learned from my restaurant management days, which I think applies to schools too, every facility has it's own personality due to the people working there and the customers/students it serves. Not every manager/teacher will thrive in all environments. It is critical to match the manager/teacher with the facility. That is a critical skill for upper management (administration).
You can also have a difference in performance with regard to where a school is in its reform process. It takes a different person to take school from broke to stable, than from stable to excel.
All too often the public gets the impression that a great teacher should be able to excel in any classroom; not true. Likewise an under performing teacher must be terrible; not always true.
This perhaps more than anything is what District 150 and the teacher union get wrong... they don't match people well and they don't have processes in place to enable effective management that.
When some folks say something like 'You don't know how to discipline a black kid', I hear social class more than race. The reality is most teachers come from fairly affluent middle class homes. They don't have the life experience of deep poverty. When confronted with it, they balk or under-perform. Or... as often happens in some districts, they just quit, hence poor urban districts have staff shortages.
Finding the right teacher for as school is hard. Don't be quick to bandy race or performance labels. It may just simply be that teacher is not a good fit for that particular school.
Amen Mahkno...Your last post is so true.
I am going to go way out on one of those proverbial limbs where I often dangle. In my experience, some of the teachers who have the worst time are black teachers when they serve under black administrators. I could (but won't) give four very specific examples three of whom were men serving under black female administrations and/or deans.
All had a terrible time because the administrators expected (and demanded) that these teachers be more lenient with black students (regarding discipline and grades).
I am highly incensed about one of those situations right now. One of my former students who left teaching (when he had indeed been loved by his students, black and white) for a couple of years and then returned. After a year of teaching (last year) the black administrator not only pinkslipped him (which the district required) but terminated him. This is truly an injustice that I hope gets righted in the near future. Young people definitely need this young man as a teacher--needless to say, he is a young man for whom I have great fondness and respect--as do his other former teachers. I cannot imagine why he was treated in this manner.
isn't it called a contract? - one that rewards tenure, not ability. Which way do you want it 'cuz it can't be both........
Anonymous, your post doesn't make sense to me--please clarify? Whose contract? Those on tenure can have ability just the same as those not on tenure.
In fact, there more often than not those on tenure have more capabilities than those not on tenure just by virture of their experience. Tenure isn't about ability but it is about protecting the jobs of those with abillity.
Children, also, benefit from teachers with experience--teachers who are free to teach without fearing that a district might want to hire "cheaper" teachers to replace them. I think it's obvious that District 150 makes most of its decisions based on money. That is, also, how they would choose their teachers if given that freedom.
"Tenure isn't about ability but it is about protecting the jobs of those with ability" - really? Given a choice would you extend a job offer to the elderly PHS teacher Terry is mailman for, or your young friend? Maybe admin would opt for the same, given a CHOICE. The contract doesn't allow for that, does it?
Well, I always find it interesting when an Anonymous poster makes a post so personal to a poster who whose identity is known.
First, the elderly PHS teacher might be younger than I was when I retired. My younger friend is also under the protection of tenure. The problem, as I see it, is that those who work in private sector jobs without the protection of tenure can be treated very unfairly with no regard for them as people--they are just pawns in a system where all that really matters is profit. My father worked for such a business, which just folded with no warning and left him without a job and no retirement when he was too old to find other employment.
Fortunately, the tenure system asks that human beings be treated fairly and humanely. The truth is that District 150 administrators tried to skirt the system--like it or not there is still a tenure system still in place and Michelle Rhee tactics just don't work here at the moment.
The teacher was told not to talk to anyone about her situation. I am still shaking my head at that stupidity--who in his right mind would suffer all this in silence?
Remember, also, that Terry has helped many a teacher--but he has, also, helped many more students. If you don't know that, then you don't know Terry. An educational system should be one that cares about people--teachers and students alike. Students can't and won't be treated kindly and fairly if their teachers are not treated the same way.
When I started teaching at Roosevelt when it was a junior high, there were a significant number of teachers who were close to retirement--they were mentors to the many young teachers that were hired at the time. Education used to be a profession where the veteran teachers were respected even revered--it's a shame that the young aren't smart enough to realize that if they are lucky, they, too, will be old some day and will want to be treated fairly.
yada yada yada. You don't know me and you still didn't respond to the question.
Anonymous, I guess your question is to choose (for employment) between the PHS teacher in question and the younger PHS teacher who is my friend. At the moment, there are enough jobs for both to be employed at PHS.
Both of these teachers have been my colleagues at one time or another. The older PHS teacher and I taught summer school together for many years.
In any case, the administration, I believe, has just shot itself in the foot--taken away any possibility of resolving this situation in a timely and fair manner. Whatever they hoped to accomplish will be far more difficult because they thought they could pull a fast one while the union wasn't looking or responding to its dues-paying members. Like it or not, Terry
has chosen to maintain a presence in District 150 and as a retired member of the union. He still has the respect of many 150 teachers--and certainly his detractors, too--but a teacher in need of representation would be crazy not to call on Terry. I'm sure that there are some administrators that are not happy with Terry--but that isn't new, is it?
Terry is Terry, but a teacher that can't manage a classroom is a detriment to student learning. There may be enough "jobs" but there isn't enough money to pay them both - so which is it? Tenure or ability?
Anonymous, hypotheticals don't carry much weight when faced with reality. There are some administrators in District 150 who can't manage their buildings, etc. They aren't on tenure--so which is it tenure or ability?
If there were no tenure, there would still be ineffective teachers, etc. First of all, I am in no position to judge whether or not this teacher is or is not ineffective today--perhaps you are closer to the situation than I am, but your opinions don't have any more power than mine do. Neither of us have the power to choose in this case.
I recognize that a teacher who was effective at one time might not be now, etc., due to all sorts of extenuating circumstances.
The point in this situation is that there is a right and a wrong way to do things. The truth is that she has, in the past, received satisfactory evaluations--when serving in another school. That's where we have to start with this argument. The fact is that she has not been evaluateed in her current position.
I understand that you don't like tenure and the protections it offers. Your opinion is irrelevant in this situation because there is tenure and the negotiated rules have to be followed. If District 150's administrators had had their way, this teacher would be on the streets with no retirement benefits, etc. However, they recognized the error of their ways. In fact, they didn't fire the teacher--just stupidly and/or naively asked her to resign.
Your question assumes that tenure is the opposite of ability. That is an absurd generalization. If that is the case, then every tenured teacher in District 150 is ineffective.
I still contend that this mass movement of teachers from all over the district created all sorts of problems--this is just the first to be brought to our attention. Now we both just have to wait to see how it plays out. I just want the rules to be followed--there is more than one possibility for resolving the issue if the rules are followed.
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