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Originally posted by Grumble
jdub, are you aware that the state of Indiana has changed its school funding so that the urban schools will be given a great advantage over the suburban schools? This was all part of the property tax reform and was, in essence, a payoff to certain constituencies to get the thing passed.
The best public schools in Indiana will be destroyed within three years.
reply to post by LibertyLover
Probably just a poor review and editting job by someone in the school system. We got one of those forms home at the beginning of the school year from my daughter's school and it had "Hispanic" on it. Some poor, overworked schmuck of an employee got told at 4:30 on a Friday to draft the form and they had a brain fart.
reply to post by jdub297
You don't take a "black roll," then a "white roll," and so on, do you?
Actually, yes they do. We don't do it as "roll call" per say, but on each student chart is their race and gender. The government requires this information.
Do you REALLY beleive that it costs more to teach a 3rd grade division is she is brown or black? Or cheaper is she's yellow or white? Your district is paternalistic, discriminatory, sick and pathetic. They should be sued in State and Federal court! (Texas teachers did this 20 years ago. It resulted in increased funding for ALL schools!)
Actually, all students learn differently. You could read more about this if you google multiple learning styles or multiple intelligence theory. We do NOT all learn in the same way, although this seems to be an individual thing and not a racial/ethnic/cultural thing at all.
Having said that, some students are more difficult to teach simply because of their backgrounds. By this I mean their home enviornment. Granted, socio-economics play a major part in this, but its not the only determinng factor. For example, take a third grade student who's got a strong family connection, had lots of different life experiences (trips to the beach, etc). This child will be better able to make connections in the classroom. When we read a story about the ocean, he will be able to remember his trip....and that's a connection. Whereas a child who has never seen the ocean will need to have that background knowledge first, and this is provided by the teachers beforehand.
Another example. I live in a very rural area, lots of poverty. We were reading a story with the sentence, "John took the subway to the Market Street and caught the 4:10 bus." Without exception, my students thought subway was a sandwich...which led into a wonderful lesson about the subway system and some great projects by the students.
Students are different. They don't learn the same, they don't all have the same capacity to learn, they don't all have the same support system at home, and they don't all have the intrinsic motivation to learn. By blithely stating that "all students are equal" regardless of differences is irresponsible.
And no, I don't believe a black student is more difficult to teach than a white student, simply because of race. Every child is unique, every child has strengths and weaknesses, and this is not determined by race or ethnicity.
So why does the government require that schools keep statistics concerning the breakdown of student achievement by race/gender/economics? To see if there is a "gap" in a certain area, and if so, how to address it. For example, my school's "poor" students (for lack of a better word) tend to fall behind the others in achievment scores. So our school has special programs aimed to help those students "catch up" (again, for lack of a better word.) Headstart is just one of thes programs; its a government run program and is aimed at reducing the deficit low-income children start school with.
In the 50s and 60s, blacks did not receive an equal education in many schools because of segregation. I imagine the government is keeping an eye on these subgroups to make sure all children are being taught, but I can't speak for the government. I just know it is a requirement that our schools have this information.
Are you unionized? Is THAT "the government?" No. The government is the law-making entity that pays for the schools, and pays for the teachers.
If you cannot see the injustice, then you are part of the problem. Get help. For the sake of your "poor, backward, typical Mexican" students.
At no point did I say a thing about "poor, backward, typical Mexican" students. I stated that the hispanic population IN MY SCHOOL tended to be non-English speaking or migratory population. If you can't see how that is different, then I can't help you. If you also can't see why these students would have a more difficult time in the school system, then I can't help you. But nice attempt to villify my concerns, by the way.
Do you not see the problem? Maybe you could get a different job, where you wouldn't have to meet with "disadvantaged" or "slow" people. Try Wal-Mart; they're hiring.
Oh, give it a rest already. It's because I care that I have this job. It's because I care that I made this thread. It's because the teachers at my school care that we've been concerned about this. At no point does this affect my personal pay. But programs aimed at helping the minority students may be cut due to this, and that concerns me. If you can't understand why, then again I can't help you.
As for feeling emotional, again, you are right. I see this as just another blow to public education, and heaven knows its already bad enough.
Aren't all students in NC entitled to the SAME education?
YES! Which is why this concerns me. By cutting funding, who will be hurt? THE STUDENTS!
I just won't abide certain behavior. You SHOULD apologize to your students. You should speak up and do something.
And just what should I apologize for? Are you an educator? Do you have any idea what the job entails, the sacrifices it takes, and the sheer frustration involved when someone less than informed on the issues at hand makes blanket statements as the ones made above? I do it because I love working with the children, and I'm good at my job.
As for speaking up and doing something, we are. That is what the Union does, and it is looking into matters.
Of couse, speaking up on ATS sure helped a lot, didnt it?
Sorry. But you asked.
I did.
reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan
Smylee...even though what he says lacks tact and diplomacy, take the core message to heart. It is the teachers jobs to make sure the student is prepared. Obstacles are meant to be gone around.
reply to post by jdub297
We are 4 pages into a thread that is basically the OP trying to justify discrimination
Originally posted by jdub297
reply to post by smyleegrl
"Hispanic" is not a race. It is a nationality. There are really only 4 generally accepted "races" of human. Some people consider it an "ethnicity," but we are all "ethnic" to some degree.
Don't they teach sociology in your school, or were you just not paying attention?
Second, the US Census Bureau does not rely on schools for the census. Yours must be a school district product.
Deny ignorance.
jw
[edit on 23-2-2010 by jdub297]
Originally posted by smyleegrl
Mods, I'm not sure if this belongs here or in the Education forum, please move if its in the wrong place.
As those of you in the US know, this year is the census year. I don't know if its part of the census process, but our school recently sent home a form for parents to fill out.
On the form:
African-American
White
Pacific Islander
Asian
Bi-Racial
American Indian
BUT NOT HISPANIC!
There are a lot of hispanic families in my school, and many who are extremely upset about this. Which got me to thinking. Why leave out the hispanic population?
Could it be that the government realizes the hispanic population is approaching the size of the African-American population, and therefore might become the new major minority (I know that's an oxymoron).
If the hispanics are the largest minority, would this take away funds from the African American minority? I don't know much about this, so I thought I'd ask my friends at ATS.
Perhaps I'm over reacting, but this seems wrong to me. Can someone help explain it?
I just found a census form online and they do ask this question #8.
Go here: 2010.census.gov...
Originally posted by jdub297
reply to post by smyleegrl
"Hispanic" is not a race. It is a nationality.
[edit on 23-2-2010 by jdub297]