Improving schools is now a racist act?

Alabama has passed a bill called the Accountability Act. What it basically says is that parents of a child enrolled in a "failing" school have the right to move their child to either a private school, with the state offering a tax credit of up to $3500 to help offset costs, or another public school. Sounds good so far to me. The report is out, and several Huntsville Alabama schools are deemed failing schools.

The problem?

Several parents are realizing that $3500 is simply not enough. The money is in the form of a tax credit, so they will have to wait almost a year before they see the money, and private schools want to be paid now. Not to mention, $3500 does not cover the entire costs apparently. So many parents simply want to move their child to a nearby non-failing school. But the Federal Desegregation law is stopping that in its tracks. Some of these schools are predominately black schools, and white students are unable to transfer out because of desegregation.

Because of a child's skin color, they are being refused quality education.

Read that last line again:

Because of a child's skin color, they are being refused quality education.

I dunno what the world is going to come to. I know for a fact, from being a math tutor at the local college for two years and from tutoring high school students free-lance, that public schools are failing to teach. Now, any accountability to try and get the schools to shape up is being thwarted over skin color. Have we not progressed beyond this? Does race mean so much more than character and opportunity? Are we past the point of no return, so that nothing we do can ever hope to reverse the spiraling decline of education in this country, because it might offend someone somewhere somehow?

I do know that someone is going to say that this is not a problem because the children affected are predominately white. Let me repeat something for those who say this:

Because of a child's skin color, they are being refused quality education.

No child should be punished for the color of their skin... ever!

The story about the failing schools is here.

The video documenting the conflict between state and Federal law is here.

TheRedneck

Great thread, since your a mod I am sure the usual derailing probably wont happen, but this is happening in so many places right now. I am sure that like most failing school districts if the school doesnt do better, or the parents cannot get the funds, they either have to stay quiet, and deal with the school the way it is, or the schools will be shut down, either way the parents and the students lose

S&F

Peace, NRE.

The schools are failing because the students are rowdy and are disrespectful to the teachers. Trust me, two of my friends are full time teachers in inner city schools. The children are worse in those city schools then in the county schools. Also, there are too many students per teacher for the teaching to be effective. ANd I'm not going to get into the standardized testing... In order for the schools to get better, things need to change at home ie. parents need to be more involved in their lives and the "culture" of learning isn't masculine or that learning is for pussies or that smart kids are push overs needs to stop.

reply to post by TheRedneck


when people searching for education, they want to upgrade their knowledge and their reputation..and that two is human right..i agree with you..

No child should be punished for the color of their skin... ever!

this is the true..when people hard to find education they will hard to believe in goverment..hard to believe in constitution..then finaly create a baby crime..then growup to the criminals

reply to post by TheRedneck
That is so sad! In this day and age we ought to be past all of this desegregation malarkey. Children should be able to go to the school nearest to their homes, and if that school is failing they should be able to transfer to any other area school- and their race should have absolutely nothing to do with it!

The failing many times is that the kids are uncontrollable, and this stems from the family or lack of. When we see a dysfunctional family as a norm how can the schools do anything but babysit, well, for the ones that actually go to school.

My 7th and 8th grade was in an inner city school type situation and they were the worst two years of my life....

reply to post by TheRedneck


So is it working both ways, are black children not allowed to leave failing schools which are predominately white?

Or is that rare, so are the majority of the failing schools predominately black? Surprise surprise.

It sound like your trying to demonize desegregation, blaming it for the problem, when that is not the problem at all.

The problem is inequality between schools, and a failing education system, NOT desegregation.

the children affected are predominately white

Maybe if these black schools weren't underfunded then the kids wouldn't want to leave them in the first place, seems to me like most of the kids affected are the poor black kids stuck there as they outnumber the few whites who are rich enough to leave.

The link mentions nothing of desegregation being the problem (and can't watch video here), so am looking for more info supporting your claim mr redneck.

reply to post by polarwarrior


No, If the kids weren't such douche bags and the parents cared then we wouldn't have the problems.

I don't mean to be rude but wake up. SMH. I've seen it all first hand. Some kids are respectful and others aren't. It's hard for a teacher to teach or get their point across with a bunch of disrespectful children.

reply to post by kimish


Its easy to blame the kids, but they are only children. The adults have to bear some of the blame for how they turn out. More funding means smaller class sizes and the teachers can handle them easier too.

Also as much as I'm sure they care, when working class parents need to both work 60+hrs per week just to pay bills and rent then the kid isn't getting the parenting they deserve. I doubt most of those parents want to be so absent, I'm sure it breaks their heart.

So who's fault is it really?

reply to post by polarwarrior

Yes, it works both ways... black children in predominately white failing schools are in the same boat. It is true, from what I understand, that most of the failing schools are predominately black, but that does not equate to them being underfunded. They are also predominately poor, and public schools in Alabama who serve poor communities get the lion's share of the money. Money is in large part allocated based on how many children in attendance are on some form of government support.

Which brings up the question: why are the schools with the most money failing?

I'm blaming desegregation, yes, because it is desegregation that is now preventing children from getting a quality education. It's not about black or white any more. It's about a failed Federal government that is preventing improvement in schools through outdated and antiquated laws. Desegregation was necessary at one time, especially in the South; there was so much anger and hatred left over from the Civil War aimed at blacks that it took Federal laws to ensure that everyone had a fair chance. But those days are gone, especially in Huntsville. I start UAH in the fall, and in the admissions office there is a world map with push pins in areas where students actively enrolled are from... and it is FULL of push pins! every country I can think of (and some I don't normally think of) is represented. If you walk through Huntsville on any day, you will see a mix of European, African, Carribean, Asian... it truly is a gigantic melting pot. Huntsville is home to Redstone Arsenal, NASA, the Space and Rocket Center, Boeing, Chrysler, Wyle Labs, McDonald Douglass, SCI, and quite a few other technological giants. It is not a backwoods rendition of the movie Deliverance, and it didn't grow to such success by limiting people on the basis of something as silly as race.

I will agree that the failing education system is at primary fault... but it is the Federal laws that are preventing that from being fixed. At least the state is trying to find a solution.

So why can white kids also not move to better schools? Remember that these are POOR white kids, because the problem is that the parents can't afford public school even with the tax rebate.

I'm saying isn't it time we get race out of the way so we can move ahead? Or is a long-forgotten and oft-misrepresented era in our history more important than our future?

BTW, I am sorry you can't see the video... the part about the conflict between the state and desegregation is in it and not in the written text. I came across this story watching the evening news, and all that was available on the website was the video. I included the link to the text article because I hate video-only stories too.

TheRedneck

reply to post by polarwarrior


I don't know how it is In Australia but in the U.S. there is a culture in some areas that shun learning or how should I say, being smart. Then you take that and combine it with peer pressure...

Plus, the teachers work loads are getting heavier with budget cuts, school closings, layoffs and what not so teachers are stuck with more students. It's proven that the smaller a classroom (student wise) the better the children do. SO, you have less schools and less teachers, what's that mean? More students per teacher. Plus, you also have the culture that "it's not cool to be smart" add that with peer pressure and you have part of your answer.

I grew up in the 2nd smallest school district in the state of Pennsylvania, a county school, we had the least funding and used old textbooks. In 1998 we still had the same curtains and lockers that the school had when it was built with in the 60's. ~ The funding has # to do with it, it's the students attitudes and the teachers workload that is the problem. Too many asshole kids to one teacher, what can you expect? How would you handle it? It's no wonder why some teachers now-a-days are only in it for a paycheck. They are getting shafted and ultimately it's the kids that are getting shafted the most. It's a vicious cycle and it starts at the home.
Parents get involved with the districts politics, get involved with your students work... 20 minutes isn't asking too much even when a parent is working a 60 hr work week.

People are getting lazy and the "white shirts" are getting greedier.

reply to post by polarwarrior


In my first post I believe I did call the parents out. ANd 20 minutes of each day can make a difference even if the parent worked 60hr work weeks.

I did it with my children when I was pulling 54hr weeks when my children attended the 2nd smallest and poorest district in the entire state and they are still honor roll students. Many parents are in the same boat as me and the graduation rate is still above %80.

U2U me if anyone would like specifics or get into a non-PC discussion.

It's crazy the level of racism against the "majority" in the effort to not be racist. Someone should tell the people up top that caucasians are not even the majority worldwide. And I fear the day for them when they no longer are in helm of worldwide power structures.

The extinction of an entire race is quite possible, and it will come about in total irony. (If it happens.)

I'm 24 years old, so compared to most of you guys.. it's safe to say I'm fresh out of High School. So I have some direct experience with some of what you guys are talking about.


For the first three years of high school, I went to a district school with a very high standard. Predominately white, but had some diversity. Each kid got their own iBook, they'd even get to take it home and use for school purposes, upon which they'd return during summer. (I came up with that idea, and it came to fruitation). The school apparently had a drug problem and of course there were some oddball trouble makers, like the kid who stole a bunch of iBooks. These problem students, were sent to an alternative school and treated like elementary students. Pretty much a place for them to go and be delinquents away from all the behaved kids, sometimes they had a chance to come back if their grades improved.

Senior year, I transferred to a city public school by choice. They set up the schools here so that some kids from the "wealthier" parts of town take buses to the other side to go to school, visa versa with the poorer regions. So you'd get a decent mix of kids.. Highly diverse. White's were the minority I would say, if that matters. Enrolled was the rowdiest, most uneducated, and violent students I've ever seen.

The first day of school there, I was sitting at a table in the lunchroom. Next to me is a "wall". A wall made of glass. Low and behold a fight breaks out on the other side and one kid gets thrown through the glass and lands on my table. The table tilts and my lunch goes all over my lap, all while I'm sitting coated in glass thinking "What the F did I get myself into". The year continued like that. Kids smoking weed during P.E. Other kids blatently interrupting teachers to tell them to "Shut the ____ Up". Oh man, it was bad.

Honestly, everything they were trying to teach me senior year at the public school.. I had already learned Freshman year at my original High School. Public schools are failing extremely hard, but I agree when I say it's the parents fault.

What can the public schools do to help themselves? They could use more resource officers. A lot more. 1 cop per school ain't gonna cut it anymore.

You know not of what you speak.

Originally posted by littled16
reply to post by TheRedneck

 

That is so sad! In this day and age we ought to be past all of this desegregation malarkey. Children should be able to go to the school nearest to their homes, and if that school is failing they should be able to transfer to any other area school- and their race should have absolutely nothing to do with it!

I agree 100% with you!! I think as a general population we are past desegregation and racism... but the media likes to keep it alive and well.. drilling it and instilling it into our youth and those citizens who are not free thinkers. I had older members of my extended family who were racist and still was able to see through that influence because I didn't see them every day. The media and the lawyers of minority groups are still making money off of segregating us so why would they stop? A lot of inner city schools have many underprivileged kids that attend, underprivileged by way of their parents. If their parents didn't graduate and don't teach them the importance of a high school diploma then why would they work hard to get one? My nephews mom never graduated high school and he just failed his senior year, and his excuse was that mom never graduated so its no big deal... I will get my GED and then be fine. I tried to explain to him that employers look at GED's quite a bit differently that they do high school diplomas. I am so sick of the race card being played when all races at some point in time have been segregated against somewhere in the world. I blame it on the bleeding hearts, the media and the ignorant.

reply to post by introV



I went to a district school as well, but luckily I stayed through it all four years. District schools are considered public schools also here in Oregon. I got a great education and our graduation rate was decent (graduated class of '94) since 94 of the 112 students in my class graduated. I have heard the horror stories of what I would refer to as inner city schools, mainly from my wife who attended one during her freshman year and I am glad that I was able to grow up where I did and be able to attend a good district school. I think that the upbringing is the most important part. I knew from a very early age that if i got in trouble in school or on the bus that I would either get a spanking or in my older years have to cut my own switch from one of the trees by our house. Parents cant really do that anymore for some stupid reason lest they had child protective services showing up at their house and take their kids away to be wards of the state. I am a father of 4 kids 5 and under and my wife and I do ok financially. I grew up in a fairly well off home environment and she grew up poor, I had a job a 15 and learned to value of responsibility and being self sufficient while she was forced into it at 15 so she could eat and have clothes. We try to instill the same values in our kids that our parents did to help us get where we are today without the spankings and the switching. I will say that I have no problem disciplining our children for violent behavior or for lack of respect as appropriate (time outs, putting them to bed the occasional swat on the butt) and that is something I think that a lot of today's older youths never learned from their parents. Our children respect people in public, listen to us and don't damage other peoples property. My wife and I respect each other and our children. It all starts with respect,,, respecting your elders, your community and your belongings. A kid growing up without learning the value of respect or responsibility is doomed to fail.

Originally posted by kimish
reply to post by polarwarrior

 

I don't know how it is In Australia but in the U.S. there is a culture in some areas that shun learning or how should I say, being smart. Then you take that and combine it with peer pressure...

Plus, the teachers work loads are getting heavier with budget cuts, school closings, layoffs and what not so teachers are stuck with more students. It's proven that the smaller a classroom (student wise) the better the children do. SO, you have less schools and less teachers, what's that mean? More students per teacher. Plus, you also have the culture that "it's not cool to be smart" add that with peer pressure and you have part of your answer.

I grew up in the 2nd smallest school district in the state of Pennsylvania, a county school, we had the least funding and used old textbooks. In 1998 we still had the same curtains and lockers that the school had when it was built with in the 60's. ~ The funding has # to do with it, it's the students attitudes and the teachers workload that is the problem. Too many asshole kids to one teacher, what can you expect?

Spot on friend.

I was in a class when the men were given books each and the women expected to share because of not enough books to go round.

All these nasty little assumptions which have now transferred themselves onto race issues need pruning because shouldn't we be coming into a time where we regard ourselves as members of the human race, we are all within its diversity.

It annoys me when we still put ourselves into separate boxes and wail 'my roots, my roots!' There comes a time when this attitude doesn't help anyone and in education we are in danger of loosing our best students.