Another racial issues discussion-looking for input *especially* from fellow blacks. (education, governor)

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by pandorafan5687

My hometown recently begin building charter schools as the north side of the city, well virtually all the schools have closed. The charter schools are on the south side but they provide free alternative to expensive private schools. There was a predominantly black private school on the north side of the city, however the church could no longer fund the school.

I wish the county I lived in did that. I am living back there now(until I save enough money to buy a home, currently live with the folks). I'm in the western exurbs of metro Atlanta. I imagine it would differ from Lake Charles proper. The high school I went to just added a magnet program a few years ago. 2000-2004(my high school years), there were 3 high schools in the county I lived in. After I graduated, 2 more high schools were built.

I think lack of involvement with the school board could also be due to lack of involvement with the larger community. My parents we're not really involved in the community they lived in. Until my father found a church in the area, he wasn't involved in anything. Just work and go home. He was involved in his church, bu outside of that, not much. He went to my baseball games. Other than that, my parents never really got involved in the community. One reason for not getting involved with the school board. Work, and go home.

It is interesting you mentioned that private school funded by the church. A Catholic church in another city I lived in had a school, still does. The schools in that area are decent. It is a more middle class area, with some upper class residents.

[Shysister]

The issue with schools starts at home and how the child is being raised. I know a few teachers who teach in Black area districts and they all agree that their job would be a lot easier if the kids didn't have behavioral problems and had mothers/fathers actively involved in their education.


Teachers can't do their job and be mom & dad to the students too, then the parent gets upset when the teacher request the child be transferred to another school designed for problem students and want to claim the teacher/school is picking on their child. Also teachers are fearful of how to handle kids these days because you have parents that will come up to the school wanting to fight the teacher over lies her child has told and made the teacher out to be a bad person when the child knows it's him/her that's misbehaving.


One of my friends son goes to a predominantly White school and she said they basically don't even teach Black history month. So she takes her son to the library and teach him herself about Black history. She also doesn't like that her son is 1 of a handful of Blacks at the school however she wants her son to get a quality education and not have to worry about other kids being disruptive in class and interfering with his learning. So she makes sure she takes him to events that show Blacks being successful and involved in great causes because she doesn't want him to feel there's something wrong with being Black.


As I stated, it starts at home and the school system alone will never be the blame because there are kids that graduate from low performing schools every year and go on to make something great out of themselves. One of my friends daughter just graduated med school and she lives and raised her daughter in a Black neighborhood, so there're really no excuses for why Blacks can't get ahead and those that are determined and focused will continue to do so.

[Faith2187]

Originally Posted by pandorafan5687

Hello!


This thread, I wanted to start mainly to get input from other blacks life myself regarding where they stand regarding the racial climate that we are facing right now. Do you feel discriminated against on a regular basis? Do you feel you do relatively well for the most part in life?

For the most part I don't have negative interactions with whites. Today two white girls were in front of the store trying to collect cash for cancer. This white couple was walking in front of me and the two white girls smiled at them and said good morning to the couple. Then as I was walking in, one of the girls looked at me and rolled her eyes and didn't say a word--no good morning no friendly smile. Lol. I just smirked at them and kept it moving--nfg, because tbh most of the negative interactions I have had with whites have always been when dealing with a certain subset of white girls. They don't like me lol. Overall I'm doing good, great job, in the best shape of my life, and my son goes to a good school and I like where I live now. I'm happy with my life, and beyond a specific subset of white girls, I get along with people of all races.

I also want to know, how do you as a black person feel about these black conscious movements, SJWs, and black nationalists/separatists movements? How do you feel about the cultural appropriation issue? BLM?
I fux with some black conscious individuals and tbh i like them and can feel where they are coming from. I don't know what SJW stands for... I'm black conscious to an extent-- in that I feel pretty woke from a lot of things that at one point I was ignorant to. On the other hand I don't have ill feelings about whites or any group. I will admit I like being around blacks more than any other group, that's all I date, and I only have two white friends that I regularly talk to and trust, other than that I tend to only want to hang out with blacks. I don't have a real opinion on cultural appropriation other than that a lot of cultures steal things from the other--it's inevitable. I don't care tbh--sometimes depending on the scenario it can be lowkey racist. The other day I saw this middle age white woman with fake box braids and I was rolling inside--s*** was funny to see. I don't care for BLM(the group) it seems to be run by black feminists, trannies and black gays a big part of the agenda seems to be using these situations to advocate for black gay and black rights from the perspective of these feminists and Im just not with it, all--find them annoying and wtf is a cis? Like just the phrases they use lol--I can't.

The reason, I'm asking is because it seems like a lot of people are showing their true colors and in response to that, it seems we have many blacks counteracting to the racism being received. I do feel that the issue needs to be discussed but there are so many online black groups and forms that I just don't relate to. As a black person, I find that many of them are only cool with you when you are agreeing with them full stop. The minute you express a thought that deviates from the mindset of that particular form, blogger, or movement, the name calling (i.e. coon, uncle tom, jigaboo, boot licker) starts.
Truthfully there are some blacks that do act like coons and don't even realize it. Lol. But I don't even get mad at it, get in where you fit in. I'll still love you just the same lol.

Now my question to other blacks-Where do you fit in at? Do you discuss racial issues with your friends? Are you met with any disagreements? When you find that one disagrees with you, do you educate them? Refer them to Google? Does the conversation go anywhere at all?

I grew up in upper middle class white areas my whole life, finally moved to black areas to be around black people and would never send my son to a mostly white school, just based on my own background. I like being black, love black men, love being a black woman, and like being around other blacks. That's not to say I don't like whites, because tbh I have mostly good experiences with them, but at the same time I just like the vibe of being amongst my own. Yes I discuss racial issues with my friends, I educate them all the time. We have disagreements, we don't have the same perspectives, and we still get along fine. There are some recent race issues in the media where I could see both side perspectives--and didn't have a side I actual took, just understanding... Honestly though most of the blacks in my life are doing well--educated, nice jobs, good families, etc... We just have relatives or friends that may live in poverty or the hood, so it hits us when certain things happen in these communities.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Ralph_Kirk

I'm not opposed to people being in control of their own children's educations, however it will call for accepting tough answers to tough questions.

1. A college prep curriculum should be robust, and only a minority percentage of kids are capable of passing a sufficiently robust college prep curriculum.

2. The majority of kids (not just black kids--all kids) should be in an equally robust technical prep curriculum, but that idea is not PC.

3. We don't really have a way to enforce the necessary home discipline. It might take building boarding schools.

There is one more thing to consider. Tech prep is often treated by some students as a "path of least resistance". Many students I've seen in the tech prep curriculum were kids who were only there because they really thought it would be easier. They were kids who knew they wouldn't go to college. And yet, they were the ones who only put in the bare minimum. Some just dropped out of school altogether.

Tech prep is suppose to prepare you for technical school, or vocational school. It is not suppose to be used s a scheme to get out of putting forth the effort in school.

[pandorafan5687]

Do you think that there should be more innovative techniques applied to make learning more of a fun experience?

[Ralph_Kirk]

[quote=pandorafan5687;45994104]Do you think that we as blacks need to get involved more with our school boards to see a turn around in predominantly black public schools? Do you think we should be opening up charter schools and private schools in our communities? Obviously we would not exclude anyone based on race, however I think that charter schools and private school separate from the state or county would really benefit us as it would allow us to control the type of education our students receive and we also have less of a chance of rec
During the late 80s/early 90s, I was able to get my son into a program in DC called the "Six Schools Complex."

This was a unique public school system program. The Six Schools Complex was located in the Palisades region north of Georgetown. At some point, the demographics of the area changed to predominantly Yuppies and retired, leaving the five elementary schools and one grade school in the region without sufficient children to keep them occupied.

Instead of closing them, though, they were made into charter-like schools. They were budgeted by the DC public schools, but admission was by application and acceptance. A kid from any region could apply, but his parents were responsible for transportation.

My son had spent a horrible first year (fifth grade) in DC in a regular Anacostia public school. When I found out about the Six Schools Complex, I went to the regional office to apply, but was told there was a two-year waiting list. When I told my son, he burst into tears. I decided, "If you can cry, I can cry." So I went directly to the school principal and made a plea. We talked for a while, then she said, "You seem like the kind of parent we want. I'll put another desk in the class. Don't tell regional."

Most importantly: The schools were run by the PTA.

Shortly after I became a "school parent," I found myself in the school office for something or the other. As I entered and stood there for a moment, a woman walked out and held out her hand, introducing herself as the PTA president. I introduced myself as a new parent. The woman turned with vigor on the staff and said, "Didn't you see this parent standing here!"

The PTA meetings were standing room only--I mean if you didn't get there early, you were standing against the wall. The faculty proposed curriculum, the parents turned thumbs up or down...and if it cost more than the DC budget, the parents figured out how they were going to pay for it (Bake sale? Out of pocket?). If you didn't have a child at that school, you weren't invited, not even as an observer. Amazingly, there was zero contention among parents. The major question was, "Is this going to help my kid in the SAT?"

[Ralph_Kirk]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

There is one more thing to consider. Tech prep is often treated by some students as a "path of least resistance". Many students I've seen in the tech prep curriculum were kids who were only there because they really thought it would be easier. They were kids who knew they wouldn't go to college. And yet, they were the ones who only put in the bare minimum. Some just dropped out of school altogether.

Tech prep is suppose to prepare you for technical school, or vocational school. It is not suppose to be used s a scheme to get out of putting forth the effort in school.

That's often because the school counselors themselves categorize tech-prep (and technical vocations) as a booby prize for dummies. Let me be clear: This is not really an issue of "smart kids" versus "dumb kids." I don't know what makes one kid do well with scholastic, academic studies and another kid do better with application fields. But most kids are not going to become brain surgeons, and aren't going to succeed attempting the amount of academic scholarship necessary to be a brain surgeon.

The concept today is that every kid should go to college. Thus, many schools have only college prep curriculum. "No Child Left Behind" actually penalized schools that had effective and popular tech prep programs. The problem with that is that it sets an endpoint of public education with certain milestones that must be reached at certain times to end at a goal of "college prepared." That means, for instance, introducing algebra by a certain year whether a kid has mastered earlier basics or not, and introducing calculus by a certain year whether a kid has grasped algebra or not.

There are certain things a tech prep curriculum needs, and certain things it doesn't. A kid in a tech prep curriculum needs to know how to read well--he need to know how to read and understand the most in-depth technical documentation, building zones, standards and codes, and business law. He needs to have algebra and plane geometry down cold, as well as small business math and economics. He needs theory of electronics, hydraulics, and mechanics. Show him a schematic diagram or a drawing of a mechanical device, and he should be able to explain its function and purpose. Tell him the occupancy of a commercial building, and he should be able to design its electrical and plumbing systems, calculating capacities of wiring and plumbing according to building codes and most efficient building science. All as a high school graduate.

Less than 40% of kids ever get a bachelor degree anyway...and it's becoming clear that the debt incurred in a bachelor degree doesn't pay off for everyone. Yet, high schools "market" to the minority instead of the majority.

There is no part of "every kid should go to college" that makes any sense at all.

[Ralph_Kirk]

Originally Posted by pandorafan5687

Do you think that there should be more innovative techniques applied to make learning more of a fun experience?

No.

Back in the 90s, the governor of Hawaii studied the industries actually present in his state. Then he looked at the state high school curriculum and stated, quote, "Our high schools are a waste of time, and the kids know it."

Teenagers don't need to have fun, they just need to see the relevance. For most of them, a college prep curriculum has no relevance.

[Packard fan]

Originally Posted by Faith2187

I grew up in upper middle class white areas my whole life, finally moved to black areas to be around black people and would never send my son to a mostly white school, just based on my own background. I like being black, love black men, love being a black woman, and like being around other blacks. That's not to say I don't like whites, because tbh I have mostly good experiences with them, but at the same time I just like the vibe of being amongst my own. Yes I discuss racial issues with my friends, I educate them all the time. We have disagreements, we don't have the same perspectives, and we still get along fine. There are some recent race issues in the media where I could see both side perspectives--and didn't have a side I actual took, just understanding... Honestly though most of the blacks in my life are doing well--educated, nice jobs, good families, etc... We just have relatives or friends that may live in poverty or the hood, so it hits us when certain things happen in these communities.

I catch what you're saying and, I agree with you. Tho if an "anglo white" person said the same things as you did about being "at home" with their own "kind", that white person would probably be called a racist, especially by a SJW fool.

[pandorafan5687]

I'm no SJW but there's a difference between being more comfortable around your own race primarily and MANDATING that people live in separate neighborhoods.