Good Morning:
CONGRATULATIONS Harriet; Sojourner, Old Elizabeth, Mary McLeod, Billie, Fannie Lou, Mary Church, Ida B, Shirley, Angela, Myrlie, Mae, others unknown, but valiant. CONGRATULATIONS Michelle. You helped us make it this far. Where do we go from here?
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The Wonderful Moments with So Much Work Ahead
It is Sunday night and I have spent the better part of the day, praying for President Obama, rejoicing in the fact that the world is so proud that America may be living up to its promise of equality for all. Now just to be cattish for a moment, and a portent of things to come, did you see President Obama and Vice President Biden put a wreath on the tomb of the unknown soldier? President Obama performed another first. He didn't wait until Memorial or Veterans Day, he did it in honor of the soldiers everywhere at a time when the world was watching! Good for President Obama! Then did you see President Obama and his knowledge of protocol and the lack of knowledge of protocol on the part of Vice President Biden? The world may begin to learn a lot of manners and protocol and even English with President Barack Hussein Obama. Thank you President Obama, you will make my great-grandchildren proud!
Back to American living up to its promise. Don't believe for a minute that President Obama can do this without the folks who ask whome? He can't see the devastation that is happening in Chicago schools, even though he has Arne, who couldn't see it either. He can't see students dropping out of colleges and universities not because they don't have enough financial aid, but simply because, STILL, you get a C for being colored. He can't see up close that NCLB can't work because standardized testing doesn't work. Standardized test scores follow color, so the more c0lor of the takers, the lower the scores. President Obama should not have to see these things because you, whome, yes you, see them and do nothing. Let's make this Tuesday a truly historic occasion. Lend your voice somewhere to say Education Now or not at all. Either it works for everybody or we shut it down. Can we count on you, whome, to do something?
Back to American living up to its promise. Don't believe for a minute that President Obama can do this without the folks who ask whome? He can't see the devastation that is happening in Chicago schools, even though he has Arne, who couldn't see it either. He can't see students dropping out of colleges and universities not because they don't have enough financial aid, but simply because, STILL, you get a C for being colored. He can't see up close that NCLB can't work because standardized testing doesn't work. Standardized test scores follow color, so the more c0lor of the takers, the lower the scores. President Obama should not have to see these things because you, whome, yes you, see them and do nothing. Let's make this Tuesday a truly historic occasion. Lend your voice somewhere to say Education Now or not at all. Either it works for everybody or we shut it down. Can we count on you, whome, to do something?
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Bloody but Unbowed
Another day which is bitter sweet! Should be bitter sweet ot all who care about education for Black people. We are about to witness a "first" in history: the inauguration of the first openly Black president! We are going to have a holiday on Monday for the assassinated
Dr. King (mind you we celebrate his birthday, but say nothing about what happened to him because of this country's racism) In fact, April 4th passes without much mention. Most other races, ethnic or religious groups want the country to remember the bad times so that it never happens again, yet we the yet to be full citizens of the United States, remember Dr. King being born, not how and why he died. So much for the past.
The glorious times we are now celebrate and will again celebrate all over the country on Tuesday will be the inauguration of President Barack Hussein Obama. Oh what a wonderful time we will all have because never in our wildest dreams did we think it would happen in our lifetime. It did! Now what: As Dr. King said, "Where do we go from here?" That's enough of the sweet.
The bitter: According to Phillip Jackson of the Black Star Project:
"....the educational, social, and economic outcomes of most Black chikldren are a catastrophe!
Why? Phillip continues
. Murders of Black males between the ages of 14 and 17 rose by 40%
. In 2001, the chances of going to prison for a black male was 32%
. In 2003, 1,172 Black children died from gunfire
. More Black children died in Chicago from gunfire in 2008 than Chicago soldiers died in Irag
. Just 22% of Black makes who began at a four year college graduated within six years
. The average 17 year-old-Black student has the reading and math scores of the aveage European American student
Phillip calls this genocide; I call this a pitiful interest in what happens educationally to Black children. Blacks must be inferior; European Americans must think that Blacks are inferior. Arne Duncan, the new secretary of education is European American. What does your logic 101 class tell you? Please get involved!!!
Bitter:"
Dr. King (mind you we celebrate his birthday, but say nothing about what happened to him because of this country's racism) In fact, April 4th passes without much mention. Most other races, ethnic or religious groups want the country to remember the bad times so that it never happens again, yet we the yet to be full citizens of the United States, remember Dr. King being born, not how and why he died. So much for the past.
The glorious times we are now celebrate and will again celebrate all over the country on Tuesday will be the inauguration of President Barack Hussein Obama. Oh what a wonderful time we will all have because never in our wildest dreams did we think it would happen in our lifetime. It did! Now what: As Dr. King said, "Where do we go from here?" That's enough of the sweet.
The bitter: According to Phillip Jackson of the Black Star Project:
"....the educational, social, and economic outcomes of most Black chikldren are a catastrophe!
Why? Phillip continues
. Murders of Black males between the ages of 14 and 17 rose by 40%
. In 2001, the chances of going to prison for a black male was 32%
. In 2003, 1,172 Black children died from gunfire
. More Black children died in Chicago from gunfire in 2008 than Chicago soldiers died in Irag
. Just 22% of Black makes who began at a four year college graduated within six years
. The average 17 year-old-Black student has the reading and math scores of the aveage European American student
Phillip calls this genocide; I call this a pitiful interest in what happens educationally to Black children. Blacks must be inferior; European Americans must think that Blacks are inferior. Arne Duncan, the new secretary of education is European American. What does your logic 101 class tell you? Please get involved!!!
Bitter:"
Thursday, January 15, 2009
More Important Information
Yesterday, I asked the question about the best public university in Illinois for African American students based on graduation rates. I am not going to answer that question today because I have more important information to impart, perhaps this new information is intricately tied to the question asked yesterday. Does anyone have a full transcript of the confirmation hearing of Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education designate. All of the media seem to say that Duncan received a warm reception, even had some senators compliment him for his work in Chicago. No one asked PURE about the Chicago Public Schools, schools of apartheid. No one asked Gary Orfield. While the Chicago Public Schools may not now or still be the worst in the nation, they are some of the most segregated in the nation. Did anyone ask Duncan about this?
Did anyone hear any comments about higher education from Duncan or the senators doing the questioning? Yes, we want to make college more accessible. However, is this really the issue. The issue of higher education is the same as the issue of lower education: Will education become as equal for African Americans as it is for others?
There is no question that Duncan is not an educator, but that is not the question. Rather, the serious and most immediate quesstion is, who will Duncan appoint as bureaucrats to really run the Department of Education who will do the work and institute and implement policy. You had better speak up before they come for you.
Did anyone hear any comments about higher education from Duncan or the senators doing the questioning? Yes, we want to make college more accessible. However, is this really the issue. The issue of higher education is the same as the issue of lower education: Will education become as equal for African Americans as it is for others?
There is no question that Duncan is not an educator, but that is not the question. Rather, the serious and most immediate quesstion is, who will Duncan appoint as bureaucrats to really run the Department of Education who will do the work and institute and implement policy. You had better speak up before they come for you.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Who Me?
Good Morning!
I have not heard from you, yes you. Maybe this will get you started.
What is the best public university in Illinois for African American females to attend? African American males? Best university translates into the university with the highest graduation rates for the populations referred to. The Educator will respond to those that respond to this morning's blog question.
I have not heard from you, yes you. Maybe this will get you started.
What is the best public university in Illinois for African American females to attend? African American males? Best university translates into the university with the highest graduation rates for the populations referred to. The Educator will respond to those that respond to this morning's blog question.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
The Debut of Who Me?
The first educators of children are their parents. So join me in discussing items of interest in lower and higher education and provide suggestions about what you can do to improve the status of African Americans in education. Pastor Martin Niemoller is credited with saying,"In Germany, they came first for the Communists, And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist; And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist; And then they came for the Jews, And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew; And then they came for me, And by that time there was no one left to speak up."
Speak Up now before Black students fall further and further behind in every grade from P-20. One person can start an avalanche. Who me? Yes you with the help of this blog.
Looking to hear from you;
The Educator
Speak Up now before Black students fall further and further behind in every grade from P-20. One person can start an avalanche. Who me? Yes you with the help of this blog.
Looking to hear from you;
The Educator
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)