Below is my response to this article about an elementary school principal in Ann Arbor, MI, the city in which I went to school. The synopsis: a Black principal started a group called “Lunch Bunch” for Black children. The goal of this social and academic group was to help address the so-called “achievement gap” in education by helping these students to become more successful. They took a school-sponsored field trip with just these children to see a Black rocket scientist talk about his job and his challenges and triumphs as a Black man in general. The community in Ann Arbor – the affluent, predominantly White city in which the University of Michigan is located – is apparently outraged over this principal’s “transgression”.
I graduated from Huron High school in Ann Arbor almost 20 years ago. As a Black student, I was privy to, helped by, and hindered by all different types of programs to close this so-called “achievement gap” (yes, I do mean all of those verbs). What I took from all of these meetings and trial-and-error programs were two things: 1) Our teachers, for the most part, had no idea how to teach Black children effectively and 2) no one cared enough to actually change things. Nineteen years later, it appears that nothing has changed.
Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute and Dwyer Cultural Center Present…
5th Annual Redefining African American Conference
Beyond the Brown Paper Bag Test: De-constructing Black and Brown
- Bettye Webb-Hayes won’t ever forget the day her son posed a question that stopped her in her tracks.
“Mom,” the fourth-grader asked, “am I white?”
It was a question she had never asked her own parents. It was something you didn’t talk about in the days of the segregated South — especially when your mom was white and your father was a mix of African-American and Native American. She went to the black schools of Macon, Georgia. Now, her son was asking probing questions.
“Why would you ask me that?” she said.
“Because everybody at school calls me a honky,” said the young Cordell, a light-skinned African-American. Read the rest of this entry »
The President gives a speech directly to Americas students welcoming them back to school. He emphasizes their hope and potential but makes clear they will need to take responsibility for themselves and their education to reach that potential. September 8, 2009.
Once a beacon of hope for thousands of Black students denied access to higher education by predominantly White institutions, historically Black colleges and universities have educated generations of Black scientists, doctors, lawyers, educators and social activists. But today, these institutions face serious challenges. Questions of relevance have reached a fever pitch as today’s Black colleges work to address declining enrollment, low graduation rates and financial instability. Despite the challenges, however, HBCUs for many Black students – and others – remain the last best hope of succeeding in the higher education arena. As the age-old debate for and against Black colleges rages on, Diverse has identified five threats facing HBCUs and five opportunities that could define their futures. Read the rest of this entry »
Education and access to knowledge hold a sacred place for Black Americans. From the time when it was inaccessible to us, the risks that we took to acquire it, and the opportunities that have arisen for us from its acquisition, we have always valued learning and education.
Our demographic – the Black members of generations X and Y – have become the caretakers of that tradition. Now in our prime parenting years, we are faced with difficult choices as we consider the scholastic portion of our children’s education.
This series of articles chronicles five aspects to consider as you choose the right school for your child. There is no one strategy that will help you to find that “best fit”, but these basic guidelines will be beneficial to you on your search.
4. Bring your children to the schools that you are considering.
This should be considered unnecessary advice, but I have seen many parents visit a school without their children. While they may sometimes be more interested in mascots, lunch menus, or locker sizes, it is important for you to see how the teachers, administrators, and other students respond to your children as visitors. It can be an excellent indicator for how they will interact with them as actual citizens of the school. Read the rest of this entry »
Education and access to knowledge hold a sacred place for Black Americans. From the time when it was inaccessible to us, the risks that we took to acquire it, and the opportunities that have arisen for us from its acquisition, we have always valued learning and education.
Our demographic – the Black members of generations X and Y – have become the caretakers of that tradition. Now in our prime parenting years, we are faced with difficult choices as we consider the scholastic portion of our children’s education.
This series of articles chronicles five aspects to consider as you choose the right school for your child. There is no one strategy that will help you to find that “best fit”, but these basic guidelines will be beneficial to you on your search.
3. The qualitative data is infinitely more important than the quantitative data.
With the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), schools have understandably begun to present their standardized test scores as proof of their ability to educate children (see my rant about NCLB here). In independent schools, they may present College Board scores in lieu of state-mandated ones. In either case, remember the phrase “quality of education”: it is your reminder that how well a school educates its students is a qualitative matter, and not solely a quantitative one. Read the rest of this entry »
Education and access to knowledge hold a sacred place for Black Americans. From the time when it was inaccessible to us, the risks that we took to acquire it, and the opportunities that have arisen for us from its acquisition, we have always valued learning and education.
Our demographic – the Black members of generations X and Y – have become the caretakers of that tradition. Now in our prime parenting years, we are faced with difficult choices as we consider the scholastic portion of our children’s education.
This series of articles chronicles five aspects to consider as you choose the right school for your child. There is no one strategy that will help you to find that “best fit”, but these basic guidelines will be beneficial to you on your search.
2. The overall health of a school can be measured by its commitment to diversity.
The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) considers “diversity” to consist of eight cultural identifiers: ability (mental and physical), age, ethnicity (includes country of origin and ancestry), gender, race, religion, sexuality, and socioeconomic status. Where a child falls within each of these eight categories – each one a continuum in itself – goes a long way toward determining who he or she is. The ideal school then, considers every student a “special case”, because the specific set of cultural identifiers they possess makes each child very unique. Read the rest of this entry »
Education and access to knowledge hold a sacred place for Black Americans. From the time when it was inaccessible to us, the risks that we took to acquire it, and the opportunities that have arisen for us from its acquisition, we have always valued learning and education.
Our demographic – the Black members of generations X and Y – have become the caretakers of that tradition. Now in our prime parenting years, we are faced with difficult choices as we consider the scholastic portion of our children’s education.
This series of articles chronicles five aspects to consider as you choose the right school for your child. There is no one strategy that will help you to find that “best fit”, but these basic guidelines will be beneficial to you on your search.
1.Choosing the right school is a match to be made, not a prize to be won.
The above quote was a mantra repeated by the Director of College Counseling for a school in Minneapolis at which I taught, but it applies to any school choice. There are so many different types of schools: public, independent (private), parochial, Montessori, exceptional student education (a general term which includes gifted & talented as well as learning-disabled students), arts-based, sports academies… the list can daunting. Read the rest of this entry »
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is an educational reform package. It is open to some interpretation by each state, but the basics are: 1) every American student becomes proficient in math and writing by 2014, and 2) to eliminate and “achievement gap” that exists between children.
The premise of 100% proficiency is absurd. Not only is it unattainable, it undermines much needed science and social studies programs because those aren’t being tested. Read the rest of this entry »
"The Most Powerful Black Demo on the Planet" The HOME of Black college graduates online, Alumni Roundup is a hub for educated black People to discuss relevant topics.
What will you find here? Updates on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, reviews of music/products/films, breaking news about what's happening in Black America, the best viral videos, tips for improving your financial life, health, and relationships!
Alumni Roundup, OhPsalms, and Will Power Packer came together to produce the 3rd official installment of Roundup Rendezvous this June, 2010. Together we produced an AMAZING 4 days of sun, fun, fitness, and of course the best nightlife the city of Miami had to offer. [Read more]
