What should come first a diverse school faculty or a diverse student population?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I like your responses 21:06, we must do lunch.

Please count me in -- I'm sure it would be a scintillating conversation

[Anonymous]

The answer is a no brainer. Without a diverse faculty, you have no hope of drawing in many middle-class parents above pre-s/pre-K. If nearly the entire faculty is AA in a DC public school, commonly the case, it's a safe bet that upper-middle-class/white parents will largely shun the place for the elementary grades, perceiving it as a failing "ghetto" school.

I'm of the opinion that failing to attract well-heeled parents does a school no good, aware that others strongly disagree. While it may be unreasonable for white parents to avoid schools with all AA faculties, it's reality in a racially polarized city in which upper-middle-class AA parents have collectively avolided public schools for decades. In gentrifying or gentrified neighborhoods, smart, visionary PTAs push to create racially diverse faculties to reach out to the IB population in the hopes of raising money/drawing in resources to improve facilities, leadership, teaching etc.

[Anonymous]

You didn't have to go their with the assertion that if it is all AA then it is "ghetto." Then it would be insulting that upper-middle class AA parents would want a school that is predominantly AA to serve their purposes. I would think those who did pursue college degrees from HBCU's chose those schools with race being a criteria.

The question was "what should come first" and not really about if this doesn't come first then it is deemed a failure by white people standards.

Although, I appreciate the blogging. I put you on the lunch invite too.

[Anonymous]

Typing too fast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ignorance? No. Reality. And the only hate here is entirely in your head.

Keep on believing that we are living in a post-racial America if you wish. The news tells me otherwise.

"The news"? What news is that? And is it actually representative, is it statistically relevant, or is it just cherry-picked anecdotal stuff like how people are trying to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of voters because they keep trotting out stuff like "dead people are on the voter rolls" and "ACORN committed massive voter fraud" even though the facts show that since 2000 there have only been 13 instances of actual voter fraud in the entire nation that were actually proven and which actually resulted in criminal conviction? Sure, I could find 13 racist a-holes in America. But, widespread racist oppression? No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ignorance? No. Reality. And the only hate here is entirely in your head.

Keep on believing that we are living in a post-racial America if you wish. The news tells me otherwise.

"The news"? What news is that? And is it actually representative, is it statistically relevant, or is it just cherry-picked anecdotal stuff like how people are trying to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of voters because they keep trotting out stuff like "dead people are on the voter rolls" and "ACORN committed massive voter fraud" even though the facts show that since 2000 there have only been 13 instances of actual voter fraud in the entire nation that were actually proven and which actually resulted in criminal conviction? Sure, I could find 13 racist a-holes in America. But, widespread racist oppression? No.

Systemic oppression, by definition, is widespread oppression. For example:
1. Crack .v. Coke drug sentencing
2. Racial Profiling
3. Black Vernacular English .v. Standard English

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ignorance? No. Reality. And the only hate here is entirely in your head.

Keep on believing that we are living in a post-racial America if you wish. The news tells me otherwise.

"The news"? What news is that? And is it actually representative, is it statistically relevant, or is it just cherry-picked anecdotal stuff like how people are trying to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of voters because they keep trotting out stuff like "dead people are on the voter rolls" and "ACORN committed massive voter fraud" even though the facts show that since 2000 there have only been 13 instances of actual voter fraud in the entire nation that were actually proven and which actually resulted in criminal conviction? Sure, I could find 13 racist a-holes in America. But, widespread racist oppression? No.

Systemic oppression, by definition, is widespread oppression. For example:
1. Crack .v. Coke drug sentencing
2. Racial Profiling
3. Black Vernacular English .v. Standard English

With regard to:
1. The war on drugs has been a failure
2. AAs statistically commit more crime. Might want to start there first.
3. Uhmwhat? How is the fact that AAs make up their own vernacular and choose to be different "racial oppression"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ignorance? No. Reality. And the only hate here is entirely in your head.

Keep on believing that we are living in a post-racial America if you wish. The news tells me otherwise.

"The news"? What news is that? And is it actually representative, is it statistically relevant, or is it just cherry-picked anecdotal stuff like how people are trying to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of voters because they keep trotting out stuff like "dead people are on the voter rolls" and "ACORN committed massive voter fraud" even though the facts show that since 2000 there have only been 13 instances of actual voter fraud in the entire nation that were actually proven and which actually resulted in criminal conviction? Sure, I could find 13 racist a-holes in America. But, widespread racist oppression? No.

Systemic oppression, by definition, is widespread oppression. For example:
1. Crack .v. Coke drug sentencing
2. Racial Profiling
3. Black Vernacular English .v. Standard English

With regard to:
1. The war on drugs has been a failure
2. AAs statistically commit more crime. Might want to start there first.
3. Uhmwhat? How is the fact that AAs make up their own vernacular and choose to be different "racial oppression"?

1. What does that have to do with the fact that the possession of crack (which was pumped into black communities by the government, and pushed very hard in DC, i might add) carries stiffer penalties than the possession of cocaine (which consists of the same drug, but is considered to be a drug more prominent in the white community)?

2. So, based on your reasoning, I should assume that all white people are tyrants that steal land and cause worldwide oppression and decimation and should be treated like the criminals they have presented themselves to be?

3. That is akin to holding native Spanish speakers at fault for not speaking English. Black Vernacular has rules of its own. Because you don't understand the structure and rules of it does not invalidate it as legitimate. If its speakers were treated with the care given to speakers of other language students would be given the support to make the connections and code switch when needed. Instead it is just written off as wrong, ignored and the result is the systemic underserving of many of the black students in the DCPSs. I would go on, but I have already probably lost you.

[Anonymous]

Havent read all the posts, but as parent of since-graduated from DCPS primaries, you want diversity in your CHILD'S POPULATION, not in the faculty. They are grown ups and wouldn't be in their profession in a diverse school population if they didn't hope to teach every child equally to their best potential.

DIVERSITY IN PEERS (and in parents learning to interact with parents that may not afford to be their next door neighbors) is the enrichment one should hope for in publc education. Nobody loses, everyone gains something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ignorance? No. Reality. And the only hate here is entirely in your head.

Keep on believing that we are living in a post-racial America if you wish. The news tells me otherwise.

"The news"? What news is that? And is it actually representative, is it statistically relevant, or is it just cherry-picked anecdotal stuff like how people are trying to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of voters because they keep trotting out stuff like "dead people are on the voter rolls" and "ACORN committed massive voter fraud" even though the facts show that since 2000 there have only been 13 instances of actual voter fraud in the entire nation that were actually proven and which actually resulted in criminal conviction? Sure, I could find 13 racist a-holes in America. But, widespread racist oppression? No.

Systemic oppression, by definition, is widespread oppression. For example:
1. Crack .v. Coke drug sentencing
2. Racial Profiling
3. Black Vernacular English .v. Standard English

With regard to:
1. The war on drugs has been a failure
2. AAs statistically commit more crime. Might want to start there first.
3. Uhmwhat? How is the fact that AAs make up their own vernacular and choose to be different "racial oppression"?

1. What does that have to do with the fact that the possession of crack (which was pumped into black communities by the government, and pushed very hard in DC, i might add) carries stiffer penalties than the possession of cocaine (which consists of the same drug, but is considered to be a drug more prominent in the white community)?

2. So, based on your reasoning, I should assume that all white people are tyrants that steal land and cause worldwide oppression and decimation and should be treated like the criminals they have presented themselves to be?

3. That is akin to holding native Spanish speakers at fault for not speaking English. Black Vernacular has rules of its own. Because you don't understand the structure and rules of it does not invalidate it as legitimate. If its speakers were treated with the care given to speakers of other language students would be given the support to make the connections and code switch when needed. Instead it is just written off as wrong, ignored and the result is the systemic underserving of many of the black students in the DCPSs. I would go on, but I have already probably lost you.

1. Crack was pumped into the black communities by the government. Woohooo! Certified bonafide wackjob conspiracy theory alert. We have a winner here!

2. I never spoke to your false premise of "profiling". But again, it's not "reasoning", it's just pure statistics. Take a look at the crime reports for the city, and see how many are AA.

8:33PM tonight: 4D has Rob/gun at 14th St and Rittenhouse St NW. LOF B/M, dark comp, wht shirt, drk pnts, B/M, blk shirt, drk jns, armed with gun.//5959

What, the police are supposed to instead be looking for a latino, white or asian female there? Yes, lots more AAs get arrested and lots more AAs are in prison - because a lot more AAs are committing the crimes.

3. Black vernacular doesn't have uniform or consistent "rules", it's just dialect. Same as southern, same as New York, same as Canadian-English or anything else. Black vernacular in one city is different than black vernacular in the next city, and it's different today than it was 30 years ago, and if you don't understand that, then it is you who is truly lost. We don't recognize or teach "Hillbilly English", we don't teach "New Yawk English" and Black vernacular is no different.

[Anonymous]

Black vernacular can be picked up by any English speaker who is listening closely enough. It's not a separate language and like any vernacular, it's not educated speech.

I don't think kids should be allowed to use it in the classroom. They should be taught to use standard English.

[Anonymous]

What in da hell happen? I just went down the skreet to get'me some chicken wings wit mumbo sauce and this transpired.

I just asked the question because there are African-American parents who are raising the "how in the hell, can this White principal at McKinley, have the best interests of African-American children's education?" So, the question was poised to these inquisitive parents what is more important a diverse faculty or a diverse student body? The response from the parents was mind-boggling to say the least. I put the question on the DCUM to generate a discussion and now we are on the need to have ebonics validated.

Step away from the keyboard. Stop texting!!!

[Anonymous]

How exactly are an AA child's educational interests and educational goals so different than any other child's educational interests and educational goals?

Please DO explain.

[Anonymous]

according to the DC-CAS scores at McKinley, the kids are doing just fine with a White principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Black vernacular can be picked up by any English speaker who is listening closely enough. It's not a separate language and like any vernacular, it's not educated speech.

I don't think kids should be allowed to use it in the classroom. They should be taught to use standard English.

They need to be taught to code-switch, relating what they say in black vernacular to what should be said in standard english.