The Racial Mis-education of America's Youth
A new study by the Pew Hispanic Center finds that enrollment in suburban schools by minority students has seen explosive growth.
The study authored by Richard Fry reports that "the student population of America's suburban public schools has shot up by 3.4 million in the past decade." Ninety-nine percent of that increase was driven solely by Latino, black and Asian students. In 1993-94 the student population of suburban schools was 28% non-white. In 2006-2007 it stood at 41.4%.
But... And there's a BIG but -- at the same time the study found that while the overall number of minority students in suburban schools rose, diversity WITHIN individual schools was stagnant.
From the survey:
In 2006-07, the typical white suburban student attended a school whose student body was 75% white; in 1993-94, this same figure had been 83%. So at a time when the white share of student enrollment in suburban school districts was falling by 13 percentage points (from 72% in 1993-94 to 59% in 2006-07), the exposure of the typical white suburban student to minority students in his or her own school was growing by a little more than half that much, or 8 percentage points.
Which means, although more minorities are now enjoying suburban life, part of that life still includes segregation.
This is the world in which our children are being raised. Forty-one years on from the Kerner Commission's "two societies" declaration we are traveling from "separate and unequal" to equal but separated. In a time when so many willingly accept a black man as president, it is still unlikely that they would have a black or Hispanic or Asian as a neighbor.
And we wonder why the likes of Miley Cyrus or Joe Jonas don't understand the wrongness of going around making "Chinese eyes."
That fact is while many were offended when Attorney General Eric Holder chastised us for being "a nation of cowards" when it comes to having discussions on race, when we head home at night there's rarely anyone except people like us to have these discussions with.
More than just a fact of life, diversity is an attribute of our nation. For children diversity needs to be real, and not merely relegated to learning the names of the usual suspects during Black History Month or enjoying south-of-the-border cuisine on Cinco de Mayo. It means talking to and spending time with kids not like them so that they may discover those kids are in fact just like them.
But our kids aren't the ones who pick neighborhoods or buy houses. The life is theirs, but the choice is ours.
For more perspective please visit That Minority Thing.com
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I'd like to thank all the white people in this thread for showing me the light.
Blacks are not born inferior. However, once they are born they are taught and socialized with a inferior culture that is responsible for their over representation in the criminal justice system and under representation in higher education.
Duh... you trying to be funny?
There are no systemic road blocks... America has incredible opportunities for all Americans and unfortunately illegal immigrants
REAL numbers: http://www
court system
public opinion
NCLB
wage distribution
social casting
health
self-esteem
volitile environments
Unfortunately, many are miseducated in just the manner you describe. That's just a fact. It's not a pleasant fact; but denying it or being offended by it doesn't change that. Re-education is the only thing that will change that.
Many minorities that are first generation college educated experience and speak of that very cultural tension. Often times, they personally feel that they have more in common with their white classmates or colleagues than they do with other members of their own ethnicity -- even their relatives. Didn't you watch that CNN special by Soledad O'brien???
It' shouldn't be construed as a racial issue really though, it's actually a socioeconomic --intellec
And, of course there are many MANY whites who don't fit the educated, sophisticated, polished would love to have them as neighbors/friends stereotype either. That always gets ignored in these discussion
But that's the thing about stereotypes. The good ones we embrace -- whether we qualify or not. And the bad ones we repudiate even if true in many individual instances that we are fully aware of.
I hate the term in general; because I believe that even most misguided individuals have self-worth, but until the concept of "black trash" is fully recognized within the black community, negative stereotypes will probably be imputed to all at first blush. After all, if one defends undesirable or bad behavior, that can be construed as one embracing it...JMO.
Black and white workers share a common ground. Corporate rule is killing us all. We are going to have to join forces to overthrow corporate rule. And black and white brothers wont be enough. We need all the sisters too. And all the brown, red and yellow people as well. The whole, entire freeking working class is going to have to learn the power of solidarity. We just cant afford to let them divide us any more.
Too late, the labor movement and its struggles did not include Black workers. That is simple history.
What you say is true Nommo. But I'm talking about whats happening now.
Absolutely right. Start by abolishing the illegal drug war. Then reform credit and loan practices. Reinstate a federal usury law, capping interest at 10% of the balance. Reform the usage of FICO scores that are currently being used to raise insurance rates, bar people from renting, and also from employment! FICO should be used solely for lending credit, not for renting, employment or insurance. The use of FICO scoring to settle the fates of Americans in non-credit related matters is disturbing, and detrimental. Finally, regulate the abuse of late fees, changing due dates, and application of payments and deposits that banks have been using to increase profits through usage of fees and negative credit effects that achieves what the banks really want: a subprime market majority where they can charge usurious fees, interest and keep us all wage slaves to keep our heads above water. And the Republican AND Democratic parties have been party to this for too long. Time to bring it in check.
I have said repeatedly that their are a few more Blacks that are of the mind set of Michael Steele. When you see pundits like Ron Christie and Tara (usually on CNN), the preacher Joe Watkins espouse the views of Rush Limbaugh, you have to know they are very confused Black people!!!
The question is why are they on TV. They don't represent the majority black perspective. Black people who represent the black majority are not allowed the same tv exposure.
They are allowed on Tv because they allow white people to make racist arguments and not have to worry about being called out on their racism.
Hi, T. They're on TV to refute Senator Obama, now President Obama so blacks can't accuse Republicans (white Americans) of being racist if it's being done by someone that looks like him.
So a black must be vetted by some nebulous black leadership committee before he is allowed on TV? We should do the same for all; whites, Jews, Chinese, Irish. Then they can only voice a pre-approved racial opinion from their respective racial leadership council.
take10 -MSNBC a progressive liberal network???
So all blacks have to think alike and blame all their problems on racism?
At last! Americans are seeing in truth what African Americans have known of and despised since slavery. That is, someone who meets all criteria to be called an 'Un cle Tom!' Given the tenor of Steele's latest media submissions, it's about time we lay it all on the table. Years ago, I wrote an article which partly addressed the racism which existed in predominantly "Colored" neighborhoods. In those days the lighter Coloreds were the preference of Whites because of their willingness to ignore what was done to keep the others from progressing. Fast forward that thinking to today, and although there are many who fit the description, Steele takes the prize. Simply put, these are individuals who would sell their people out to the highest bidder, and are better known as 'house Negros' or worse. Just like it's time for a dialog on race between Blacks and Whites, it is also time for dialog on Blacks who would send their race into the abyss in order to have a seat, not at the table, but in the corner. Thus, we are witnessing a Black man who is allowing himself to be used as a weapon against the most unanticipated and yet progressive accomplishment in the history of African Americans. Steele's election to the RNC is simply an old tactic in a new environment! When he is of no further use to the GOP, he will find himself down here with those whom he sold out. What then?
3/29/09
No human is inferior to another human - how do children learn to feel superior -
Notice when it comes to race you can't tell the difference between the conservatives and democrats?
YUP! Been saying it since the primary and people get upset.
I have to agree with the posters here. This bloger is drunk off is rocker!
But more to the point I will point out the fallowing where I live:
The area around my house has 2 races in it:
The street I live on and the hill behind it is all White people, but the town homes are all Black people. Then when you get out into the high way you see many Munn, and even Asian people walking around too.
In short I never had a problem with people of other races. Even in my schools we had blacks, and whites in the same classes and fights were never about race. if you head over to the collage thats only 3 blocks from my house you can see man Aribs, and even chinese, and Japanese people walking around the campus grounds, sure there is a large number of whites there too, but there is also a few Africans too.
We still never fought about race we may not like the ideas of each others nations, but we always found a way to get along. Plus almost all the crimes in my town are by people of my race not minorities.
Race won't matter a twit when we all get the bill for the out of wild and crazy spending spree that our government is embarked on. Ten Trillion dollars will cost $700 Billion a year in interest & that works out to $10,000 a year in interest payments for every family of four in the country. That translates into an additional $10,000 in taxes each and every year when we get the bill owing by every family of four in the country.a year each and every year in perpetuity. Because Uncle Sam never repays his debts he just refinances them. So my fellow victims get ready for the bill because your families are being signed up to pay an additional $10 Grand a year in taxes for the rest of your lives. Isn't our government great? And that's only your increased Federal tax liability. You are also going to get an increasing tax bill from your State and Municipality on top of the Ten Grand! So while you talk about race the government is busy drilling holes in the bottom of our ship? Drilling them faster than we can repair them! THAT IS THE DEFINITION OF LUNACY!
So let me get this straight.
White people prevented black people from owning homes and participating in middle-class suburban growth,which in turn delegated non white kids to poor schools, which leads to poor employment, and reinforces the whole cycle but black culture is to blame?
Do I got that right?
Yea, I think you got it...
Victimization syndrome as there's never been a betting tome to be an American of any color: http://www
Hey, Do you also blame rape victims for reporting being raped?
you have yours and this is mine
http://www
Your analysis is simple enough, but is in essence the truth of the matter. What I would remind you is that legislation created circumstance that allowed for discrimination based on nothing more than race. Neighborhoods were redlined for the simple reason that there was one "minority" living in said neighborhood. If you do not know what redlining means for any neighborhood then do the research.
The history of this nation is marked specifically by its laws that determined where one might live or work based on one's race. This is not only about Black people, it is about the indigenous of this land as well as those defined as Brown or Yellow. When the law states that certain people will not have equal access to employment or education, then some others people will be more "equal" than others.
I agree with everything you said. I am also very familiar with the practice of red lining. I also agree that it was not just black people that experienced this type of discrimination. However, I stress it because many of the new aged racists like to use other minorities against blacks.
YUP. That's right. And if you do "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" they'll declare it was because of affirmative action, quotas, or they'll find some other way to undermine your success as not realistic and keep you from succeeding further. Tulsa, OK 1921 happened for a reason and it continues to happen in smaller ways.
Race is not what divides America now. Money! We are a nation now of have and have nots.
Financial disparity is so desparate that you are forgetting Kings Poor Peoples marches before he was killed. He saw that color was not what was going to destroy it anymore but Money and no money.
Those who have money will be properly educated..
Thank you. I agree. Unfortunately, I think that means we both must be racists.
Well you both believe very strongly in the protestant ethic, which is actually correlated with high levels of prejudice, so yes you probably both are.
Stop with this Crap!! You sound like Al Gore or what's his name... the Guy that cheated on his wife and had a kid... from the South... what was his name again?? Has real nice hair...
REAL numbers: http://www
Ridley, you don't know what you're talking about.
You don't either
i'd like the writer to address race vs. culture. and i think culture is an even more powerful influence than class. discussion on race alone suggests all of a race are the same.
the divide has been there since the beginning of time unfortnately -
The USA will never be a unified society because white Americans will never permit it. The US populace will always be separated by race and ethnicity.
WOOOO!!! Talk about Racists!! The Blue-eyed White Devil thing huh?
Go away... here ya go... ready.... there are no road blocks for minorities in America, in fact the law is tilted toward minorities
Please explain, how is black boy/men being killed and incarcerated got it made?
However, the U.S. will soon become a minority-majority country. Especially, since a significant number of white Americans would still rather climb to the top of that ladder in terms of business management instead of engineering, medicine, and science orchestrated by the praised western capitalism.
You mean like, the price of houses never goes down? Or how about, we will never have a black president?
careful of the crutch there
“If you can be in revolt while you are young, and as you grow older keep your discontent alive with the vitality of joy and great affection, then that flame of discontent will have an extraordinary significance because it will build, it will create, it will bring new things into being. For this you must have the right kind of education, which is not the kind that merely prepares you to get a job or to climb the ladder of success, but the education that helps you to think and gives you space--space, not in the form of a larger bedroom or a higher roof, but space for your mind to grow so that it is not bound by any belief, by any fear. “
http://www
A few comments on this. first, let me identify myself as a white woman married to a black man, and we have a mixed-race son. We live in a fairly mixed suburban community in CO, I think the school has 30% Hispanic, 20% black and 50% white. I can see in our own cul de sac the majority is white but there is another house that coincidentally has another mixed race family (black/white). The neighborhood at large seems pretty fairly mixed with Black, white, Asian and Hispanic. That being said, I don't believe we picked our housing based primarily on racial makeup, it had more to do with affordability and the fact we liked the house. Having a more mixed community was on our minds, however, as we want our son exposed to black, white, brown and all in between as that is where he comes from. My personal opinion, is that among most younger generation whites in general, there is not the "white flight" syndrome that has been experienced by older generation whites. In fact, the Denver newspaper this Sunday ran a story about the integration of Denver, more whites moving into the city to experience integration, with a rise of black and Hispanic out-migration to experience the benefits of the suburbs (larger, cheaper housing, better schools). I think it would be a mistake to characterize all living patterns based on racial assumptions, although I will freely admit this does exist.
Smarti,
Thanks, but no thanks. You use several posts to apologize, excuse or wish away reality. Statistics do not lie. White flight is real. Just because you have a black husband does not mean that you too do not subscribe to racist ideology and white supremacy. Based on your blame the victim conclusion, it is hard to distinguish from any other racist commentator that tries (but fails) to hide their racist views. You know why you fail? Because racist ideology is pre-cognitive. We have to work really hard to be truly anti-racist. Interracial marriage is not sufficient. Do not fool yourself. Educate yourself. If you are curious, I can provide you with an excellent list of books that will help you see the world as it really is (as opposed to how racist idoelogy wants you to see it). Do you want to take the blue pill or the red pill? All that I am offering you is the truth.
IrisBittenCourt -- please see this link, http://www
Of course I am referring to my local reality, not a national average. And my personal view of my neighborhood is pretty factually based, it is a racially mixed suburban community, whether you want to hear that or not. And I hardly see where i use a "blame the victim conclusion". My ending conclusion is that there is white flight but that in the younger generations this is somewhat being reversed, at least here. I did not intend that to be a sweeping statement overall but just a personal observation based on where I live. I was also making the observation that in the case of my mother, the debate over illegal immigration has been masking some racist tendencies. I did not apologize or explain it, just stated it. Additionally, my conclusion regarding poor Black children school success is not blame the victim. The illegal war on Drugs has made those victims and accounts for many of the attendant conditions coupled with lingering racism affects brought about by previous patterns of white flight, but I see you choose not to address that, and instead call me a racist. Whatever. Apparently you did not read my posts to see what I was saying.
I would be interested to see what books you recommend, I am always open to learning. In fact, my opines on the drug war are directly related to books read and discussions had in a Black Studies course I had taken about 10 years back in school.
To illustrate my point on the drug war and how it is destroying Black communities, please see http://www
A real eye opener, at least for me it was.
So, I will contrast our situation with my parents. My parents (white) have both accepted my marriage and family. They adore their mixed race grandson and treat my husband as family, show him respect and friendship as in-laws, and have accepted him within their family. However, on a recent visit with my mother, (who lives in Manassas, VA) we got into a discussion about illegal immigration. My mother seems to believe that housing foreclosure rates in Manassas are primarily caused by "illegal immigrants" and pointed to two "Hispanic" families in their neighborhood who now have "for sale" signs on their lots. Pressing my mother on the subject, I asked her if she believed all Hispanics are "illegal immigrants" and also if a "for sale" sign necessarily meant the house is foreclosed on. I also pressed her on statistics regarding the foreclosure rates on "illegal immigrants" and asked her if if really it was due to overspeculation on the housing market and in fact many upper class "whites" were responsible through the practice of "house flipping". She of course got flustered and got angry when I suggested that perhaps her beliefs and motives were more racially biased than she thinks.
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