Critical Thinking

As I think about education, I find myself more and more fascinated by the racial fabric that seems to have woven our society. Fabric witch is seemingly impossible to tear, that no matter how hard one tries - will still exist in the under roots of American society. So, in attempts to do the unthinkable - I have devoted this post to the underlying racism that occurs in relation to a place most of us will have to go back to in the next few days - School.
A few days ago, well this i suppose was the first time i had noticed, I found myself in a conversation about how a school was going to close soon if its scores wouldn't go up (some HISD school). Anywho, this is what I heard - "Its all because of them damn niggers that don’t want to learn nothin' [...] They just go to school and waste that teachers time, and then bitch about why they cant get a job [...] the problem is, they don't value education." - Aaphauling I know, - unfortunately I didn't respond to this. Let’s take a moment however, to analyze the above. One of the things that stands out most in this thought is "The problem is, they don't value education." Oh really? Do they not value education, or does education not value them? Or in a more correct sense, does the state not value them? Now please don’t any of you try to respond to this with claims of racial recognition by the state through programs like Affirmative Action, for to this day I have yet to see a program that strengthens my claims of the racial fabric of society. America feeds to us that we are all equal... how? How the hell are we all equal when kids that go to schools in the ghetto are deprived of teachers witch are truly devoted to education, why then is it seen as a promotion to move to a school in a better area? The state seems to think that programs like AA are the fuckign solution to problems like this, they have the mentality that "oh, poor you - I’m sorry you had crappy teachers. Here, you want to go to North Western? Allright, go." This mentality only further greatens the dichotomy witch exists between urban culture and everyone else. This "Compensation" if it can really be called that fails to understand that RACE is not a handicap! The systematic deprivation that exists in America’s schools is not a problem witch is going to go away; critical education is the only way to solve such a deficit.
Another rather revealing part of this quote lies in the assumption that it’s the "niggers" that are messing up grades. Without any report, without any outside education - the fact that the school is closing must be because of the damn niggers huh... This prime assumption is proof of the racial fabric witch still engulfs the minds of the youth. In response: I feel as if even after hundreds of years of slavery, Americans still haven’t learned, or rather - Refuse to accept, what our country was founded on. (Yes I said OUR) - Equality. As seemingly impossible as it sounds, Equality - in my eyes, can be achieved. Maybe not financial equality but the mere acceptance of every one as a contributing member of society, I believe can be done, but only if we can look past race. (Witch through previous assertions seems impossible).
Finally, let’s look at the middle, and most paradoxical line of this quote. "[...] They just go to school and waste that teachers time, and then bitch about why they cant get a job" Immediately "They waste teachers time" catches my eye. What the fuck does that even mean? How can one propose that they are wasting the teachers time, when because of programs like no child left behind (NLCB) the curriculum is based soaly on "passing" the TAKS! If anything, this illustrates how the teacher, or rather the curriculum, is wasting the students’ time! For how much can u actually learn simply practicing for a test for an entire year? This proves NLCB to be a failure, at the point when they reward schools that attain higher scores, they clearly project to the schools what is truly important, and thus setting an agenda witch focuses simply on improving scores, not education. Lastly let’s look at "and then they bitch about why they can’t get a job". This inability to get a job demonstrates the true lack of praxial skills taught by school, and you can look at bitching as complaining - why wouldn't you complain about a school system that’s failed? Hell I’m bitching right now!
We all must learn to see the racism clearly portrayed by American system of "education". Comments like the one analyzed above will continue to be made unless we learn to see each other as equals, until we break down racism. As impossible of a task this is - it must be done.
I understand I’ve made a mistake by not attempting to correct the mentality of the person who said the above - and I’m sorry for that, But learn from my mistakes my friends - if faced with a situation witch can potentially open the eyes of someone who refuses to see reality, engage in doing so.

Current Mood: Freedom Time - Lauryn Hill

Newer Posts Older Posts Home