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By Monique W. Morris 8/17/2010 The Schott Foundation has released a new report; Yes We Can: The Schott 50 State Report on Public Education and Black Males, which shows that America's public education system is disproportionately failing its black male students. In this report, there is an overreaching message of hope in the fact that all children can learn when given the opportunity, but that doesn't soften the blow of a national crisis in which America's public schools graduated only 47 percent of its black male students in 2007-2008. Among the 10 lowest performing large districts were cities that have sufferred from double-digit long-term unemployment and have faced a particularly severe impact from the most recent fiscal crisis-including Detroit (MI), Milwaukee (WI), New York (NY), and Baltimore (MD)- echoing the correlation between under-education and a lack of financial empowerment and upward mobility in these communities. Overall, a trend suggests that when black males are learning in environments that are not marked by an high incidence of segregation, or low educational performance overall, they are more likely to succeed. For example, in states such as North Dakota and Vermont, which experience overall success with respect to high school graduation, the report shows that 90 percent of black male students graduate from high school. But when they are learning in environments with high dropout rates or large racial disparities in educational progress-- where underachievement might be an normalized social experience--they are more likely to fail. The most shocking findings however, is the extremely low percentage of black males (and in some cases, white males) who are reading below grade level by the 8th grade. In Milwaukee, only 2 percent of black males are reading at grade level by 8th grade. In some states, such as Nebraska and New York, the gap in graduation rates between white and black males is as high as 43 percent.
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Tuesday, August 17th 2010 at 9:18PM
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@ Saint,
[Overall, a trend suggests that when black males are learning in environments that are not marked by an high incidence of segregation... they are more likely to succeed.]
This information coincides with the article I read about {America's Best High Schools indicates that the best public high schools in the country not only vary by region, but by the ethnicity of the students that fill their hallways, too. The best schools are not populated by a homogeneous segment of this increasingly diverse nation; instead, they are attended by students hailing from an array of backgrounds.}
I also agree with your comments about disciplining and respecting authority figures and parents and making ourselves accountable!
Tuesday, August 17th 2010 at 9:44PM
Jen Fad
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Jake, the situation is reversible. I've spent the past year focused on this issue. I've tried working through the Philly school district, to no avail. They wanted me to teach middle school remedial math. I am a Computer Scientist and when we talk about 21s century opportunities, where is there more opportunity than in Computer Science? But it is generally not considered a high school subject, but one pursued in college. Yet calculus retains a firm place in the curriculum, a subject with little application for the majority of students.
Basically the public schools are pretty much as bureaucratic as the government. Close minded, not receptive to creative solutions. I'm glad you started this discussion again. We had one going where many came out with observations of the success of the public school system, and I appreciate hearing these success stories.
But I've become frustrated trying to work within the public school system, and am myself focusing my efforts on the formation of a nonprofit to address the issues. It is a small effort compared with the public school system, but we need to start somewhere. Those are my thoughts.
I hope everyone will pick up this subject on your blog here, we have been needing to restart this discussion ever since it got derailed a few weeks ago.
Tuesday, August 17th 2010 at 9:56PM
Steve Williams
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Hello to All,
Let us do some analytical thinking here, okay. Let us go all the way back to 1954. That was the time when the scale of education supposedly was balanced for Black Americans, am I right.
Now, since 1954 to the present day you ghettobilly Negroes are still fighting the public educational school system as indicated by this blog and the responses, am I right.
Let me tell you all again! Black America’s only permanent solution is that we desire to become a sovereign people on the portion of this continent that we could call our very own country with borders. Nothing will ever work for Black Americans until Black America’s hands is on the helm of our own destiny. Never has there been a time that our sovereignty was possible until now. Likewise, there was not a time that the children of Israel’s Exodus were possible until God intervened and Moses was the evidence of that intervention. As such, I am the evidence that God has intervened in the affairs of Black Americans.
Likewise, all that Pharaoh proposed was not workable. Pharaoh’s educational system for the children of Israel was the same. The Hebrew community went through the same nonsense that you all have been going through until Moses came in the Exodus happened. What worked was the Exodus. God inspired Moses to know that the children of Israel’s only permanent solution are that they must desire the Exodus.
Black America’s time has come the same as the children of Israel time had come. Black Americans are going to become a sovereign people on a portion of this continent as I said.
I am the way, and besides me, there is no other way that Black Americans could ever become a real people in this world.
Now, I have presented an analytical picture for you all to think about, am I right. I am showing you that since 1954 to the present day, Black Americans have been wrestling with the many problems that have plagued us over 500 years and we still do not have a workable solution, am I right. However, I gave you all the solution. Therefore, there is no reason for you all to continue your ignorance, am I right.
Tell me what you think.
Wednesday, August 18th 2010 at 1:00AM
Harry Watley
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[Basically the public schools are pretty much as bureaucratic as the government. Close minded, not receptive to creative solutions.]
So true and although the schools have the kids using computers, this younger generation is computer savvy they fail to upgrade their outdated school curriculums.
Wednesday, August 18th 2010 at 6:58AM
Jen Fad
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Hello to All,
My goodness! You all are still whining and complaining. When you all see me in your path, you all cover your eyes with your hands and plug your ears as best you could to avoid dealing with the wisdom that I throw at you all. Well, the time is going to come that you all as well as all Black Americans and White America will have to deal with the things that I am saying now.
I said that since 1954 the public educational system was supposedly balanced in the landmark decision that separate but equal is unconstitutional. Now after 56 years you Negroes are still looking for a remedy. I am your remedy and in time to come you all are going to see that since our time has come to be completely sovereign free to have the responsibilities of our own education. Do not you all want to have the responsibilities of handling your own education?
What I am saying that is going to happen White America cannot stop it. What Moses was saying Pharaoh could not stop it since the children of Israel’s time had come to take up their own responsibilities and education was one of these responsibilities.
I said that from the days of Mr. Frederick Douglass to the present day the NAACP legal team is still fighting equal education for Black Americans. When will you Negroes get the picture that we could never be successful as a people in White America in any category?
The common definition of insanity is when you would repeatedly do the same thing expecting a different result each time. Are you all insane?
What say you?
Wednesday, August 18th 2010 at 9:28AM
Harry Watley
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Harry, talk is cheap.
Wednesday, August 18th 2010 at 10:07PM
Steve Williams
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Jake, I was just now able to get on BIA finally, so I was not ignoring your question. I'll be back tomorrow to pick up where we left off. Been studying nonprofit organization. No, Harry won't be on the board of directors.
Wednesday, August 18th 2010 at 10:11PM
Steve Williams
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This is a more concrete idea and plan to get our kids back. Directing our own destiny is a workable plan with the correct leadership. I like y our idea.
Thursday, August 19th 2010 at 12:02AM
Thomasena Martin-Johnson
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Yes I do. First we need to pay attention to who is teaching our students. I firmly believe that we need to take our kids out of the public system and teach them our selves. We need to develope a curriculum that will teach the basics and hire good teachers who are interested in student instead of money. I know that people have to pay their bills but hiring retired teachers who really don't need the money will help.
We, as a people need to become involved with the teaching facility that is if we leave them in the system. If a school will not teach a child about himself and his language, take the kid out of the school.
Some people may want to know where we will get books. Good teachers do not need books to teach the basics. MY ideas can be carried through the 8th grade. by that time, they will be able to make it through the garbage taught in public school.
Since the education is money driven, the loss of a number of students will get the attention of the system and they will try to work better with us. But, the idea situation is for them not to touch our children until the 9th grade.
Thursday, August 19th 2010 at 1:55AM
Thomasena Martin-Johnson
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Jake, for my 501(c)(3) corporation I have come up with this mission statement:
"To provide Computer Science education for our urban youth who are underserved by the public education system."
I have yet to formulate a values/principles statement to elaborate on this.
Why Computer Science? One reason would be for college prep of course, which would then most likely lead to a career in corporate America. But there is a more important consideration, relating to the community. The key I think to community restoration is to focus on small business. A cadre of Computer Science educated youth, even without post secondary degrees, would be a great community asset in the support of small business. In addition, the study of CS would motivate many to stay in school, or if they have dropped out, to get their GEDs. I myself dropped out in 10th grade, then got my GED and went on to earn a BA in Classical Languages, then went on to make a career in Software Engineering. We must not write off any young person, no matter how hopeless the case may seem, but strive to instill a love of learning. Then will come the benefits.
Thursday, August 19th 2010 at 2:14AM
Steve Williams
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Jake,
I have been talking to people about this plan, but many are still afraid to take the leap. Part of the problem is that many who are left in the dying system do not value education the same way we do. Education is a m iddle class value system and those who do have already gone. That was what I meant when i said we needed to debrief and re-educate.
In my classrooms I tried to plant these ideas in the minds of young adults so that they will recognize the problems and the games being played in order to prepare their children. It is an on going job. The fight is with the old guard who resist change and are afraid to strike out on their own.
Thursday, August 19th 2010 at 1:06PM
Thomasena Martin-Johnson
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Thomasena,
Classical Greek and Latin are not spoken languages per se. We used to read passages from the classical texts but that was the only time we spoke the language. It wasn't conversational speaking though.
I later learned French when on assignment in Paris. I can still read some, write a little with difficulty. But I could no longer argue over a hotel telephone bill for instance, as I used to be able to do. It has been nearly 20 years since that time.
If I were going to learn a new language at this point, it would be Spanish, given the large Spanish speaking community in this country. My daughter-in-law, who is Salvadoran, speaks both Spanish and English to my grandkids. Learning Spanish has been on my to-do list for quite some time. Not sure when I'll ever find the time to learn it but I would definitely like to.
Thursday, August 19th 2010 at 1:30PM
Steve Williams
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What about you Thomasena?
Thursday, August 19th 2010 at 1:32PM
Steve Williams
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I speak a little French, Spanish and I,m learning Italian. I can also greet someone in eleven different languages, including Russian and Croatin. My nephew is married to a Russian and their three children speak both English and Russian. It is interesting to watch them switch from one to the other. Their Russian grandmother speaks no English.
Thursday, August 19th 2010 at 1:46PM
Thomasena Martin-Johnson
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Jake, sometimes a blog will take a while to take off. I appreciate you posting the topic for us!
Thursday, August 19th 2010 at 9:28PM
Steve Williams
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Irma, it would be a great help wouldn't it? I guess that's why it's not on the airwaves. Maybe you could suggest this to Rachel.
Thursday, August 19th 2010 at 11:01PM
Steve Williams
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Saint,
one reason that computer science could be valuable is because students like to work on them and play games. One of the classes I had last semester was a basic English class taught using computers. We were very successful in improving language skills, and writing. The students came to class, which was a problem, and were self movitated. One of the programs we used gave instant feedback which was helpful since retention wa a problem.
Thursday, August 19th 2010 at 11:18PM
Thomasena Martin-Johnson
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Thomasena, have you also taught at K-12 level?
Thursday, August 19th 2010 at 11:42PM
Steve Williams
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Hello to All,
I want you all to think about what I am about to explain to you all that none of you are analytically thinking with any common sense.
Let us understand that you all are brainstorming how Black male student’s underachievement is reversible in the White America’s public schools, am I right.
Jake said this, “Discipline and respect is the foundation for changing an unstable environment. We change our way of thinking…we can improve the educational status of our children. Let's start with ourselfs before asking others to help!…we cannot expect to have all public schools racially diversed, therefore we need to strive to improve the scholastic environment within our communites first, there is always going to be segregation. It's a human reality!…That is my opinion, what is yours?”
Well, what is obviously wrong with Jake’s analytical thinking is that Black Americans that Jake refers to as the community are ignorant people and you all are in denial of this fact. You know that we are ignorant people because for hundreds of years starting with Mr. Frederick Douglass through the 1954 Supreme Court decision that found separate but equal unconstitutional, yet 2010 you all are still wrestling with the problems of our children’s education.
In other words, what I am saying is that is it not obvious to you all that something must be wrong with our analytical thinking that we have not solved the problems of our children’s education since 1863? Black Americans will never solve our educational problems because White America controls our education. White America conveniently controls our education because we reside in the jurisdiction of White America. Our desire to become a sovereign people is our only permanent solution. Only God and our prophet could lead us out of our dire situation that we have been in over 500 years. Am I making any sense?
I told you that our only permanent solution is that we desire to become a sovereign people on a portion of this continent that we could call our very own country with borders. However, I believe that all of you think that our sovereignty is impossible, am I right. Because you all feel that, our sovereignty is impossible only shows that you have dependency in White America. The children of Israel psychologically speaking felt the same. They had more faith in dependency in Pharaoh than they did in Moses and themselves even though God was backing Moses.
Next, Ms. Thomasina said this, “…we need to pay attention to who is teaching our students. I firmly believe that we need to take our kids out of the public system and teach them our selves.”
Even if we remove our children from the White public school system and teach them ourselves Black Americans, as a people is not able to teach our children anything of value and beneficial to Black Americans unless we are a sovereign people on a portion of this continent that we could call our very own country with borders. Otherwise, all that we are doing is turning out Black children beneficial to White America that would prosper White Corporate America, am I right. However, your expected results are not even feasible because then what would White Corporate America do for their children?
Lastly, Steve’s idea is not acceptable. I mean no harm to Steve. However, these are problems that Black Americans must resolve using our own brainpower. In other words, the concept that I am conveying is that the Native American Indians did not play a part in White America’s educational development of this country. White Americans had to use their own brainpower to develop this country as is to justify their own sovereignty.
Likewise, Japan cannot develop Chinese people education and Chinese people be worthy of their own sovereignty.
Black America’s first step to solve any of our problems is to desire to become a sovereign people or have complete independence from White America on a portion of this continent that we could worship God, pursue life, liberty, happiness and prosperity in our own way. God is on our side.
The reason why you all are not paying attention to me is because my concept of sovereignty cannot be trumped and nothing short of what I am saying will never work. Nothing has ever worked in nothing will ever work accept what I am saying. Am I making any sense with you all?
Tell me what you think.
Friday, August 20th 2010 at 12:17AM
Harry Watley
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Steve,
Yes. My main focus was 9-12 in French and English. Then, after I retired, I lost my mind and went back to teach 7-8 in both public and private school. I also taught Spanish and Black History to pre-K-8. Then I went to the college level. I have also taught adults in GED prep. As you can see, I have taught everybody. lol
Friday, August 20th 2010 at 8:25AM
Thomasena Martin-Johnson
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Steve,
Why did you drop out of school? The answer to that question is probably one of the answers to fixing our schools. Our schools are out dated and the students come ill prepared. I always tried to make the curriculum relevant for the students so that they will not feel that the time is wasted and that what they are learning is useful.
I was a child who hated school. I was a first day, first grade dropout. If I could have quit then, I would have. When I came home that day at 4 years old, I told my parents that I wasn't going back. But I grew up in a house hold that taught that finishing school meant finishing college and that were were not quitters.
Students need to know their history and to know that they were more than just a slave. They need to know about their connection to the rest of the world from antiquity to the present. They need to know that they are descendents of an ancient people who taught the world to think.
Until they understand that, they will not be able to decipher the garbage they have been fed in the country. I did some research that pointed to the fact that the state of our educational system is a contrived plan to control the masses.
Friday, August 20th 2010 at 8:50AM
Thomasena Martin-Johnson
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Thomasena,
My problems started around 3rd grade. I couldn't see the blackboard, and someone finally figured out I needed glasses. Once that was fixed, there was the problem of the classes being boring because I have high intelligence. My parents would not even tell me my IQ score. Things went downhill, and after 8th grade I was sent to a private school. This school taught Algebra 1 in 8th grade, not 9th as the public schools, so I repeated 8th. I went back to public school, now a year behind. A high IQ and a year behind. Even more boring. Then came the drugs, partying, etc. Bottom line is I was never given a reason to love learning, until I became dissatisfied with my life and decided to go to college on my own initiative. As it turned out, I ended up only 1 semester behind where I would have been had I completed high school.
All these young men and women in the urban centers need only to be given the motivation and resources to succeed. It is not they who are failing, but rather the education system that is failing them.
I'm glad to know you have such a broad experience in teaching. I will need your help as I develop my plan, if you are willing.
Friday, August 20th 2010 at 11:19AM
Steve Williams
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Thomasena, do you have experience with nonprofits? Sitting on a board, or as a nonprofit staff member?
Friday, August 20th 2010 at 11:23AM
Steve Williams
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Steve,
Only my Sorority as a member. Yes, I am willing to help any way I can. Your problem sounds like many that I have heard or figured out from under achievers in my classes. You are right, the failure is the system not the student. That was the reason I tried to help students get something they could used out of what I was required to teach. In the higher grades, it is easier to tell them what you are doing and get their cooperation. As soon as they find out that much of what is required is universal and can see it, they work harder. You would have had a ball in my room.
Friday, August 20th 2010 at 4:33PM
Thomasena Martin-Johnson
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Thomasena, thanks for your offer and your additional thoughts. I spent the whole day yesterday in mostly fruitless discord. Today I will try to stay focused on being productive, continuing my study of the nonprofit.
Saturday, August 21st 2010 at 10:31AM
Steve Williams
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Hello Ms. Thomasina,
Ideally speaking, let us as some that you are giving everything you ask for to correct the problem of Black male educational on the achievement, okay. Now you are turning out 100% Black male exceptional educational achievement, okay.
Now, my question is what White America is going to do with these exceptional Black males since Black Americans do not have sovereignty in an economy of our own. Is White America going to set aside their exceptional White children for Black males? What benefits would these Blacks have for themselves and Black Americans as a whole if we do not have our own country?
Tell me what you think.
Saturday, August 21st 2010 at 12:36PM
Harry Watley
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Me, I am still waiting to see something positive about our Black males (SOME WHERE OVER OUR PUBLIC AIR WAVES)...I
am so sure this would be a great help also. (smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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@Steve, Rachael is already doing more for our community than most of us are. But if she don't get any thing from us how can she report it...and then since we are not interested in how she helps us every day then how are we suppose to know that this is what she does...she never reports anything that is not in our favor nor does Keith.(smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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Thomasena, I think it is just great about the childrren speaking two languages. Children learn almost automatically another language. Most people here whose first language (or their parent's parents) speak more then one language.
I will be so glad when our education system starts to see the importance in teaching culture then we in America can really begin to grow and get much closer, faster. we will begin to learn how we are all more alike than different in the game of life called survival. (smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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