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Field trip for black students sparks controversy at Ann Arbor elementary school

MyOwnDrum

MyOwnDrum

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It sounds like discrimination to me. The principal of the school is Black, and of course defends this.

How much longer do Blacks get to get special status to make up for past racism? I feel like things like this only fuel racial animosities and tensions. If people want to provide special experiences for certain segments of the population, it should be done through private organizations.

Field trip for black students sparks controversy at Ann Arbor elementary school - AnnArbor.com

An Ann Arbor elementary school principal used a letter home to parents tonight to defend a field trip for black students as part of his school’s efforts to close the achievement gap between white and black students.
Dicken Elementary School Principal Mike Madison wrote the letter to parents following several days of controversy at the school after a field trip last week in which black students got to hear a rocket scientist.
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District spokeswoman Liz Margolis said after the trip was over, those who went returned to their fifth-grade class and were greeted by boos by those who didn’t go on the trip. Margolis said Madison, who is black, heard the boos, and went to talk to the class. She said he and the class had a “discussion” about race issues.

“He wasn’t yelling at them. He was very passionate about it,” Margolis said.
Parents have complained he was yelling at the class and belittled a Muslim girl who said she also had experienced racism and discrimination.
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This is the kind of racial bias that should be weeded out of schools. I am against modifying the curriculum to remove African, Latin, or Asian perspectives from American history, but people shouldn't be excluded from school events and trips because of the colour of their skin.

Ridiculous.
 
Perhaps whites should gather enmasse to reenact the march to Selma, Alabama....

The reaction would immediate, severe, polarizing and set back race relations 50 years....

....and provide me a good chuckle.:)
 
So utterly insane that I am all but speechless.

If they were taking the black kids to a black history museum, that would be sorta-almost understandable.

But taking them to talk to a rocket scientist, while denying white kids the same opportunity??? HOLY CRAP, that sounds more like "we're trying to give black kids opportunities to learn that we deny to white children in an effort to even things up!"

Insane. What's next, allowing black kids to take notes in class but taking away the white kid's pencils, to "even things up"??

Nuts.
 
On the first Martin Luther King Day I experienced aboard my second U.S. Navy ship, only blacks were allowed to have the day off.

Backlash was so severe, the politically correct moron Captain immediately revised his policy.
 
Ugh.

A special, inspirational trip for all children who are unachieving? By all means - it's a good idea. If all of those underachievers also happen to be african-american, so be it, as long as it's clear that the trip/club is aimed at people based on their performance, not on their race. But a special, inspirational trip for all children who are african-american? That's not the smart way to do things.
 
MyOwnDrum said:
It sounds like discrimination to me. The principal of the school is Black, and of course defends this.

How much longer do Blacks get to get special status to make up for past racism? I feel like things like this only fuel racial animosities and tensions. If people want to provide special experiences for certain segments of the population, it should be done through private organizations.

Field trip for black students sparks controversy at Ann Arbor elementary school - AnnArbor.com
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Kind of hard to teach the kids that race does not matter if only the black kids get to go on field trips.
 
jamesrage said:
Kind of hard to teach the kids that race does not matter if only the black kids get to go on field trips.
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Race only matters to those pimping for political gains.

I don't think I need to say who are most proficient.
 
Goshin said:
So utterly insane that I am all but speechless.

If they were taking the black kids to a black history museum, that would be sorta-almost understandable.

But taking them to talk to a rocket scientist, while denying white kids the same opportunity??? HOLY CRAP, that sounds more like "we're trying to give black kids opportunities to learn that we deny to white children in an effort to even things up!"

Insane. What's next, allowing black kids to take notes in class but taking away the white kid's pencils, to "even things up"??

Nuts.
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My initial take on the story was the same as yours. ("What could that principle have been THINKING???!!")

But after reading the full article the story took a bit different flavor. Not saying that the field trip wasn't handled clumsily. It was. But the goal of the trip was apparently not to give the black students an academic bump to catch up with the white students. There is no indication that the participants were given a "science lecture" or any such presentation. Appears the trip was to take a bunch of black kids to meet a black rocket scientist to try and stress setting high limits for themselves (as black kids)

Again. Poorly handled. But not quite as racist/diabolical as it seems to be getting conveyed.....


.
 
Cole said:
My initial take on the story was the same as yours. ("What could that principle have been THINKING???!!")

But after reading the full article the story took a bit different flavor. Not saying that the field trip wasn't handled clumsily. It was. But the goal of the trip was apparently not to give the black students an academic bump to catch up with the white students. There is no indication that the participants were given a "science lecture" or any such presentation. Appears the trip was to take a bunch of black kids to meet a black rocket scientist to try and stress setting high limits for themselves (as black kids)

Again. Poorly handled. But not quite as racist/diabolical as it seems to be getting conveyed.....


.
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I have little difficulty imagining reactions if race roles were reversed..."racist/diabolical" or "poorly handled" would be the among the milder descriptions.
 
webrockk said:
I have little difficulty imagining reactions if race roles were reversed..."racist/diabolical" or "poorly handled" would be the among the milder descriptions.
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Have no doubt. Sharpton and crew would be there spewing before the last kid got off the bus. :)

But I think it says more about the polarizing political correctness that has evolved in our society than anything else. In this case it sounds like the school principle had noble intentions. But he got burned by the appearance of how it all came off.....


.
 
Cole said:
Have no doubt. Sharpton and crew would be there spewing before the last kid got off the bus. :)

But I think it says more about the polarizing political correctness that has evolved in our society than anything else. In this case it sounds like the school principle had noble intentions. But he got burned by the appearance of how it all came off.....


.
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As he should have.

His actions seem to further illuminate and reinforce largely ignored (by the media, and a certain political persuation) conscious or sub-conscious race "protectionist" attitudes by some who are given a near complete pass.... attitudes...even the mere suggestion or hint of attitudes that many others are falsley accused or excoriated for political gain.
 
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Cole said:
Have no doubt. Sharpton and crew would be there spewing before the last kid got off the bus. :)

But I think it says more about the polarizing political correctness that has evolved in our society than anything else. In this case it sounds like the school principle had noble intentions. But he got burned by the appearance of how it all came off.....


.
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One of the problems that I do feel minority children have is a lack of positive roll models who "look like them". The truth is, a black kid is more likely going to respond positively to a black person who tells them "you can do it, because I did it". This is starting to change, with Obama, and before him Condeleeza Rice, and before her Colin Powell, but I do understand the desire to take black kids out to meet successful black people and think it is a good thing.

However, the easier and more appropriate way to handle it is to take all the students out to meet the person. It accomplishes the desired end, without creating unwanted divisions.
 
I think this thread tried to put a spin on what really happened. It seems that they had good intentions behind this trip. It was to inspire black children by having them meet a black rocket scientist. Honestly, I think this trip was a good thing. I don't believe the school was racially motivated in only having black kids attend the field trip. They had good intentions, but they acted stupidly by excluding everyone but black students. It was a racist action, but not necessarily motivated by racism. I do think that blacks are discouraged from joining careers in science. The media and stereotypes dictate that there are no black scientists and that blacks can't be smart. I'm all for this type of field trip, because I do believe blacks are discouraged from fields in science and that it's great to show them African Americans who are geniuses and have jobs in the scientific realm.
 
Redress said:
One of the problems that I do feel minority children have is a lack of positive roll models who "look like them". The truth is, a black kid is more likely going to respond positively to a black person who tells them "you can do it, because I did it". This is starting to change, with Obama, and before him Condeleeza Rice, and before her Colin Powell, but I do understand the desire to take black kids out to meet successful black people and think it is a good thing.

However, the easier and more appropriate way to handle it is to take all the students out to meet the person. It accomplishes the desired end, without creating unwanted divisions.
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I agree. The whole thing should have been handled nonchalantly, without fanfare, with the whole class going to see this cool rocket scientist. I'm sure everyone would have noticed his race without them pointing it out to them. Instead they treated the kids like a bunch of disadvantaged cripples going to see another cripple who actually made something of himself :rolleyes:
 
MyOwnDrum said:
I agree. The whole thing should have been handled nonchalantly, without fanfare, with the whole class going to see this cool rocket scientist. I'm sure everyone would have noticed his race without them pointing it out to them. Instead they treated the kids like a bunch of disadvantaged cripples going to see another cripple who actually made something of himself :rolleyes:
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I don't think they did that either. There is no reason to overstate the case. Was poor judgment used? Yes. Was it a big deal? Nah.
 
Redress said:
I don't think they did that either. There is no reason to overstate the case. Was poor judgment used? Yes. Was it a big deal? Nah.
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If you read the article, when they got back the rest of the class booed them. Yes, it was a big deal. Don't you remember what it was like back in school dear?
 
Redress said:
I don't think they did that either. There is no reason to overstate the case. Was poor judgment used? Yes. Was it a big deal? Nah.
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Nah...it's never a big deal for lefties... unless white kids and white teachers were to exclude black kids or little girls from participating on a field trip.
 
Not a big deal? :shock:

Way to go, Mr. Principal, for bringing back segregation, promoting racism and being an all-around moron.
 
It is hard to close a group's achievement gap without treating that group as a group, but public schools can't treat groups as groups.
 
Morality Games said:
It is hard to close a group's achievement gap without treating that group as a group, but public schools can't treat groups as groups.
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Perhaps closing a "groups" achievment gap should begin at home, and not be "solved" by public coffers and government school systems.
 
Morality Games said:
It is hard to close a group's achievement gap without treating that group as a group, but public schools can't treat groups as groups.
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They can give special help to struggling kids, and have special programs for the brighter ones, but that should never be based on race or ethnicity.
 
digsbe said:
I think this thread tried to put a spin on what really happened. It seems that they had good intentions behind this trip. It was to inspire black children by having them meet a black rocket scientist. Honestly, I think this trip was a good thing. I don't believe the school was racially motivated in only having black kids attend the field trip. They had good intentions, but they acted stupidly by excluding everyone but black students. It was a racist action, but not necessarily motivated by racism. I do think that blacks are discouraged from joining careers in science. The media and stereotypes dictate that there are no black scientists and that blacks can't be smart. I'm all for this type of field trip, because I do believe blacks are discouraged from fields in science and that it's great to show them African Americans who are geniuses and have jobs in the scientific realm.
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This is how I felt, but instead of rewriting what Digsbe said I will just quote him. I completely agree with ya buddy.
 
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