Fun class tonight!
The blog this time is on anything pertaining to the issues from class. Feel free to address any topics addressed in our discussions, any current events connected to diversity/social justice, any thoughts about incorporating these matters in your teaching, etc.
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Ok so a friend just tipped me off today to a blog that has several interesting videos about the census debate that has been ensuing on CNN. It is interesting because the census is supposed to be a very scientific, statistical collection of data however the lines are getting blurred with questions of categorizing race. This years census included some specific categories for the term "Hispanic" like "Cuban" or "Mexican" but may have left out some others. I find it particularly interesting that the term "Negro" is a racial category this go around. The folks on this blog have some interesting insight to add - check it out!
ReplyDeletewww.jackandjillpolitics.com
On an after school care field trip yesterday, one of my kids was talking to me about some interesting text language. She said instead of shortening the words, as I thought texting was supposed to be, words are actually typed in the way they sound, adding letters and syllables. She gave me some examples which were "Whadd yhu dhewing?" and "budt." Apparently this is a generational thing too because she said she never texts her mother this way because "she wouldn't get it." I found this pretty interesting.... incorporating a specific type of language and sound using technology as the medium for communication. It is just another way culture can be expressed. Any thoughts?
ReplyDeleteJosh, I also find your post to be very interesting. I have heard some of that same debate. I am going to check out that blog and get back to you.
Candice, I have found kids posting on facebook like that and wonder if they are reading it out loud so they can understand it. It's an interesting behavior and I wonder if it speaks of ageism and oppression; kids being treated differentially so they seek ways to validate their own experiences by developing language. Obviously, I don't envision kids meeting in backrooms and discussion their behavior in such ways, but I think it is powerful, if you feel marginalized, to find or create something like language that is YOURS. It sort of validates your experience. But, doesn't it also assist hegemony but highlighting your separation? I think about the Nazi propaganda video from last night, separating the Jews from the rest of humanity... perhaps I am going too far. Then again, folks have [erroneously] used AAE as an example of how Black kids are less smart ("they can't even speak English"), so maybe I'm not going too far. Wow, that reads like a random stream of consciousness, but I don't know how else to explain...
ReplyDeleteHere's my conundrum: Validating culture (and cultural difference) is obviously very important, but at what point does it actually aid the subjugation of marginalized groups? Do we, as social justice educators, seek to validate difference, and then wait for ignorant types to use those differences in nefarious ways and then step in to educate again? I find this a very difficult balance to maintain and would welcome other thoughts. (Maybe I am over thinking.)
In different news, I stumbled across this and thought folks might find it interesting. It's on the intersection of race, gender, class, education... and links to a number of different perspectives.
http://www.racialicious.com/2010/03/30/newsweek-takes-on-feminism-on-behalf-of-young-white-girls-everywhere
I recently started observing classes at Athens Drive High School. I went to a predominantly white high school so it's a population unlike what I'm used to. Two of the classes my coordinating teacher teaches are remedial science classes. The students in these classes are predominantly African American, are on about a 5th grade level, and are what the district consider 'at risk'. When the teacher first told me about this class I was intimidated and didn't expect to see much 'learning' going on in these classes. Well, I was totally wrong. My coordinating teacher has the most amazing rapport with these kids. He keeps the class light and refreshing and it's clear that he and the kids have a lot of mutual respect for eachother. He's able to really control the classroom and get them excited about science- which has gotten me super excited about teaching!
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite students in these classes is this boy who upon first meeting you'd think he is mentally challenged. He seems 'slow' and he even physically shakes. As it turns out he is EXTREMELY bright... he just processes things a little bit slower than other students.
My coordinating teacher encourages students in these lower-acheiving classes to get an A so that he will pass them immediately through to a biology class, otherwise they have to take another earth science class before moving on to biology. This student of his is currently receiving a 96 in his class and is going to be able to move on to biology! I just thought this was absolutely wonderful and though the student has put forth the hard work and deserves most of the credit for his success I know his teacher deserves a lot of the credit for it too!
Okay, just thought I'd share that happiness!
And Candice, as far as that language goes, a lot of the culture got spread with this website: http://icanhascheezburger.com/
I've had a couple of young people email me using the language. When I read their messages I literally have to say the words out-loud in order to figure them out. I feel like an idiot when I do this.
Maybe I'm a fogey, fuddy-duddy, or other old-timey person, but the 4Chan-, text-, chat-speak stuff just drives me up a wall. It's odd because I tend to use a very colloquial informal style in spoken communication, but I feel like one ought to adopt a more standardized approach to written communication. I think it's because textual communication lacks the non-verbal cues that convey so much in spoken interactions. I find informal, non-standard syntax/spelling/grammar to be very alienating and to require way more effort to decipher.
ReplyDeleteI think Candice's and Erin's points that this is a conscious process of differentiating themselves from the dominant adult culture are well taken. Nothing makes me feel older or less with it than encountering youthful text culture. That this might be the point is an interesting idea.
As far as what we should do with this as instructors, I think we have to be pretty explicit that, while it's not wrong to communicate in this manner, context matters. One really isn't going to get away with that in more formal settings and students need to learn more standard forms of communication which apply to certain situations which they are likely to encounter.
Leethaniel Brumfield said:
ReplyDeleteHey class....
Aside from making our presentation of religion and anti-semitism in our first and only class period on NC State’s main campus, I especially enjoyed hearing from the three young men from Shaw University. You NEVER know what expect with Dr. Greenfield and it was amazing!
Being a Black male and a graduate of a Morehouse College, an HBCU in Atlanta, Georgia, I can attest to many of the “othering” experiences that the young men made with respect to the many obstacles they’ve faced in choosing to excel academically and pursue higher education. I stand by a saying that I heard as a Morehouse man that “if you can make it at an HBCU, you can make it anywhere.” I admire their honesty and sincere accounts of the personal challenges that discrimination that comes with going against the grain.
Their futures are bright, and I am confident that they will go on to do great things. There’s an indescribable feeling of pride that comes with hearing young Black men doing positive things with their lives. Just as they all spoke about the teachers that they’ve had that inspired them, as a social justice advocate I hope to have the same lasting impact of the lives of my students. Nothing else compares!
Leethanial, perhaps you, as someone who attended an HBCU, can help me understand something the young men at class brought up. They spoke about the negative feelings about HBCUs... I believe Antwon said that he opted to go to an HBCU to go against the grain because a lot of his friends seemed against HBCUs. I am a bit confused by this. Where do these negative feelings come from? Are they held by folks within the Black community or outside (recognizing that these communities are not honogeneous)? Their collective reaction to the negative feelings about HBCUs struck me.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteCorrected post:
ReplyDeleteIn response to comments about kids texting in a weird language and to the comments about generational differences in culture, I have posted two Wikipedia links:
1) LOLcats which is an internet culture and humor site strongly perpetuating this "alternate language" and 2) the idea of a "meme" which is another internet cultural creation.
For teachers, it may be important to understand where students are receiving some very strong social reinforcers. (Those who have already taken ECI 579 know reinforcers are very important for student-teacher interactions).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lolcat
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme
Realizing that this is on the fringe of being productive, I was directed to this youtube video by a friend and thought it could a humorous (or painful depending on your level of seriousness) commentary on just how socially constructed our binary sense of gender is. I thought this group would probably appreciate seeing it...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb9eL3ejXmE
That kid needs to man up, stop crying, and get back to being a single lady.
ReplyDeleteJOSH-
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Jack and Jill politics site. One of the things I found most interesting about reading the posts related to the census and watching the related video clips was just how important it is, when discussing anything but especially issues of social justice and identity, to do your research and know your background info. I felt like Raquel Cepeda probably had some really good points to make, but I couldn't help but feel like she was so stuck on pushing her own issues, that she was unable to see beyond them and recognize the points of others. It was as if she was looking for ways to pick apart the census without considering the damage that would do. It really bothered me. Baratunde Thurston, on the other hand, really seemed to be the only one who actually knew what he was talking about. I thought his analogy between the use of the word Negro and someone saying 8-track was short-sighted, given that it negates the painful history associated with the word Negro (Dude, no group was systematically de-humanized through the use of the word "8-track") but my reaction to that was much more rational/less emotional than my reaction to Raquel.
The take home for me in reading/watching the jackandjillpolitics.com stuff is that knowing one's positionality is really key to engaging in a meaningful way on issues of social justice. However, we also need to make sure that once we understand our positionality, we use that knowledge to try to understand others, not to simply impose the knowledge of our perspective on others. Doing the latter seems to me to be counterproductive.
As an aside, I feel into the rabbit hole going through the blog of the "terrible father" in the youtube clip I posted above. Turns out he is a pastor (of sorts, I don't really understand it all). Anyway, in wading through a lot of the stuff there, he has some really interesting conversations going about Christianity and religion, with some gems on the interaction between Christianity and homosexuality. Like I said, it took some wading, but I would be really interested in talking to anyone else who reads it.
'Dude, no group was systematically de-humanized through the use of the word "8-track"'
ReplyDeleteI think you're forgetting a certain duo known as "The Captain And Tenille."
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteA very close friend of mine is involved in a little scuffle over an article he wrote. In addition to being a renowned DJ (he recently DJed the halfpipe events at the Olympics), he is also a graphic designer for the Aspen Daily News, one of two daily, free newspapers in Aspen, Colorado. Once a year the Aspen Daily News does an April Fool’s edition, and calls itself the Aspen Daily Planet. My friend usually puts in embarrassing pictures of his friends and makes fake advertisements like “FREE drink coupons, text (my phone number) for more information”. This year, he also wrote an article titled “Recession leads to more white people cleaning up, doing things for themselves: Latinos not happy.” The article can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aspendailynews.com%2Fsection%2Fhome%2F139955&h=f59a964bea7162f8abaf3d76396d59b1
ReplyDeleteHe made up a name for the author of the article, which is also part of the joke.
My friend was born in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, grew up in Aspen in a working class family, and holds both Mexican and American citizenship. Today, the working class family does not live in Aspen, but “downvalley” in the bedroom communities of Basalt, Carbondale, and Glenwood Springs. The closest of these towns is 30 minutes from the city limits of Aspen. Aspen is an interesting town, in that only the very rich can afford to live there, unless one is lucky enough to secure “employee housing”, which is essentially rent controlled apartments owned by the City. There are income restrictions for this housing as well, meaning you can’t make above a certain amount and still qualify to live there. My friend, his family, and I were lucky enough to do so, allowing us to live in the same city in which we worked. But many are not lucky enough to do so, and it creates a huge number of commuters from downvalley. Many are illegal immigrants, who come to Aspen to work mainly construction and housekeeping jobs. My friend has a very unique perspective on this cultural dichotomy: he was raised in the US by Mexican parents and he is one of the most socially intelligent people I have ever known. Back to the article he wrote. I read the entire issue online (yup, I’m homesick) and loved it, as usual. I also appreciated the fact that my phone number or picture was nowhere in the paper this year. I thought his was one of the tamer and less controversial articles, but I guess not everyone agreed. This morning, a letter was published demanding an apology for the article. Her letter is here: http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/letter-editor/139992 Please keep in mind that this issue of the Aspen Daily News was very plainly advertised as an April Fool’s edition.
So that’s the story. I spoke to my buddy today and got his thoughts on what’s going on, and have gotten the opinions of several other mutual friends still in town. Obviously we are biased, and I want to know what the class thinks about this. Should he apologize? Is the lady who wrote in being ridiculous or does she have a point? Can’t we all just get along?? Haha, please let me know what you think, have a nice weekend
Some folks in every community are going to be uptight and get up in arms about satirical things. I'm sure the Onion gets plenty of angry mail from dingbats. The way comedy works is that somebody somewhere is the butt of the joke. In this case, I think Ms. Benavives pretty clearly misses the point of the article, which isn't making fun of "tan people" at all.
ReplyDeleteIf you want baby shampoo comedy ("no more tears"), go to Branson, Missouri. I don't think your friend has anything to apologize for, Jack. I do think he misspelled the plural of "honky," though, which should be "honkies."
ERIN--So glad you mentioned in the beginning of the blog about the struggle with kids' cultural identities. I wished as always that we had more time in class. I wanted us to dive into some stuff about those controversial topics related to teaching at the end. For example, if we just don't talk about religion aren't we doing more harm by not recognizing kids' identities? How can we best validate every child? For example, in the evolution talk, by not including intelligent design are we isolating some students who believe in a higher power? By only using straight forward math examples, are we isolating a possibility to expose our students to new cultures and religious beliefs that they otherwise wouldn't be exposed to? Something that I've been personally thinking about... I think we often, out of a fear of offending parents or fear of being fired or whatever, decide that we'll avoid "controversial topics." My opinion: lame excuse for avoiding social issues that really need to be talked about. There are plenty of social issues that don't belong in the classroom at our level, don't get me wrong... but many of them can most certainly be addressed, and by not addressing them, I think most of the time aids in the subjugation of certain groups. A lot of what we face as teachers is the fear of the unknown.
ReplyDeleteOther thoughts please!
Morgan I think you make a great point. I constantly wonder if, as teachers, we dodge topics that might cause problems rather than addressing them. I think that parents are something we all free, but I'd have to think if we explain to parents the topics that will be discussed what harm could come of it? I also think that by using social issues, etc. to explain math concepts or use as english paper topics would be a very productive way to address issues in a fluid, indirect way. This could give an opportunity to discussion or just a place for students to explore ideas. I dont know, it might be one way to approach controversial topics in a student-directed way rather than a teacher-directed lecture.
ReplyDeleteMORGAN - Out of curiosity, what issues do you think do not belong in the classroom at our level? I worry that there is very little consensus about that.
ReplyDeleteELIZABETH - I like your idea about context; giving a context in which to discuss controversial issues and agree that this can diffuse some of the tension that may arise with parents and/or administration. I would add that parents can be effective allies, especially when you inform them ahead of time that a potentially controversial issue will be discussed in class. It can prompt important conversations to happen at home and even if the parents come from a different (even contradictory) perspective, giving them the heads up and allowing them to participate in their own way may prevent them from seeing you in opposition.
JACK - I'm not sure I understand what the woman wants an apology for. She says she didn't like the vulgar language, but I don't know of what vulgarity she speaks. I think the piece hit a nerve for her, but it sounds like she's not even really sure what, specifically, she took issue with. In some ways, isn't this kind of what your friend was going for; stir things up and point out an issue he felt was not recognized by using satire? Seems like he hit his mark.
ALL - I read this article in the NYT from last Friday (I'm catching up) and it totally resonated for me with the class-health connection the classism group brought up. I thought folks might be interested. Do you guys think combining legal aid and medical care is an appropriate way to address this issue?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/24/us/24legal.html
Erin, first thing that pops into my head is stuff I wouldn't want my kids to see in HS--Vagina Monologues, maybe even Schindler's List, not quite sure yet on that one. College is new territory, but they're still teenagers in high school, and often immature ones at that, so there's some things that I genuinely think that kids aren't ready to discuss in a proper manner. Sometimes you gotta judge on the maturity of your class. You're right, there is no general consensus. Politicians like for us to think that what they censor is a general consensus...maybe it is, maybe it isn't.
ReplyDeleteI do think that giving parents a head up ahead of time is a good idea and gains a lot of respect and avoids potential problems.
Man, in high school, I watched "Birth Of A Nation." After that, "Schindler's List" looks like the Care Bears. And it was a really interesting picture to see and discuss, illuminating the way Reconstruction was demonized and white Northerners and Southerners reconciled at the expense of black civil rights. When placed into proper context, controversial material is valuable.
ReplyDeleteErin:
ReplyDeleteThat community health model used to be pretty common back in the 60s (though the legal component is pretty cool). My wife is involved in that sort of a program through her fellowship at the Durham VA hospital. She and her colleagues arrange all manner of things beyond the basics of medical care, housing issues, financial business, etc. However, it's pretty much only available to those with severe mental illness (a population which tends to be very poor outside of its government benefits). The goal is to keep these patients from being committed for in-patient treatment, which is much more expensive than even very aggressive community care.
However, I suspect the calculation is that this sort of holistic approach to medicine is not cost effective when applied to populations at lower risk of long-term hospitalization, so it's probably an uphill fight to get it expanded to the populace at large. Ultimately, money talks. Unless you're in investment banking, in which case we have a blank check for you.
MICHAEL/MORGAN - I think that what you are saying is in line with Morgan's point. It appears that Schindler's List and Birth of a Nation may have been appropriate for your group. She too is arguing for context. (Morgan, I hope you will correct me if I misinterpreted your post.) We watched Schindler's List in middle school, but it certainly wasn't part of the regular curriculum because those decisions were made on a class by class basis. Thanks for the clarification, Morgan. I was wondering if you were thinking about specific content (which it appears you were) or specific issues. What comes out in this for me is the idea that it is more important HOW these issues are covered, not whether or not they should be. Would this hold true if the issue were, say, same sex marriage?
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed last class, very encouraging.. and all of your comments. I want to give a shout-out to Hubble 3D at IMAX. I've seen it twice now (I'm a member so it's free lol) and I would encourage all of you to check it out. It is a spectacular film that truly affected me. What humans have been able to accomplish (and continue to do) in our vast universe is incredible. Hubble is an amazing machine that can literally trace and view billions of years into the past; how we were able to produce such technology is beyond me. Time and space is relative but planet earth is where we are and what we know.. and it is a unique, diverse, and beautiful planet. We need to consider how we can continue to progress our technology and society while mantaining our planet and people. I can't personally comprehend quantum physics or the intricacies of hubble, but I can appreciate our accomplishments and maintain an open mind and understanding demeanor... I could gush and continue to discuss how it altered my perception of the universe (I don't know why I was so ignorant to astronomy! lol) but I'll spare you guys.. just go see it. I will say, if you view it, some portions of the film are admittedly cheesy, but try and overlook that and focus on the larger picture.
ReplyDeleteFinally, a little link I found about an NC State professor turned chocolateir facing an "outdated" law in regards to chocolate and alcohol:
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/04/05/421877/old-law-inspires-chocolatiers.html
I found this passage interesting:
Savage was a philosophy professor at N.C. State eight years ago when his girlfriend up and moved to Seattle with the couple's month-old daughter. After they left, he said, "I looked at my first paycheck and said 'I can't do this.' I can't afford to fly out there to see my daughter on a professor's paycheck."
Savage, who retired as a professor three months after starting his candy business, said becoming a candy man was purely a pragmatic decision.
"I needed money to fly to Seattle to see my daughter. The only thing I knew about chocolate was that I liked eating it, but I never doubted for a minute that I could create this niche and sell chocolate, even though I'd never made it before. I didn't cook; I did nothing in the kitchen" before starting the chocolate company. "I used my daughter's measuring spoon."
What kind of world are we living in where a novice chocolatier makes more money than a professor?
I love the scholarly info on memes on wikipedia. Apparently I've been pronouncing the word wrong (mostly in my head and not outloud) but still interesting.
ReplyDeleteI noticed this season on America's Next Top Model that the "Tyra mail" uses texting/internet slang instead of "proper" English. Just an interesting tidbit to share.
On a related note, a male friend of mine made a blog post today with the subject "for the girls" and this link
http://www.thingsfollowingangrycats.com/
He and another girl had a conversation in the comments about what made it for the girls... he jokingly said "Cat pictures are only mildly funny for men" and some similar things.
What do yall think? Are sites like lolcats mostly for women?
I am surprised that none of the postings yet have attempted to touch the topic of healthcare. I don't think the debate is behind us just because it has been signed into law. In fact, I believe the real questions surrounding this new change are really just beginning. So everyone is now required by the federal government to purchase a health care plan by law. Some states are actually filing lawsuits against the national government calling the passage of this bill unconstitutional. Any thoughts on this topic? Maybe everyone just wanted a breather from the topic since it has been in the media very intensely for the past few months. Just wanted to hear some chatter.
ReplyDeleteMorgan - I do agree that there are some topics that are age-appropriate. Middle school kids certainly cannot handle something a college kid can in some regards. Does that mean that there are kids who are dealing with "grown-up" problems at too young of an age - certainly. Does it mean that kids are mature beyond their years sometimes - certainly. Just watch "16 and Pregnant" on MTV! I do think as educators that we should be able to broach difficult topics with our students however I do think that guidance from parents and the students themselves should be taken into consideration. Some classes that you have may be able to handle discussing Schlinder's List and others may not be mature enough to cope with the complexities of it. Does it negate the importance of it either way - absolutely not. History cannot be sugar coated or the meanings and importance of individual lives or events become jaded and lose their impact. History must be made to become a living and breathing thing in order for its true impact to come alive. I appreciated the video that Paul brought for class for that express purpose, to show the gruesome side of mankind that is sometimes deleted from modern day history books for fear of disturbing someone. There is a very important balance between just enough and too much and it is based on context, maturity, and judgment.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone's positive posts about last class. I think it took courage and a lot of honesty for the three young men to talk about their past, future goals etc in front of us all. Thank you for inviting them in Dr. Greenfield. On a side note I thought it was interesting in my online night class tonight that we spoke about propaganda and much of what we saw in the movie shown to us by the Religion group. I firmly believe in the importance of interdisciplinary study and the power that it has to broaden our perspectives and understanding. I hope this thread continues into the school systems.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Josh, I agree it would be interesting to hear peoples thoughts on healthcare ... or perhaps that is one of those things you just dont talk about ... religion ... politics and healthcare :) ... Maybe table talk edict is changing? I have been hesitant to get to involved in the healthcare debate as I am very weary of the new healthcare law ... I know the old system was not working but the new one does not seem to sweep the problems away. I sense that this new law will create further divides in the future and unfortunately create a very severed healthcare system with the wealthy paying for boutique doctors ... and the competitive market of healthcare fading away for the rest of the country. It will be interesting to see what unfolds ... I certainly hope more information unfolds and comes our way.
I'm late to the party this time, but I've enjoyed reading these posts. After watching the video about the kid dancing to "single ladies" I can't get that song out of my head... too funny! I thought last class was great, and I really enjoyed hearing the three students from Shaw speak. Those guys were a sharp bunch, and thanks for bringing them in Dr. Greenfield.
ReplyDeleteI really like this discussion of what is appropriate for certain ages in the
classroom. Josh- I agree with you that history cannot be sugar coated. Too often have we seen an over-simplified version of history in schools, that leaves out important events/people just beacause they are deemed controversial or offensive in some way. By leaving these things out, we are missing an important educational opportunity. If something moves students emotionally, then it can be very valuable as a teaching tool. Kinda goes back to the knowledge is affective deal. Michael brings up a great point that when placed in a certain context controversial material can be valuable. I guess it comes down to knowing what your students (and to an extent their parents) will be comfortable with.
Off to dig out my car from the 7.5 inches of pollen that have accumulated on it over the past 3 days...
This is my read on the health-care business, a matter on which I am not an expert, but which I certainly know a good deal about from the perspective (my own and those of various family members) of those working in health-care.
ReplyDeleteThe new bill is a rather incoherent Rube Goldberg device. It's got a lot of parts that don't necessarily make sense as a unified whole and is needlessly complex, all because it needed to appeal to diverse political constituencies in the Congress. I do not think that this will be the method of provisioning medical care in this country for very long. It will be substantially altered and amended to streamline and rationalize it.
What's important about it is that it essentially establishes universal (or near-universal) coverage as a responsibility of the federal government, which is a huge and (in my view) wonderful shift. I would expect the various necessary and substantial changes that the bill will inevitably be in the direction of extending coverage and (probably) increasing the numbers who are covered through federal programs.
Where the bill really falls short is that it doesn't address what I consider the main reason care is so expensive and unevenly apportioned in this country: fee-for-service. Payment for medical care is doled out by the procedure. This makes it in the physician's (or other provider's) interest to perform as many tests or other procedures as possible. Combined with a litigious culture in this country which incentivizes defensive medicine, we see an awful lot of extremely expensive tests and procedures administered when they aren't strictly necessary.
Ultimately, I expect we'll have a system which prioritizes outcomes over procedures for compensation. That's where the money will be saved. I do think Rachel has a point about boutique medicine for rich people, except that won't be a development. We've had that all along. This change in American health-care is about raising the floor of available care for the less fortunate. The fancy folks always have (and always will) have access to private care well beyond the means of the hoi polloi.
JOSH - If I understand correctly, The idea that "everyone is now required by the federal government to purchase a health care plan by law" is not actually true. There is an exemption option, which if I remember correctly, can be purchased yearly for $700 (I'll look for a cite on that). The idea is that if you actually choose to not have health insurance, that's fine, but that no one is left without insurance because they cannot afford it. The saber-rattlers calling the bill unconstitutional are ignoring that piece. This, BTW, is also how NCLB got around the constitutional issues involved in that legislation. They added an exemption saying that any state that would forgo their federal funds did not have to follow the mandate. Utah (and perhaps another state later on) said, thanks but no thanks, and didn't follow NCLB. Same with health care. It's constitutional if you allow some sort of out.
ReplyDeleteHere's a less-than-heartwarming story that certainly relates to diversity:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/06/nyregion/06patchogue.html?ref=nyregion
"Beaner-hopping" as a recreational activity for high-schoolers. This Conroy, who looks to be going down for the homicide, has tried to argue that he can't possibly be racist because he has various friends of diverse ethnic backgrounds. This argument has been undercut somewhat by the white power tattoo he had a friend apply to him.
He's charged with the murder as a hate crime. What do you all think of hate crimes as a special enhancer? I'm kind of uncomfortable with them; they come awfully close to thought crimes for me.
Thanks Michael for sharing. I found myself turning to urbandictionary.com for a better understanding of the slur "beaner" and realized it might be good to share with the class. Whenever there's slang I'm unfamiliar with, urban dictionary is a good place to turn. The definitions are all provided by individuals in a colloquial manner, but the first definitions are the ones voted the best so usually by reading the first few you can gain a pretty good idea how the word was likely used.
ReplyDeleteI agree about hate crimes as well. I understand the reason behind it, but murder is murder. I have a hard time with the idea that the reason behind it is what makes some murders worse than others, not that the actions themselves are being evaluated and punished.
BTW I haven't weighed in on the health care discussion yet because I haven't put the legwork into being informed about it enough to form much of an opinion yet. The one day I did try to look it up I found far too much opinion and not much fact which can be a problem in what something I read recently calls our "media"ocry society. Debate in HS taught me to read several sources before believing the spin because a good argument can do almost anything with data and you almost never find facts without some agenda presenting it.
My problem with hate crimes laws is that it turns into a matter of criminal determination something that should be a factor considered by the judge in imposing a sentence. The crime is the act; juries should only be determining whether the defendant did or did not commit the action in question. Hate crimes laws ask juries to judge what a person was thinking, rather than what he or she was doing.
ReplyDeleteI do, however, think that the motivation for the crime should be considered, only by the judge when determining what sort of sentence the convicted person should receive. I think it's reasonable to believe that a person motivated by racial, relational, or gender animus might be more likely to reoffend and, therefore, should be segregated from society for a longer time. I don't think that should be a matter of fact considered by a jury as an automatic sentence enhancer.
Rachel - I agree, it is sometimes hard and frustrating when looking for news that is unbiased by the medium in which it is told. I think that has been a major issue for the health care topic.
ReplyDeleteErin, I might be able to shed some light on the HBCU issue. Despite the fact that every graduate of an HBCU I know is totally impressive to me, I've maintained a moderate bias against HBCUs. In fact, my friend's niece wants to go to Shaw, and I've been pretty vocal against it (not to hear face though...I'm not that horrible!). Of course, I'm an idiot snob who adds, "Spelman would be great! But not Shaw!"
ReplyDeleteI think this has a lot to do with the inappropriate value that I place on SAT scores. I performed well on that test so I like to believe that it matters even though I know there are plenty of reasons why it's not an essential element in assessing someone's preparedness for college. But just to give you an idea of what I mean: my friend's niece scored nearly 550 points higher than Shaw's average combined Verbal/Math score of 785. And she earned that score coming from one of the least resourced school districts in North Carolina.
Also, because these schools are much smaller, there aren't nearly as many degree programs to choose from as you could get at a larger school. In my opinion, I don't think there's enough science/technical programs available either. And there are also issues with the gender ratio imbalance at HBCUs--oftentimes, there are way more women than men, which can create undesirable situations for the women (imagine having to compete for dates!). Drop-out rates are high, and graduation rates are very low. It seems like kids are getting lost in the shuffle, and you'd think it would be the exact opposite.
Anyway, there are a lot of tough obstacles my friend's niece could avoid by not picking an HBCU. And if it was me, I wouldn't do it.
But I'm not black.
Bridget - I would wonder that perhaps the ability for one to identify with their peers would maybe surpass the academic hierarchy systems that exists among colleges and universities today. I am a firm believer that the school does not define you .... it is how you use your schooling afterwards that truly shows who you are.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I was an SAT tutor for several years and they do not in anyway show how smart you are. Schools are actually starting to weigh them less and less in regards to predicting how someone might do in school.
Rachael, absolutely! Students may be looking for peers they can identify with more readily, or they may be looking for a totally new environment. There's so much that goes into the personal decision about where to attend college, and I could go on forever about it. The students from Shaw that spoke in our class were clearly very thoughtful and reflective in their decisions, which bodes well for their success.
ReplyDeleteI probably shouldn't have mentioned my bias or my friend's niece cause it kinda personalized my post more than it needed to be. I was mainly just trying to explain why folks might have the attitude that HBCUs are especially challenging environments. And obviously there are reasons outside of the school/students for all those characteristics that I listed about Shaw.
And I would warn anybody against devaluing the meaning of the SAT too much. There is a meaningful difference between an 800 and 1200, and stereotype threat/cultural bias does not account for that difference. We all know individuals who did poorly but are still totally competent and ready for college, but overall those scores still mean at least a little something about preparedness for college.
ReplyDeleteWe send some kids to schools that we would never send our own kids to. We give them the short end of the stick every step of the way. Then when they do poorly on the SAT we claim the test doesn't mean anything so we don't have to feel so bad about the utterly unjust circumstances they've endured. Instead, we should be improving their schools so that they can actually have a chance to do well on the test.
We don't do kids any favors by devaluing the tests that they do poorly on. If you go too far down that road, all you're doing is setting extraordinarily low expectations for your students.
A few comments about healthcare and no child left behind because I'm never afraid to be the outsider!
ReplyDelete1-Opting out of RECEIVING funds (NCLB) is different than opting out of PAYING for something. And if opting out means you have to pay a $700 fine... you're still paying. The gov't is still getting your money. I'm not saying it's bad/good here, but I do want to make that distinction that there is a bit of force going on.
2-The idea behind this whole issue is putting younger people into the insurance system. Basically what happens a lot of the time, is the people who don't have healthcare are a lot of the kinds of people who are in our Tuesday night class. Younger as in 20s, who don't see a real need for healthcare and don't have any money to pay for it because we're poor college kids. By forcing these types into the system, people who probably won't take out a lot of money for emergency situations, insurances companies can cover older, sicker people. It's just a fact y'all--older people get sick more. So while this may be preached as a "we're helping those who can't help themselves" issue, there's more to it than just that. There's more economics going on here than you might realize. Since it's politics, we're talking about the sustainment of the insurance business, not the sustainment of human beings, and of course, congress will never come right out and say that because that's not the way to sell it.
3-People who genuinely can't afford healthcare because of pre-existing conditions is a major reason for change. Take for example, a 50 year old who can not yet retire who loses his/her job due to all of our industry going overseas (that's another soapbox). If this person is unemployed or gets a job that does not provide insurance, then that person can usually not afford private healthcare due to their age and often pre-existing conditions. When you're older, a lot of things could have happened to you. Oh, you have a thyroid problem, or oh you had chest pains or whatever... pre-existing condition= skyrocketing your price unless there's younger people in the market to take some of your price away.
4-This is a capitalist country. If we really want to sustain healthy business competition we should allow people to purchase healthcare across state lines.
5-NO ONE ACTUALLY READ THE BILL. It was over 1,000 pages. The president didn't read the whole thing, and I believe it was only about 4 congress members who read every line. SO YEAH. Don't get me started about voting on something YOU HAVENT READ... because there's a lot of implications from this bill. Just like NCLB, you may have good intentions, but you may not realize what exactly you're doing and all of the ramifications that you are enacting by your choice to vote on something, I reiterate, that YOU HAVENT READ.
A few initial thoughts. Basically, to summarize, I'm not all against, not all for it. I think it was rushed into because it was promised, and we're going to see a lot of bad as a result, even though the original intention was one that might provide help/relief.
Bridget,
ReplyDeleteJust to let you know. You are not alone. I do agree with your predisposition to use the SAT scores as a guide to help students find a school and program that are challenging. We educators do love to disparage the standardized testing system, but in the relatively capitalist economic game that the university systems are playing in, most schools continue to value the SAT as an indicator of success, not the sole indicator but an indicator just the same. I would agree that your friend's niece probably ought to try for Spelman! I have been trying to reconcile this even as it applies to all students regardless of race or socioeconomic status.
In line with the rest of your conversation, my daughter has a friend from high school who is attending NC A&T. He is an African-American student. One of the reasons he chose to go to this school as opposed to other NC public universities is that his mother thought that he had been in school with so many 'white' students for so long that he did not really know his own people! When he returned after the first semester he reported that he liked A&T, but it was wierd going to school with only black kids since he was used to such a mix at his high school. I think it is an interesting thought since we are poised to resegregate our public schools.
Morgan - I think you laid out pretty well why this is such an incoherent Rube Goldberg bill. At the same time, how many bills of any sort are read through by all (or even most) of the Congresspeople voting on them? I think we'd be surprised how little attention is paid to the details of legislation by the legislators who enact it. The other point to consider is that its often less important what the bill explicitly says than how the executive branch elects to implement those provisions (and how the judicial branch rules on those methods of implementation). At the end of the day, I agree that as an actual piece of legislation, this one is confusing and somewhat rickety. The solution which suggests itself to my mind is to federalize the system altogether (like Medicare and the VA) and quit messing around with half measures. Reasonable people can differ on that one, though.
ReplyDeleteRE: SAT - I think "indicator" is a very suggestive word for SAT scores. They do a pretty good job of flagging students who possess certain attributes which are conducive to collegiate success. However, in my estimation, those attributes tend to be, in no particular order: parents who can afford to pay (and are sufficiently obsessed with academic success to pay) for SAT cram classes, a cultural orientation roughly similar to that of the people who create the test, and a schooling background in a milieu which prepares them from an early age to excel on standardized exams. I don't think the SAT does a terribly good job of identifying smarts. Of course, success in college is only partially (one can debate how much) predicated upon smarts.
All that was a long way of saying that I think SAT scores correlate with, but are not causative of success in college and that there may well be other harder-to-measure things which correlate better with collegiate success, but do not necessarily correlate terribly well with SAT scores.
ReplyDeleteHey, guys! I just wanted to quickly apologize for my initial post about HBCUs. I’ve been schooled a bit and discovered there is a growing political effort to shut down HBCUs for good, and my bias is playing directly into the hands of that effort--something I do not want!
ReplyDeleteI totally glossed over the unique and complex budget challenges that HBCUs face while simultaneously ignoring the extremely valuable role they play in society, particularly graduating black educators and others who will go on to fight for social justice. I’m embarrassed that I read Nieto’s call for more biracial teachers in schools and still managed to ignore the success HBCUs have in promoting that goal.
Anyway, despite the federal government’s recent and deserved dedication of a billion dollars in aid to HBCUs, it appears that the funding challenges they face may continue to grow. The last thing anybody needs is folks like me ignorantly running their mouths and implicitly discouraging people from attending.
Leethaniel Brumfield said...
ReplyDeleteEVERYONE - I’ve had a great week! Therefore, I’m not going to get too bent out of shape about the negative posts about HBCUs. I’ll respect others’ opinions and leave it at that. But I’ve gotta say this: I made a 1470/1600 on the SAT and a 30/36 on the ACT and was offered a few full ride academic scholarships to some prestigious universities, and I even got accepted to Princeton. However, I decided to go to an HBCU, where ended up graduating summa cum laude. With that being said, I don’t feel that standardized tests are a true indictor of college success. Even though I did well in undergrad, I don’t think it had anything to do with how well I took tests or even how smart I was (or am). What I feel was more important, was my diehard dedication and desire to be successful.
Overall, I am convinced that the learning experiences and networking opportunities in the scientific arena and in life, in general, that I was afforded as a student at an HBCU could not have been matched – not at Princeton or the other ivy leagues. But those are just MY thoughts.
On another note, with the semester drawing to a close and various class projects being due real soon, I feel that this week I’ve been extremely productive. This semester I’ve developed an academic agenda that paces me to both enjoy life and get work done as well. This newly implemented balance has been very rewarding. I’ve felt less overwhelmed with the demands of school.
I wish everyone else a successful last few weeks of classes and good luck on your final exams and final class projects.
“Peace” up, “A-Town” down...lol
Leethaniel, Princetonians are peculiar people. It was wise to avoid them.
ReplyDeleteBecause of my children's ages, college brochures show up in my mailbox and emails flood our inbox. And since I am not 17, I have a tendency to read, analyze, and compare the information set before my children, who mostly throw everything away. So, because this was on my mind, I decided to research a few HBCU online for no real reason other than I have not reached Leethaniel's productive nirvana state and I avoid doing what I ought to do. What I found frightened and appalled me. In the twelve hours since, I am just really sad. Initially, I found and compared Shaw, St Augs and Spellman and NC A&T on college board. No surprise Spelman shows up as more selective, if you analyze them as collegeboard does with by SAT, ACT, or GPA. Then I went to each web site. I found that Shaw and St Aug’s require a background check, which requires permission for them to run a police report. I then checked UNC and NC A&T. Happy to report that their applications are very similar both ask the usual "safety, citizenship' question: Have you ever been convicted of a crime? But neither asks for permission to run a background check. At least our public schools are showing a degree of fairness and uniformity. I confirmed the background check information on both the sites again this morning to make sure I was inventing things. Indeed both colleges require it. In my short research I could not find another school that required a background check. Neither Spelman nor Morehouse mention it.
ReplyDeleteIt simply stuns me that the institutions I presume to be protecting, illuminating, and exalting their own people, have fallen pray to this assumptive thinking. Surely, if they thought this to be an important safety concern, they could after they have sent out their own acceptance letters, and the students confirmed that they would be attending the university, then subject the enrolling freshman class to background checks. Although I recall, that in the wake of a murder on its campus, UNCW declared the background checks were too expensive.
On a positive note I found the two following quotes on the Spelman and Morehouse websites. The first is in the mission statement from Spelman. The second is on the home page of Morehouse. I found both to be well stated, optimistic, and empowering. I think both could serve as personal statements for all of us, teachers, hoping to change the education system and the world.
From Spelman:
Our goals include integrating and globalizing learning, teaching creatively and rigorously, leading from our authentic core, living sustainably, improving ourselves continuously, and collaborating to better our city’s quality of life. These ambitious GOALS and others build on our accomplishments as the premier historically Black college for women and one of the finest institutions for undergraduate education nationwide.
From Morehouse:
Your first step is to define yourself. Your destiny is to redefine the world.
( Is this not a succinct summary of the Nieto text?)
Molweni! Ninjani? Ndiphilile enkosi. I am back from South Africa, and the group had an amazing experience.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, I loved the blog this week, and I particularly appreciate the courage shown by many individuals in presenting controversial ideas as well as the willingness to remain open to new interpretations.
You might be interested in this huge event taking place at Shaw this week:
http://www.sncc50thanniversary.org/
See you on Tuesday!
I appreciated all your information Katherine, but I would hesitate to use background checks as a baseline of importance. All colleges and universities have a right to do a background check on you, and all colleges and universities must ask if you have been convicted of a crime etc. To prove it's not just those above ... I went to Villanova University (Catholic Private School outside of Phili) and was asked those questions on my application.
ReplyDeleteAll colleges do ask the question: Have you been convicted of a crime? All colleges do NOT seek permission to run a police check/ background report (their words) on every single applicant. There is a huge significant difference.
ReplyDeleteVery true, after rereading your post I see the difference you were trying to make. Sorry about that!
ReplyDeleteProf. G, I hope you told Thabo Mbeki to cram it for his absurd views on HIV.
ReplyDeleteHe's no longer the President... but Zuma has some issues, too.
ReplyDeleteZuma's the one who committed sexual assault, right? South Africa in general has issues. I'm excited for the World Cup, though.
ReplyDeleteI doubt I'll see any evidence of it when I go observe at a local HS today, but today is the National Day of Science. A friend's fbook just alerted me. I'm glad I was made aware & hope you will be too. Here's the website where I went to find more info and a quick quote.
ReplyDeletePlease understand my reasons for not speaking today. I am participating in the Day of Silence, a national youth movement bringing attention to the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies in schools. My deliberate silence echoes that silence, which is caused by name-calling, bullying and harassment. I believe that ending the silence is the first step toward fighting these injustices. Think about the voices you are not hearing today. What are you going to do to end the silence?
http://www.dayofsilence.org/content/history.html