Thanks for the honest and fearless editorial.
The subject here really exposes the direct result of the "Post Martin" era, as I like to call it. Let me bring attention to this particular sentence laid at the end of your editorial: " As long as we take for granted the accomplishments of the past and as long as we bite the hand that is trying to feed us, we have not overcome and we never will."
I had to read the article twice to be sure I understand your position though I'm not 100% positive that I do. If, so please correct me in love if I have misunderstood. I'm lead to ask, though, "who" or "what" is "the hand that feed's us"? And who is "us"? Are we talking about society at large and if so, who or what is the "hand that feed us"? Or are we talking about African American society? If the latter, are talking about people, policies, laws and establishments brought about as a result of the Civil Rights movements and other socio political movements as "the hand that feed us"?
Either way, the issue has to be first dissected and brought into perspective, which I personally feel (that due to the forum) will be (and was for you) difficult to do. It almost sounds as though your article is has two prominent points of one theme:
1. White teachers and their disadvantage in "teaching" urban youth.
2. The proliferation of "crying race"
Let me start with the "White Teacher, Urban( Black) Student". I'm a child of the 80s, and the year before I started 7th grade, a program called "Majority-Minority" (M&M) was introduced. The purpose was to allow us urban (Black) students to attend schools outside of our districts. These schools were majority White and were in majority White suburbs. In addition, teachers were given certain incentives to teach in our urban schools. My school in particular was filled with Black teachers who lived right in the neighborhood. My mom is still close friends with several people who taught me. By the time I was in the 9th grade, these neighborhood teachers were replaced with younger, liberal-minded White teachers. A school with a 100% Black student body had Black instructors in TWO classes, band and gym. So what? Well, I noticed, first hand, the decline of my friends who stayed at our school and even the ones who took advantage of the opportunity to go to the suburban schools. As a matter of fact, the ones who participated in Minority-Majority faired MUCH worse. I saw shop class taken out of my school, along with home economics and other programs and clubs that TAUGHT SKILL. We stopped receiving the tidbits of knowledge and history about our people and even our own neighborhood! We went from a solid school body that represented well in local scholastic competitions, like Scholar's Bowl, to a rough and rugged Junior High School that gained a horrible reputation in a little less than two years. I saw this happen! None of these characteristics were true during my 7th grade year. So I thought what happened!? (yes, back then I thought like this) It wasn't until I noticed one of the new teachers disciplining one of the known "troublemakers" that it hit me. Communication. Not that the teacher simply didn't know what he was saying, and he didn't know what she was saying. But they didn't understand what each other were saying. They couldn't peer into each other's perspective. What happened was, you took a white teacher from a very different background and culture and you put her in a new and unfamiliar culture to not only socialize with, but also teach a child within that culture. The same happened with my friends whose parents opted to send them AWAY from their community to be educated, only they had teachers AND students who they didn’t identify with on any level to socialize with. Again, let’s TRY and keep “race†out. It hasn’t a real place.
What has happened in Black America is that we've constantly sold away our own culture and community for this dream of acceptance and equality. And I do mean dream because there is no real definition for "acceptance and equality" in the context of this country today. Meaning, you are free and equal according to YOUR deeds and principles. We know the problems, we know what caused and causes them. The troubled kid mentioned earlier may very well have been helped by a teacher who lived in, or even understood who he was and his culture. And I know this to be true because this particular student’s parents and situation was known by the former teachers and was getting an education until M&M was instituted. What's happening in BLACK America has VERY LITTLE to do with race, itself (however, there are institutions and systems in place that play a big part that I won’t touch on here as I feel this is specific to the two points mentioned above). But it has everything to do with culture and this idea that we need a sweeping savior. And it's two sided. Today's generation of Whites is just as removed from the Civil Rights era, if not MORE. It's not their responsibility or duty to make amends in my opinion. They should carry on their forefathers’ legacies. It's MY responsibility as a father (I have three sons) and member of my community to make sure I raise productive young men, to make sure that I overlook my affairs, lead and create legacy for my generations to come. And to do that I feel history including and beyond American Civil Rights is key. I believe being FREE and ACCEPTED amongst Blacks FIRST is key. And for this to happen we must take a serious look in our communities. Like my mom did for me, I do for my sons. Remember, your average Black in America knows very little about his or her history beyond what is taught in the school systems, and our annual Black History Month (which in my opinion is due an overhaul). As a educator I'm sure you would agree that knowledge unlocks doors and frees the mind. But gaining of knowledge starts at home, not in the classroom. And that is the disadvantage that the White teacher AND the urban (Black) youth BOTH have.
Now about crying race. I cringe when I hear "racist". Or when I hear "…because he/she/I was/am Black". And I like you worry about what would happen if there is a REAL racist attack on people of color. How would anyone know if the complaint is authentic? I won't go into my rant on the so-called leaders of the Black Community. But I am often perplexed at the amount of racist charges from a group that seems hell-bent on imitating and being accepted into the so-called "racist" community. Let me explain: several years ago Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow coalition filed suite against NASCAR stating there should be more African American Drivers. He also called NASCAR a "Bastion of White Supremacy". Is racing such a social past time in African American communities? If so, why was there no plan or push to create a racing league for those parties interested? And no, it shouldn't have been a push for a "Black NASCAR". After all most national pass times grew from communities to include all. But, NASCAR, a national pass time that grew out of prohibition is now racists. What did I miss? I often asked, who were the multitudes of black drivers being rejected? I haven't fully researched that so I digress. But we see this on and on. Another example: Halle Berry and the Academy Award. I often asked, why wasn't her Essence Award "good enough"? Again I digress. My point is, Blacks have to value Blacks before we see a change in our condition. The laws are what they are. The history is what it is. In the meantime, we have sufficient capital and sufficient education and/or access to education to completely turn this situation around. But it has to happen from within.
I apologize for such a long "comment". Oh, I am a graduate of The University of Alabama. I know first hand the legacy of the famous speech.
