The school is suddenly concerned about the lack of African American students in AP and honor classes. They are also suddenly concerned about the low number of African American students receiving advanced regents diplomas.
The sad fact is that there is not one African American in any of the AP calculus class or on the math team. For years, I have been talking about this problem. We have lots of bright African American kids in our school. They seem to fall through the cracks in the system. As much as I hate to say it, racism is alive and doing too well in the twenty first century. If it wasn't for the outcry to improve our statistics, these kids would still be going through high school unnoticed. (Unless of course they do something wrong.)
Yesterday, Principal Suit came to our department meeting and brought up this subject. He wants us to do something about the problem. Today I handed the AP guidance a list of African American students from my Math B class that can use a little extra help, either academically, or with some extra motivation. They are all good kids, bright kids, but kids that can easily get lost in the system. I told her to put her money where her mouth is and find a way to help these kids. I've already doing all that I can for them. She took their names and promised to look into it. I want to look into how all the data the school has been collecting and analyzing lately will be used to help these kids.
6 comments:
one of the progress report categories, or is it NCLB? or quality review? whatever. One of the categories that schools are being rated on is how they help their weakest students, and how they help their lagging subgroups.
All good ideas, yeah?
Except they get credit for
a) doing better?
b) trying to do better?
c) showing someone that they have a plan to do better.
I think just c.
I'm willing to bet that it is c, also.
ohhh what bs! Adminstrators don't give a rat's ass about these kids.
So long as black and Latino males are not rioting they couldn't care less. Even Black and Latino Admistrators in this sytem have the same attitude. Any time I hear this speech from the Principal or Assistant Principals I know it must black history month or Hispanic Heritage month. It is all lip service to attempt to blame the teachers for social problems and racism--which is business as usual in the DOE.
If they truely meant to help the "weakest" students in math and science they would open an honest dialogue with the teachers, parents and community people from where these students come from.
I base the treatment of black and Latino children on how they treat me. If I can not work in a safe, dignified, democratic and well budgeted environment what makes you think that my students will be treated any better? Treat teachers like sh*t and students will suffer. Treat Black and Latino teachers like sh*t and you will see few talented and dedicated ones coming into the profession and staying.
If JD2718 is correct and "c" is the answer then all school statistics should be suspect.
Why is it the Chinese Americans don't seem to have problems getting into AP courses. Could it be that they are smarter than other groups. I don't think so . Therefore, it must be another reason. I known, it is teacher racism. What else can it be?
I've seen Asian Americans get preferential treatment in my school. And as much as I hate to say it, there is racism.
This is Horse Sh..T!
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