Newsletter 2/27 Fair or Foul: White people cashing in on racism?
Is Democrat & Chronicle’s reporter Justin Murphy cashing in on the latest money-making tool? Murphy’s new book “Your Children Are Very Greatly In Danger: School Segregation in Rochester, New York” is scheduled to be released on March 15. The City Newspaper claimed the book is perhaps the most extensive and engaging history ever written of the troubled and much-maligned Rochester public school system.
Howard Eagle speaks out on Democrat & Chronicle’s reporter Justin Murphy’s new book and developing a movement for change within RCSD.
By: Howard Eagle
I look forward to the release of Mr. Murphy's book. Again, from all that I have read about it, including several very interesting excerpts, I believe that it will prove to be a valuable addition to my library --- relative to an important and extensive reference-source regarding the long-standing, thoroughly pervasive, virulent, individual, institutional, and structural racism within the RCSD (dating back to its inception, more than 180 years ago), and beyond. However, I'm certain that the book does NOT represent a roadmap, nor panacea relative to much-needed, widespread, fundamental, permanent change and improvement within the RCSD. However, there is a roadmap (see below).
With regard to Mr. Dawson's article --- in spite of his ongoing efforts, he still gets some things wrong. For example, I sure would like to hear him explain his idea of a "much-maligned Rochester public school system." "Much maligned" HOW??? Additionally, he wrote that there is a "supercharged political atmosphere around the notion of systemic racism..." "THE NOTION OF SYSTEMIC RACISM"??? WHAT??? And lastly, no matter how much flowery language he quotes from James Baldwin, or anyone else, unless and until we embark upon the style of road map spelled out below --- no books, nor super-hyper rhetoric (within and of itself) can possibly produce significantly-widespread, fundamental, permanent,, progressive change and/or improvement within the RCSD, which must necessarily begin with >>> https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/local/communities/time-to-educate/stories/2018/07/13/racism-rcsd-rochester-city-school-district-howard-eagle-investigation/760499002/ , which in essence, is the same thing that Justin Murphy is saying. It's just that his ideas (as I understand them) concerning where and how to begin, are, in my humble, but staunch and informed view --- a clear matter of chasing pipe dreams:
GENERAL ROAD MAP:
WE NEED A MOVEMENT!!!
EDUCATION COMPONENT:
As a STARTING POINT, in my humble, but staunch and informed view, we need to get focused (with laser-like precision) on the foundational academic/intellectual development of our children --- by doing everything that we possibly can to make certain that they master literacy skills and knowledge --- that is, reading, writing, math skills and knowledge at or above grade level (right from the very beginning), which is one of the most important reasons why we must address/change the standardized testing process, i.e., because it is driving everything that happens at the classroom level, and deprives teachers and support staff of the necessary time and energy to concentrate on developing foundational skills and knowledge. Instead, largely because of state and federal mandates, rules, regulations, policies, and mandates --- teachers find themselves (more and more) teaching narrowly to tests. There is no mystery surrounding the reason why so many of our children don't do well on tests. It's because they don't have adequate reading, writing, and math skills, which again represents the very foundation of all knowledge, and which is necessary for them to be able to master higher-order knowledge and skills --- such as critical and analytical reading, writing and thinking. So, I'm saying, if we lay the foundation properly, we won't have to worry so much about tests. If the proper foundation has been laid, the testing issue will take care of itself (as long as that which is being tested, is fundamentally the same as that which is being taught). So there are two issues wrapped up together: 1) the need for more local control (as opposed to far too many dictates from the state and federal governments, and 2) the need to free teachers and support staff up --- so that they will have the time and energy to focus, again, with laser-like precision, on laying the academic foundation upon which all knowledge and skills-development is built. This issue is even more important when we consider that huge numbers of our children enter the system lagging far behind their middle-class peers --- right from the very beginning.
The latter referenced issue is clearly among the most important of all issues we face, and is connected to another issue, i.e., the issue of widespread, concentrated poverty. Please don't misunderstand me regarding this critically important issue. I do not subscribe (under any circumstances) to any theory or idea about children not being able to learn because they live in poverty. If this was the case, many whom I've known (as children of migrant farmworkers) would be among the most uneducated people on earth. On the other hand, for us to stick our heads in the sand (as an ostrich would do), and pretend that issues and conditions, which often accompany, i.e., come along with abject poverty --- does not impact our ability to educate well --- is frankly ludicrous, but the main point is that we need to do all we can to make sure we have the necessary, equitable, resources to provide whatever our children need in order to develop to their full potentials, which is currently not the case, and to be honest, in order to secure such necessary resources probably will require a struggle and a fight (politically speaking). We know that often those who need less --- actually get more --- because they are well-organized and very effective advocates for their children (often exclusively). The other side of this coin is, we must make sure the vast amount of resources that we do receive (nearly one billion dollars --- $1,000,000,000) are being utilized efficiently and effectively, which obviously is not the case currently, and which raises another critical issue that we need to focus on, i.e., rooting out massive waste, and possibly fiscal mismanagement, malfeasance, and corruption, which is currently occurring in the Rochester City School District.
Two other critically important issues, which we must deal with are 1) the need to address individual, institutional, and structural racism, and the establishment of racial/cultural equity relative to curricula, hiring and retention practices, as well as other ways, including revisiting a number of existing policies, practices, procedures, and laws. I realize this is a sensitive issue, but it is one that we cannot shy away from. It needs to be addressed; 2) it is amply clear that traditional educational approaches and systems will not work for many of our students, especially many of those who have been shuffled through the system via the criminal practice of social (age) promotion. Therefore, we must get serious about developing authentic, alternative models of education.
Probably not much of this will get done unless and until we build a deadly serious, ongoing, movement of parents, grandparents, guardians, students, extraordinarily committed educators, politicians, including and especially progressive Board members, and anyone else who is really serious about widespread, fundamental change and improvement --- working cooperatively, collaboratively and constantly around concrete, well defined, measurable goals, strategies, and tactics, which is in essence, what a movement is. Of course, any credible movement must necessarily center around concrete issues and conditions that are negatively impacting our children and families. Those include, but are not limited to the following:
1. Establishing relevant, broad-based, parent, student, and community engagement at every level of the system, and throughout the community (movement)
2. Addressing/ending systemic, social promotion
3. Development/Implementation of effective, authentic, alternative educational models
4. Systemic change regarding standardization (in order to produce a new reality, in which the overall, initial focus is on properly and adequately laying the academic foundation, upon which all else is built)
5. Addressing/reducing individual, institutional, and structural racism, and establishing racial/cultural equity --- relative to curricula, and hiring/retention practices
6. Working for relief from federal and state mandates (increased autonomy, and local/community control)
7. Reducing/mitigating the impact and effects of concentrated, widespread poverty (equitable resource acquisition, distribution, and efficiency, which includes rooting out massive waste, and possibly fiscal mismanagement, malfeasance, and corruption)
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the seven (7) areas above represent an objectively correct, and clear direction regarding movement-building. Real and serious efforts to help improve educational conditions for all children in the Rochester City School District --- must focus around issues such as those outlined above --- period.
The Struggle Continues…
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