Lynne Varner's column in the Times

I normally don't care for Lynne Varner's writing in the Times but I think she makes some valid points in her Lost in Translation column in today's Times. I was kind of surprised to learn that the Director of Equity and Race Relations makes 6 figures.

Comments

Charlie Mas said…
Dr. Hollins doesn't make six figures - that is the department budget.

Although Lynne Varner could translate for Dr. Hollins regarding summer vacation and for the Madrona families to make their good intentions clear, there is no good intention that can be assumed behind Ricky Malone's statement that having White people in and around Madrona school made her uncomfortable.
4/11/07, 10:49 AM
Anonymous said…
In the best possible world, Rickie Malone's statement could be the beginning of a courageous conversation - and you'd have to see where it went in order to know what kind of intent to impute to the original statement.

If I were in the conversation, I would be curious to ask, sincerely:

"Why do you think you feel uncomfortable?"

"Do you think it's possible to become comfortable? or would you prefer to stay uncomfortable?"

"If you thought it were possible to become comfortable, what would that look like and take - on your part? on the white people's part?"

This would likely be an awkward conversation - who wants to dissect his feelings and actions and relationships this way - bleah - but it's got to be better than leaving things the way they are.

Re Caprice Hollins - it was probably asking too much for the district to expect 1 person to solve race relations in Seattle, but I haven't been super-encouraged by what I've heard her say or seen her do - and she's been here a while now - is it 2-3 years?
4/11/07, 1:19 PM
Anonymous said…
I'm not sure I want someone in the district like Rickie Malone who feels confident in being so publicly out of whack. I'm not interested in the district rehabbing her because I'm not sure it can happen. It's one thing to say, "I don't believe most white people understand African-Americans." and go from there. That isn't what she said. What white parent in their right mind would want to put their child at any school she is at?
4/11/07, 1:40 PM
Charlie Mas said…
I keep asking myself what would have been the consequences if a White principal at a school that had been predominantly White but was getting a lot of new African-American students had said "Having African-Americans in and around the school makes me uncomfortable".

I won't offer any conjecture as to what the District's response might have been, but I cannot believe that they would simply ignore it.
4/12/07, 8:03 AM
Jet City mom said…
[i]Dr. Hollins doesn't make six figures - that is the department budget.[/i]

actually from public records regarding Dr Hollins salary per the 2005-2006 school year- when she made $90,000 in salary and $20,000 in benefits, I would not be surprised to see her salary now exceed 6 figures


Although if you believe that a "future time orientation" is racist, collecting a salary double the national average seems shocking.
4/12/07, 10:55 PM
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