Seattle Public Schools and Race

The columns and live chat by the Seattle Times' Danny Westneat about Madrona K-8 and race issues have been interesting this week. (see Danny Westneat)

Crosscut, the new online newspaper for the Pacific Northwest, has some more interesting articles about Seattle Public Schools and race.

- The Seattle School District is sending students to a 'white privilege' conference (4/9)

- It isn't racism that's oppressing Seattle Public Schools students, it's inflexibility (4/3)

- 'Can we go to school together?' (4/1)

Comments

Charlie Mas said…
For me, the line comes down here:

"Q: I struggle with what Caprice Hollins, Chris Drape, and others want white middle-class public school parents to do differently - I would really appreciate specifics."

- Mary (Guest)


A: Well, I am clearly in dubious position, speaking for them. But my understanding from Drape, who is an eloquent speaker on the topic and has been working on racial reconciliation issues for two decades or more, that well-off whites need to be aware that even their most well-intentioned efforts come off as "takeover" attempts. He says we literally need to go to school with social justice as a goal, not just advanced academics and enrichment programs. My view is we're not doing all that well on the academics and the enrichment, and should focus on those. But therein lies the debate."

- Danny Westneat

I certainly value Social Justice, but I will not sacrifice my children's education for it. It is completely unclear to me how Social Justice - or any other greater good - is served by my family accepting a sub-standard education for my child.

How is ANYONE served by my children sitting through lessons on material they already know?

How is ANYONE served by my children becoming de-motivated and disruptive in school?

Is this how we close the gap? By bringing down the top?

What vision of equity is this when the class moves only as fast as the slowest member?

The District tells us to read to our children, to support their education, to get involved, but, wait, they didn't mean that message for affluent, educated White people! You folks need to just stop. Your children already have too many advantages, so we need to stop serving them until the others catch up and YOU need to stop serving them also. Stop contributing money to their schools, stop buying them books, stop taking them to the zoo, stop volunteering in their classrooms - or anyone else's classrooms either because that smacks of paternalism and charity.

What kind of Social Justice is it that asks me to pluck out my eyes because someone else is blind?
4/10/07, 1:17 PM
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