I have not thought about racists and non-racists in years. I know they are out there and I think to a degree we all have racist reactions to different things. With that stated I am shocked at the Trayvon Martin reaction within the American Black community and some of my hidden racist tendencies have surfaced. The one nagging racist thought that has surfaced from a long hiatus is: What would happen if there was a collapse and there was no money to recharge the EBT or SNAP cards?
I came across the essay below written by a white history teacher in a predominantly black high school. I have heard similar stories from friends who are teachers and who spent the first years of their careers in similar schools. Through frustration all of them have since moved on to schools where the culture of learning was different.
After reading this teachers accounts it really brought home to me the predicament we find ourselves in today and probably tomorrow. The predicament is that we have a large segment of the population that has never assimilated into the American melting pot. To be quite frank I cannot think of one race that came to our shores as immigrants, other than African Americans, which have failed to do so ? Can you?
Many of the Black Americans have roots in this country that go back more than 200 years. You would think after 149 years there would be little difference between Black and White Americans. Yet there is ? Why?
Here is the opening couple of paragraphs from the essay:
The truth is usually a tough thing to accept, so I understand if this is flagged. It would be a cowardly thing to do, but I understand it. Some people just ignore unpleasant truths. However, if you think ignoring the problem, or trying to censor the truth, will help our black children improve, you?re dreaming. This is important, so I?m happy to repost ? indefinitely if necessary. I find it interesting that NO ONE has had the intellect to refute anything in the essay. They can only attempt to censor it, as if doing so somehow makes it invalid. Weak minds, weak minds.
Until recently I taught at a predominantly black high school in a southeastern state.
The mainstream press gives a hint of what conditions are like in black schools, but only a hint. Expressions journalists use like ?chaotic? or ?poor learning environment? or ?lack of discipline? do not capture what really happens. There is nothing like the day-to-day experience of teaching black children and that is what I will try to convey...
Here is the link to the whole essay.
http://www.black-and-right.com/2013/07/01/before-its-deleted-of-the-day/Trust me when I say it is long however I think worth your time. Grab a cold beverage of your choice and read it. Mull it over in your mind and then share your thoughts and possible predictions.
