Why I Support School Choice For Minority Students

Let me preface my position on public schools by saying that I am a not a Republican, but on this particular issue I agree with theIr position on education. School choice is the parental option to chose between a public or any private schools for underprivileged students. I think it’s imperative to acknowledge that I understand purpose of public schools, and the reasoning for creating one. These institutions of learning ( a term I use loosely) were created to give all students the chance to receive an education, which is legally offered to all students. Ideally, public education was a socially correct idea, but now it operates in futility. Frankly put, public education has become a disaster.

Urban education is the bane of many poor minority students existence. There is no need in denying this a national truth. If you go to any inner city across the United States, you
Can’t help but notice a glaring commonality. All of public schools are in dire straits. For black public high students nationally, it has been reported that only 66 percent of the student population graduates with in the 4 year track. This is significant considering the disparities to other races; Asians (93%), whites (83%) and Hispanics (71%).

Given these statistics, we have a festering problem, but it is affecting a particular demographic of people- black youth. Recent studies show that only 50 percent of black youth graduate, which is a profound and disappointing number in itself. Many of these black young men attend these dysfunctional public schools, where failure is accepted. This number is alarming but one must ask themselves what factors led to this failure of the public education system for minorities.

School violence has become a serious problem in many urban schools. The threat of harm to a student deters the learning process, and also leads to an inflation in violence. Many students from these schools live in rivaling neighborhoods, as result, the beef and violence spills over to the school. Lack of educational resources are also a liability which hinders public education. A student once told me that they had a textbook where George Bush was listed as the current President. It is exactly these sort of barriers which impede student development and consciousness.

Detractors argue against private education because it undermines public education, and it discriminates against certain kind of students. Maybe public education needs to be under minded because it has been unsuccessful.

Shouldn’t all students have the opportunities to learn and succeed in a environment which challenges the student? It’s clear that public education system is hurting are young black children. Many community organizers, professors & activist speaks of the ” education-prison pipeline,” the notion that inadequate education in urban schools has a direct correlation with likelihood of imprisonment. Some argue that public education should better funded and to an extent I agree, but we have to deal with the reality that these inferior schools are causing urban decay right NOW.

The fact of the matter is private institutions of education of education have a better reputation of education youth and preparing them for college. They foster a safe environment that reinforce a commitment to education, and personal growth. Moreover, private schools simply have superior educational resources that can mold academic excellence in students.

School choice gives the parent the discretion to chose a school that will prepare the child for the “real world.” It’s hypocritical in my opinion for many on the left to tout the usefulness of public education while they send their children to elite private schools. President Obama sends his kids to private school, Sidwell & Friends to be exact. Shouldn’t other D.C children receive the same opportunity? As a moderate leftist, I have come to the conclusion that I’m willing to support a n unpopular position on school choice. Because long after this read, many minority children will be left to fend for themselves in the horrid schools. These voucher programs worked in Cleveland, Ohio; a city that was notorious for their dismal public school performance. The Supreme Court solidified the legality of the program in the controversial court case Zelman v. Simmons-Harris. Which leaves the school vouchers programs to the state legislatures to approve if they passed the Supreme Court Establishment Clause test. So if there has been a blueprint of success in one urban area, other inner city school districts should follow suit, and deviate from party politics.

My opinion is not predicated on politics, but what I have seen in the school districts. The end result of public school education. I’ll leave you with this question, if this were your child stuck in a crumbling school, what would you do in the situation?

Destruction of The Black Family: Government Policy, Economic Transition & Feminism:

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amsande2's Blog

We all know of the feminist movement, government intervention and its implications in modern society. We often herald the success of this social political movement (which it deserves). We think of the front runners, the leaders of this social, political, economic cause. After all, repression of voting rights was an abominable action- what person with a moral compass can say that disproportionate voting rights were fair. The historical significance and contributions of the feminist movement are respectable, and has left an indelible mark on the complex pattern of the American tapestry. But we forget ultimately that there was a certain demographic of people who endured the cost of this change.

The destruction of the black family is the vicious byproduct of a movement that seem to have benevolent intentions. Eleanor Roosevelt, a revered feminist had a great deal of influence in passing laws and policies that contributed to the destruction…

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Destruction of The Black Family: Government Policy, Economic Transition & Feminism:

We all know of the feminist movement, government intervention and its implications in modern society. We often herald the success of this social political movement (which it deserves). We think of the front runners, the leaders of this social, political, economic cause. After all, repression of voting rights was an abominable action- what person with a moral compass can say that disproportionate voting rights were fair. The historical significance and contributions of the feminist movement are respectable, and has left an indelible mark on the complex pattern of the American tapestry. But we forget ultimately that there was a certain demographic of people who endured the cost of this change.

The destruction of the black family is the vicious byproduct of a movement that seem to have benevolent intentions. Eleanor Roosevelt, a revered feminist had a great deal of influence in passing laws and policies that contributed to the destruction of the African American family, but the brunt of this issue didn’t rear its head until the 1960’s. There were welfare policies in place that prohibited the family from having a “male in the house.” This policy discourage marriage and led to the fragmentation of the black nuclear family. As a result, if you receive any economic support from the government, such as good stamps, and general assistance, you would see a considerable drop in funding if you were married. Again, this set the precedent in the deviation of two parent homes.

At the time, Assistant Labor Secretary Patrick Moynihan publisher a government report about his predictions, and trends that he noticed in the African American family. The report was simply titled The Negro Family. Daniel Patrick Moynihan projection and warnings of the degeneration of the black family loomed to be true. His premise was that the nuclear family was the key to black prosperity in American society, and the increase single parent families would lead to worsened poverty, educational failure, and social misery. This government report was prophetic in many ways. Though many liberal and feminist called advocation of the two parent homes sexist and racist. Primarily because it undermined the women, which causes her oppression; this was the logic of the movement and it’s supporters during the 70’s and today. We as a country supported this advent of the non traditional family, and its effect has had dangerous ramifications.

Feminist made the idea of the nuclear family an oppressive ideal, and they used their political clout to end it. In the 70’s, the black power movement was in full swing, and the feminist coalition attempted to attach itself to the social movement. For example, they would tout this image of the struggling women as being a strong independent black women.

Rejections of the traditional family values were tested as an alternative two the two parent family and we failed. Since the 1960’s we have seen a sharp increase in single parents homes. Moreover, the most important demographic that is effected is the black children; they are the offspring that will have to endure the psychological and economic of these historical policies and ideologies. Resentment and anger often stems from the child of the absentee child, which correlates with poor educational achievement and dangerous behavior.

Economic opportunities are an important factor of this dilemma. Many men want to be fathers to their children, but the switch from a industrialized economy to a service economy has left many unemployable, without means to take care of their family. With an investment in employment skills training ,we can help revitalize the black family economically so they can contribute.