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The Pre-Criminalization of Black Boys

In this article from Black Voices, Jeff Mays states that it’s tough to be a black boy in Nashville, Tennessee. I would argue that it’s tough for black boys all over. These problems aren’t exclusive to Nashville, and it doesn’t get better as those boys grow into men. If anything it gets worse.

According to Mays, “nationally, black kids are suspended three times more often than whites.”

The treatment some black males receive in school only conditions them to future stigmatization and negative behaviors. The practice of treating black male students more harshly for behavioral problems is the first step for the school-to-prison pipeline, the trend of dealing with our children as criminals as opposed to the still-developing, potential-filled young people that they are.

Behavioral problems among young boys are real. As hormones begin to explode, and whatever environmental concerns erupt, kids exhibit all kinds of strange behavior.

But how much of this suspension issue is based on teachers’ and administrators’ perception of black boys as problem children? Continue reading

The Pre-Criminalization of Black Boys

In this article from Black Voices, Jeff Mays states that it’s tough to be a black boy in Nashville, Tennessee. I would argue that it’s tough for black boys all over. These problems aren’t exclusive to Nashville, and it doesn’t get better as those boys grow into men. If anything it gets worse.

According to Mays, “nationally, black kids are suspended three times more often than whites.”

The treatment some black males receive in school only conditions them to future stigmatization and negative behaviors. The practice of treating black male students more harshly for behavioral problems is the first step for the school-to-prison pipeline, the trend of dealing with our children as criminals as opposed to the still-developing, potential-filled young people that they are.

Behavioral problems among young boys are real. As hormones begin to explode, and whatever environmental concerns erupt, kids exhibit all kinds of strange behavior.

But how much of this suspension issue is based on teachers’ and administrators’ perception of black boys as problem children? Continue reading

The Mis-Education System: Schools Suck On Purpose

NOW PLAYING:
Conspiracy (featuring Rev) [explicit lyrics]
from Distorted Soul 2.0

“When you control a man’s thinking you do not have to tell him not to stand here or go yonder.  He will find his ‘proper place’ and will stay in it.  You do not need to send him to the back door.  He will go without being told.  In fact, if there is no back door, he will cut one for his special benefit.  His education makes it necessary.” – Carter G. Woodson from The Miseducation of The Negro

Our friends at Playahata.com reposted this blog by Patrick Grimm of Zionist Watch which first appeared on News From The West.  Despite the obviously racist and Anti-Semetic views of News From the West, AND the lack of documentation available for the information in this particular post, the article raises some interesting points that are timely in light of Barack Obama’s recent education policy speech.

According to Grimm the failures of the U.S. education system are not only systemic, they are intentional.  Many of us have wondered why the supposedly “educated” people who run our schools would have developed such a mind-numbing, creativity-draining learning process.  Furthermore, why do they keep using it when there is so much evidence that it doesn’t work?  The answer?  It’s all on purpose.

Let’s face it.  School is boring and stupid.  They don’t really teach you what you want or need to know to make a living.  Those of us who have grown into educated, scholarly people have done so most often in spite of our schooling rather than as a result of it.

Our public schools especially are designed to emulate an manufacturing facility, and the schools themselves are factories.  They use an assembly line process to manufacture docile, unambitious workers who are ready to go straight from secondary school to the plant floor.  Is there any wonder that in a world where knowledge of technology and science – not to mention creativity and critical thinking – are nearly essential, the United States lags behind?

Read the post below.  We’ll have discussion afterward, and yes, there will be a quiz.

The Educational System Was Designed to Keep Us Uneducated and Docile Continue reading

The Mis-Education System: Schools Suck On Purpose

NOW PLAYING:
Conspiracy (featuring Rev) [explicit lyrics]
from Distorted Soul 2.0

“When you control a man’s thinking you do not have to tell him not to stand here or go yonder.  He will find his ‘proper place’ and will stay in it.  You do not need to send him to the back door.  He will go without being told.  In fact, if there is no back door, he will cut one for his special benefit.  His education makes it necessary.” – Carter G. Woodson from The Miseducation of The Negro

Our friends at Playahata.com reposted this blog by Patrick Grimm of Zionist Watch which first appeared on News From The West.  Despite the obviously racist and Anti-Semetic views of News From the West, AND the lack of documentation available for the information in this particular post, the article raises some interesting points that are timely in light of Barack Obama’s recent education policy speech.

According to Grimm the failures of the U.S. education system are not only systemic, they are intentional.  Many of us have wondered why the supposedly “educated” people who run our schools would have developed such a mind-numbing, creativity-draining learning process.  Furthermore, why do they keep using it when there is so much evidence that it doesn’t work?  The answer?  It’s all on purpose.

Let’s face it.  School is boring and stupid.  They don’t really teach you what you want or need to know to make a living.  Those of us who have grown into educated, scholarly people have done so most often in spite of our schooling rather than as a result of it.

Our public schools especially are designed to emulate an manufacturing facility, and the schools themselves are factories.  They use an assembly line process to manufacture docile, unambitious workers who are ready to go straight from secondary school to the plant floor.  Is there any wonder that in a world where knowledge of technology and science – not to mention creativity and critical thinking – are nearly essential, the United States lags behind?

Read the post below.  We’ll have discussion afterward, and yes, there will be a quiz.

The Educational System Was Designed to Keep Us Uneducated and Docile Continue reading

© Nadir Omowale