Wednesday | January 22, 2003
NJ: A New Kind of Racial Profiling
As first reported on the web this morning by Opinion Journal at this link, entitled "The Soft Bigotry of the Teacher's Union", the New Jersey Education Association's website has three brochures aimed at improving parental involvement in New Jersey schools. One is entitled A Parent's Resource. One is (quite sensibly) is Spanish. And a third is aimed at African American parents.
Now, I won't rehash what the Wall Street Journal said, other than to add: Do people think anymore, or are they just going on cruise control? Throughout the two brochures, the messages are clear. "Parents" are told to Do More. Black parents are told to Do Something. If I can editorialize for a moment: This is not "Soft Racism," as Opinion Journal writes, it is the "Hard Racism" of dumbing down.
The "Parent's Guide" lists "Ten Things Parents Wish Teachers Would Do." The African American parent's version doesn't have that section. (Do black parents NOT want teachers to "Get to know each child's needs, interests and special talents" or "Vary methods to make learning fun"? Seems not.)
The "Parent's Guide" lists Ten Things Teachers Wish Parents Would Do. The African American Guide has that to, but it's not the same list!
"Parents" should "Set a good example." This is obviously too much for the black parents, who are just told to "Limit how much and what kind of TV programs your child can watch."
"Parents" are told to "Provide resources at home for reading and learning." Black parents are told to "Have books and magazines around your home."
"Parents" are told to "Use pressure positively." Black parents are told to "Tell your child that studying is important."
By now, the NJEA homepage has changed. The "Parents" version has been removed, and the "African American" version is linked to on the "Parents" link. You can still see, though, that it is still co-sponsored by the "Black Minister's Council of New Jersey" (while the "Parent's" version was not.) The link to the non-Black version above still worked, though, as of this writing.
NJ: A New Kind of Racial Profiling
As first reported on the web this morning by Opinion Journal at this link, entitled "The Soft Bigotry of the Teacher's Union", the New Jersey Education Association's website has three brochures aimed at improving parental involvement in New Jersey schools. One is entitled A Parent's Resource. One is (quite sensibly) is Spanish. And a third is aimed at African American parents.
Now, I won't rehash what the Wall Street Journal said, other than to add: Do people think anymore, or are they just going on cruise control? Throughout the two brochures, the messages are clear. "Parents" are told to Do More. Black parents are told to Do Something. If I can editorialize for a moment: This is not "Soft Racism," as Opinion Journal writes, it is the "Hard Racism" of dumbing down.
The "Parent's Guide" lists "Ten Things Parents Wish Teachers Would Do." The African American parent's version doesn't have that section. (Do black parents NOT want teachers to "Get to know each child's needs, interests and special talents" or "Vary methods to make learning fun"? Seems not.)
The "Parent's Guide" lists Ten Things Teachers Wish Parents Would Do. The African American Guide has that to, but it's not the same list!
"Parents" should "Set a good example." This is obviously too much for the black parents, who are just told to "Limit how much and what kind of TV programs your child can watch."
"Parents" are told to "Provide resources at home for reading and learning." Black parents are told to "Have books and magazines around your home."
"Parents" are told to "Use pressure positively." Black parents are told to "Tell your child that studying is important."
By now, the NJEA homepage has changed. The "Parents" version has been removed, and the "African American" version is linked to on the "Parents" link. You can still see, though, that it is still co-sponsored by the "Black Minister's Council of New Jersey" (while the "Parent's" version was not.) The link to the non-Black version above still worked, though, as of this writing.