What are the top 3 issues we should address in the Twin Cities?
I am co-leading an effort in the Twin Cities called Design for Good, on behalf of the Minnesota Chapter of AIGA. We are in the nascent stages of developing an initiative(s) that combines the talents of graphic designers and design thinking with social impact. So, at the Art of Hosting event in April, I posed this question: What are the top 3 issues we should address in the Twin Cities?
While the conversation began with a broad range of topics (institutional racism, marriage inequality, youth homelessness, economic injustice), as people listened to each other, a consensus developed around one single question; what do we hope the future looks like? And as we discussed this, we decided that unequal educational opportunity, which fosters a disturbing education gap between white children and children of color, is an issue that will have a profound impact on our future.
-What causes the education gap?
-How do taxes and how we choose to spend those taxes reflect our values?
-Do we value our children?
-Do we value diverse communities, and good education for all Minnesotans?
-How can individuals have an impact on the education gap?
-What systemic changes are needed?
In addition to this issue, what other issues would you like to see addressed?
I am interested to hear your thoughts.
Sandy
Comments
This is a great topic!
Thanks for re-sparking this fantastic dialogue!
I'm interested to learn more about the unique perspectives designers have when it comes to tough issues like this.
The education gap is such an incredibly complex issue, I feel—so much so—that it overwhelms me to think about the enormity of all the factors that feed into it: the underfunded schools and teachers, the quantity and quality of teachers, bullying/oppression, overstuffed classrooms, inaccessible/outdated books and materials, unrealistic testing standards, outside/at-home/societal influences that affect students and school performance, the cycle of poverty, media-skewed values placed on education, etc.
There's so much to discuss, analyze, and attempt to help solve. Where do we begin?
I think the answer is everything and all at once for everyone who cares in their own particular way with their own particular approach, right?
I know, for me, the bullying/oppression issue is priority, and I'm passionate about doing whatever I can to help those students who end up committing suicide, failing, or dropping out because of the discrimination they endure on a daily basis—particularly GLBT kids. I know first-hand how difficult it is to have a quality education when the weight of externalized and internalized oppression is hard at work and at the forefront of one's mind.
Do you have any particular branch off the education gap-tree that you’re most passionate about?
Richard
Achievement Gap
Hi Sandy,
Thanks for posting this and posing many great questions. I recently came across a video that discusses this topic and provides some additional insights and ideas that may help combat the gap.
http://player.vimeo.com/video/39452445
The video provides a lot of great information. It talks about the importance of early childhood development and how its essential to the child's success in life and education.
I have read that there are many factors that influence the gap including: childhood development, nutrition, community, family situation, family income, access to resources, and schools.
I think its important, and the research has shown, that its not just about the school; that there are other factors that play into the gap. I believe we could more effectively use our tax dollars in specific areas to help reduce the gap. This could range from enhancing resources at specific schools to making early development programs more available to education for families on what can be done to help their children excel and why its important for them to do so.
While I think this is an important issue that needs to be addressed, I am curious as to how many people know much about the issue... this potential lack of knowledge about the issue impacts how well it can be addressed.
I value the children, diversity in communities, and a good education for all for many reasons. One simple fact, that I am sure most people can relate to, is that the children are the future of our community, state, nation, and world. We need to help them develop and learn so they can be best equipped to undertake the challenges of the future.
Everyone can help improve the situation. It starts with becoming aware of the issue and discussing it... and right here is a great place to get started! It would be great to draw people into this conversation that are not very familiar with the topic. As the knowledge base grows and ideas are discussed, we can work towards developing plans that can help eliminate the gap in our communities.
Ending the Achievement Gap
First, my name is Bill Hamm and I am not sure how to become an actual person on this blog. Now let's get to Dr Brunninks intellectualizing. Out of all his rant the one realistic statement is the need to deal with the home aspect of this issue. The problem is he does not connect our institutional Racism to this problem. Like so many over educated people he wants to find a way to somehow fix this problem by adding more public employee's to help these poor people. He has no concept of how incarcerating 1.14% of our black community and somewhere close to that number of our native American communities every year connects to this. You can't even begin to fix families until you stop harvesting these childrens parents like cattle to keep your fellow public employee's employed. He has to stop listening to his fellow White intellectualizers and begin to listen to folks like Proffesor Angela Davis who explain where the money went, into our prison system. He keeps hinting all around it but refuses to finish the walk to the real problem that needs to be solved to empower and rebuild these families. No amount of early childhood interferance will ever solve this problem without dealing with the Racism that causes it. The worst situation is that 2/3s of this problem is over a non toxic medicinal herb that was legal for over 15,000 years and made illegal based on lies 76 years ago. Why must a socially used substance be toxic to be legal and taxed (alcohol and tobbaco)?
Racism
That should have been 1.14% per year. A figure that has grown steadilly since Richard Nixons actions in 1974.
The problems you are
The problems you are referring to are all related to illegal/drug activity. Quit blaming only the system and look at the individual. If only pot was legal we would be without problem - ya right. The individual needs to take responsiblity. How are you going to take care of your child if you are not responsbile and cannot make good decisions? - Sarah
Minnesota's 3 biggest problems
Underpinning this entire discussion about seriously addressing Minnesota's educational gap is institutional Racism and it's mechanism of implementation, "the drug war. PBS has been running a piece by Prffesor Angella Davis of the California University system that describes how much money has moved to support institutional Racism since Richard Nixons 1974 decree. Michelle Alexanders book "The New Jim Crow" also explains this new racism from anouther view point. We can't fix this issue without addressing this blatant Racism.
ARE YOU A RACIST
With Black and Native American graduation rates as low as 25%, with the addiction of their children to pharmaceuticals running 3-6 times the rate of middle class and above, with obesity rates far above those of whites, and with pharmaceutical addiction among their elderly again far higher than whites we begin to get the idea that something RACIST is drastically wrong in Minnesota and the country.
When we dig deeper and see that 9 times as many Blacks and Native Americans are being preyed upon for use of the non toxic medicinal herb Marijuana as whites, you begin to truly understand the depth of this racism. That is double the national rate. Because the cumulative effect here of convicting 1% of these population bases per year over decades really adds up, we are now stuck with a nearly unmanageable situation. With well over 50% of some of these communities of our citizens disenfranchised from voting it is a figure that is getting comparable to the south in the 195o’s. We listen to you whining over a potential for disenfranchising a fraction of a percent of voters over voter ID, while well over 50% of these population are unable to vote, or get living wage jobs, or get Pell grants and student loans to advance themselves in any meaningful manner. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that this is still “Jim Crow”.
The use of the drug issue to attack and undermine black communities began with the campaign to eliminate Cocaine from Coca Cola. It was found that using a lie about black men raping white women when drinking Coca Cola was very effective. While I have never seen such proof to support this lie, we do know it was used as an excuse to kill black men.
Marijuana had become quite popular during prohibition especially in some black communities because of historic links. A second thing had also occurred, rayon had been discovered. The natural fiber in direct competition with rayon was Hemp. Eliminating Hemp would have been almost impossible if it were not for its close cousin Marijuana. A new book called, “Marijuana Assassin of Youth”, written by none other than the Rayon patent holders son in law, Henry Anslinger, came out to do just that job. Anslinger was a good snake oil salesman who had thoroughly studied the anti cocaine campaign and promptly made note of the fact that marijuana had historic roots in some black communities at the time. Many of his biggest crowds were southern racist Christians, many of whom made it their Christian duty to end this supposed scourge upon white folk and the land at any cost. As a society we endured horrible tales of young women being taken advantage of with this devil weed, yet today we recognize that alcohol used with several pharmaceuticals are what bring these prosecutions and date rape convictions. Everything in the book has been proven to be lies and race baiting, yet the persecution continues. As a few states began to pass anti marijuana laws based on his lies Anslinger began cavorting with J. Edgar Hoover, convincing him of this cause. This helped lead to Federal intervention via the 1936 Marijuana tax act. It should be noted that Anslinger created himself a very lucrative job as first head of the new DEA. Ironically WWII came along and Hemp had one last bounce to support the war effort. It took the DEA until 1960 to shut down the last hemp farmer right here in southern Minnesota. The newest manifestation of this racism was signed into law by Richard Nixon in 1975. PBS has broadcast the piece where Alderman is heard explaining to Nixon that this was going to disproportionately affect blacks while Nixon was clearly heard to say he did not care. The Civil rights movement was passed in 1964 to end “Jim Crow” only to have Nixon sign “Jim Crow” right back in 11 years later. One other note this racist attack was strengthened by the Reagan administration and given its modern name by his wife, “The War on Drugs”. By this time it had become and has continued to be, a bi-partisan Racist effort. By any and all measures this has been a total failure that has only served to further undermined rather than unite Americans. This is a brief overview that you are welcome to double check.
Now because of how deeply this racist attack upon our citizens over one of our safest and oldest medicinal herbs is undermining our communities of color, (I site the PBS broadcast that looked at 4 plants that have evolved to serve man), I am demanding that you ask of yourselves the opening statement of this piece; are you a racist? Are you going to continue to support this racism?
Now for the hard part, recognizing what is wrong and making real change. I am open to the arguments of anyone foolish enough to argue that this 9 to 1 ratio is not blatant and rampant racism. The next question is who is benefiting from Minnesota’s new “Jim Crow”? The easiest way to demonstrate this is to ask what the following groups have in common; police, prison guards, probation and parole officers, court employees, case workers, social workers, behavioral counselors, and so many more involved with working with these citizens’ have in common? They are all Union Public employees in a growth industry that has lead Minnesota to being one of the top 16 most RACIST States in America today. I could expound upon this in much greater detail ladies and gentlemen with issues like why are these same public employees’ pension funds so heavily invested in the very pharmaceutical companies profiting from the over addiction of these citizens, we could easily call this chemical slavery because of this fiduciary arrangement? One might also take up the tired old concept that, Society is just trying to help these poor stupid people”, that is until you look at all the facts and see that our communities of color clearly prove the negative effects of increasing these attacks upon the same human nature we recognized when ending prohibition, perhaps we should arrest 8 times more whites just to prove this point, (a little tongue in cheek as we couldn’t afford it and you know it).
It isn’t enough to just ending this demoralizing drug war, because of its racist nature reparations are going to be required to correct the wrongs imposed here. We need an amnesty coupled with a full pardon much like what was granted to Confederate soldiers after the civil war. These people need and deserve their voting and civil rights back after this elitist middle class attack upon them and their communities.
Most of you now have enough basic info to find out for yourselves what is and isn’t spin in this brief history and what fact is, so I will move along to offering an equitable solution to end this blight of racist from our history.
Marijuana is Economic Development
While many states have passed medicinal marijuana laws, few can be shown to be very functional or much of a savings anywhere. Facing this stark reality Minnesota has 2 choices if it is serious about dealing with its present racist mistakes. Our communities of color can’t wait for you to remove these chains of slavery from them, later is now (that’s the 3rd choice). Our State can’t wait to fix our most RACIST and socioeconomically biased education system ever. You can’t fix our state or our education system without ending this moronic war. So the question really is how we approach fixing this sorry mess with a win/win scenario.
Choice #1; We as a State can take the gutless wonder approach and simply refuse to enforce marijuana laws effectively decriminalizing one of the State’s largest cash crops. While this strategy could dump enforcement costs on the Federal Government, it would not support Minnesota’s history of opposing slavery and oppression. Furthermore this approach, while serving anarchist well, would give us nothing back as a State to deal with any suspected incurred costs, (no taxes off one of our largest agricultural crops, just as now).
Choice#2; Minnesota can hold with its history of leadership and be the first State that challenges the Federal legislation on this issue forcing a conclusion to this racist law the same way prohibition was challenged and ended.
LEGALIZING MARIJUANA IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
If you are looking for a way to rationalize this issue than let us look at “Minnesota’s Billion Dollar Solution”.
$138 million saved from enforcement to prosecution/persecution.
$320 million saved in housing etc.
15,000+ living wage jobs created as soon as licenses can be issued without one red cent of state moneys bringing in $450-600 million in wages.
$10-20 Billion in Marijuana tourism during the first 2-4 years after legalization, if we are the first ones in and Colorado could beat us.
Additional industrial Hemp and seed oil economic activity 3-5 years out.
$500 million a year or more in potential income for the State, with a much larger potential for local governments, while ending some of our racist police state image.
No other economic development proposal on the table has more far reaching and positive effects for the whole of Minnesota than does this, money savings coupled with new income a win/win for both sides. Have you been wondering where you are going to get additional funding for education and healthcare? These aren’t pennies from heaven folks, but all you need to do is show a little bi-partisan leadership and reach out to take what is the righteous prize for ending this racist blight upon Minnesota’s history.
ARE YOU STILL A RACIST?
Copyright ©W. D. Hamm 02/20/2012
The last thing that I think
The last thing that I think should happen is legalizing of marijuana. Legalization will only cause problems.
Just because something was done histroically or culturally in the past does not mean it is the best for us here and now. By that logic it would be ok to go back to a feudal system or something crazy like that. The problem lies elsewhere and that should be foucsed on, not trying to legalize a drug that has many known negative effects.
Legalization of Canibus
What are these negative affect anonymous? It is and has been one of mans oldest medicinal herbs. PBS did a ver good peice detailing 4 plants that have evolved with humans canibus being one of them. It was legal and in use for over 15,000 years and has only been illegal for 76 years based on proven lies. It is non toxic without a single case of death ever attributed to the toxisity of it's use. Our founding fathers, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Ben Franklin all supported it's use. Alcohol which is legal kills over 15,000 of our college students a year bing drinking. Asperin and Ibuprofen as well as the 20 most commonly perscribed drugs all kill people but canibus does not so what is your complaint? It is now connected through proven science to be benifiecial in the treatment of over 30 diseases and pain relief. It is the unsound reasoning used for the most racist behaviour in our society since the 1964 civil rights act. It steals the vote of over 500,000 Minnesotans which appears to violate the 1965 voting rights act. How do you justify your position?
Please feel free to back up
Please feel free to back up your claims with facts and sources.
Take a look at http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/113/6/e632.full - but its only written by physicans.
And..
http://www.calmca.org/2011/05/31/what-do-medical-professionals-say-about...
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2010/09/legalizing-marijuana-wh...
http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJM198903233201203
http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/01/22/us-pot-pregnancy-idUSTRE60L55L...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4486308.stm
http://www.livescience.com/630-smoke-marijuana-toasts-memory.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/15787208/
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217110328.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080123104017.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070731085550.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070801112156.htm
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/08/20/INHA1EVV1D.D...
What positive will come out of legalization?
Please explain how it is racist? People choose to use it. Dont you think that if you promote the use of it to people, their kids will see them use it and will be more likely to be addicted - hence compounding the issue?
Other drugs and other things were once legal, but they are not legal now because we know the harm they cause. Do you think we should legalize other drugs, or make other laws to restict voting, property ownership, etc.? Just wondering
Racism and the War on Drugs
Many of the studies you are siting here are not scientific studies but studies sponsored by groups opposing or attempting to justify existing marijuana legislation. Worse than that most have been proven false by the overwhelming volume of European unbiased studies that are presently being used over and over again to support medicinal use. Canibus was a legal medicinal herb in continuos use until Anslingers lies came along in the 1920's. Simply siting these studies without independent support studies means nothing as the DEA has been very prolific in sponsoring this kind of garbage, including the 1973 high dosage experiments in California that litterally attempted to kill people to prove their point. Look to Canada, Austrailia, Isreal, Portugal and many other countries for real science instead of sticking this old tired trash in our faces. Bill Hamm
Other solutions...
I respect your point of view and am curious to know more about other potential solutions for individual or systemic forms of racism!
If, indeed, the "problem lies elsewhere" which, in many ways it does (since it is all-pervasive and not limited to the war on drugs), where do you see it rooted more deeply in its cause? I'd love to read your insights.
Richard
Racism and the War on Drugs
Hello Richard let me start by introducing myself, I am W. D. (Bill) Hamm. Your question is are their other reasons for the achievment gap and the answer is absolutely, but institutional Racism and it's undermining of families of color is by far the largest. Their is also the socio/economic element that parralels the chemical addiction of lower income children as well. Any factor that undermines family undermines education proficiency. The switch from "Student Based Education" to the "School to Work", "Outcome Based", "Minnimun Competency" model has also very negatively affected education. This is very apparent at the College level where remedial courses are now the norm to make of for the failures of the present K-12 model. In 1972 before these changes there were no remedial classes in our Colleges and we were extremely offended if grad rates fell below 75%. You need to further understand that their was much greater local input into and local control of our school districts then as well. Many of us trace the roots of this downhill slide to the organization of the teachers unions in 1964 and 65, a contraversial opinion indeed. Hope that helps.
You cannot blame everything
You cannot blame everything on making a drug illegal. That is oversimplifying the issue. Do you have any solutions to the problem beyond legalizing pot?
Racism and the War on Drugs
What part of 9 times as many people of color being attacked on this issue do you not understand? There is no way to fix this problem without stopping this aggresion first and the last 36 years has proven that. Bill Hamm
Are 9 times as many doing the
Are 9 times as many doing the drugs in the first place? You keep passing the problem onto the law, vs facing the fact that they are doing something wrong. You committ a crime, you are punished for it. I dont care what race it is, the same law applies for all.
Perhaps instead of looking to change the law you need to focus on why so many of them are choosing drugs in the first place. Focus on the root cause instead of focusing so much on changing the law. Changing the law will not fix the problems -Sarah
Racism and the War on Drugs
The answer to that question is no absolutely not, find the Gettman Marijuana in Minnesota report and read it. Again go back to 1970 before the ignorant war on drugs started. Back then even the Hells Angels couldn't hold a monopoly on distribution and turned to amphetimines. There was no gang warfare over marijuana and usage was higher then. The more citizen we have imprisoned over this issue the more the gangs have increased in our prisons and the more they have spilled out into the streets, exactly the same thing that happened with the prohibition of alcohol. People don't die from marijuana use, they die because of this gang activity directly related to the increase in prison populations. Yes it is a self serving self supporting public employee problem as they are the only groups besides the gangs profiting from this ignorance. Spin it as best you can but no one with half a brain can look at this any differant. I do have to give you credit, so far you are the only person who has tried to deny these facts. Bill Hamm
Can you provide proof? As I
Can you provide proof? As I have heard otherwise. I read that report and it is a joke. There are basically no references for his claims, is he just making up all of the numbers - likely. Ignorant war in your opinion, in my opinion it is a great effort and should be enhanced.
People can die from its use and they have. You mean gang activity related to drugs.
No one with half a brain, really? I see many sources and facts cited above, yet none of them are from you. You have yet to prove anything you are saying, what you are saying are in fact your opinions. I ask you to prove me otherwise.
I am the only person that has tried to deny what facts? The things I am saying are based in questions or fact. Please feel free to enlighten me, I would love to be persuaded. - Sarah
Racism and the War on Drugs
Well that hit a nerve didn't it. The Gettman report was made for and used by our legislature. PBS produced the peice that looked at the 4 plants that have evolved with humans. The pisce by Proffesor Angela Davis is also easily available on PBS. Then ther is the book "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander. All of these resources are easily available to all on this blog. As for the other statements, that info too is publically available and since it is you calling me the liar, the burden of proof falls upon you. Have at it lass, I challenge you and whatever degrees you hold to prove anything I have said as beyond the truth. You will not get away with character assasination as a short cut to factual evidence. Apparently unlike you I lived through these times and have seen all these thing transpire as a working class 62% er, (not rich or middle class). Chemical slavery started on our children via a piece of legislation signed into law by Rudy Perpich in 1991 and although I have a copy of it I have not been able to lay my hands on it. 20/20 and several other news organizations have clearly proven that no country on the planet addicts more of it's citizen than America with 90% of all pain killers made perscribed here. The same is true for the children of the poor who are 3 to 6 times more likely to be attacked by this scurg than children of the rich and middle class. You want to prove this a lie, give it a try. While your at it see if you can find any double blind studies not sponsored by drug companies that support ADHD or Bi Polar disorder that our European counterparts make it almost impossible to addict children to as the first choice of treatment. Go for it. Bill Hamm
Racism and the War on Drugs
The archive of International science supporting Canibus is readilly available to all via NORML and while I have refferance to many of over 10,000 of these it would take me days to enter them onto this site. These are all independently done science not DEA manipulated Psuedo Science. A major lawsuit in now in progress by the University of Boston (I believe) to undo the DEA's manipulative control over all canibus research in the USA in an attempt to create a real scientific atmosphere around this issue. Bill Hamm
Racism and the War on Drugs
Your racism is showing Sarah, the cure here is clearly worse that the disease it was ment to cure. The facts are clear, the law has fixed nothing, and has done nothing to curb use, but look at all the harm it has done for us just to support your apparent fellow public employees and their power base. The stronger this power base has grown the greater the increase of negative affecst we on the poorest end of the economic stick have been subjected to. Between the drug war and the increasing practices of chemical slavery it looks more and more like modern proggresive eugenics. Hitler would be proud of you.
I am not a racist, but I
I am not a racist, but I think you may be. I am asking questions and seeking facts. Since you are resorting to name calling, being rude, and you cannot provide me with any ounce of fact I have no reason to believe what you say and I have no reason to waste my time any longer. Good day. - Sarah
Racism and the War on Drugs
For an educated person Sarah even asking if 9 times as many blacks use marijuana is at least a lax of concentration considering that at least 15% of whites use this herb. You should clearly understand the insulting nature of such a statement. If your going to land on me with both feet than get your facts straight please. Bill Hamm
Racism and the War on Drugs
One more fact that might help you understand this issue a little better. Look back statistically to 1970 and particularly at the grad rates of peoples of color in Minnesota, then tell me again how this isn't the major factor in this Minnesota holocost. As more money migrated to the prison system the quality of education for these folks has steadily declined along with their family support structures. Bill Hamm
Can you please link me to
Can you please link me to that information? - Sarah
Institutional Racism
Institutional racism jumps out at me as an overarching problem in the United States and Minnesota that is directly evident in the education gap. I appreciate that this issue was named in the introduction of this discussion and that participants in the in-person gathering narrowed this broad topic down to a specific example/symptom.
I think it's important for each of us to look at the systems we are a part of - ex. our family, our school, our work-place, our faith community, our neighborhood, etc - and ask ourselves who is present and who is not, and then begin to ask why and keep asking and learning.
As a white woman, a lot of the spaces I am in consist mostly of other white people, and asking and learning why that is is an ongoing process. It takes listening and reading (watching documentaries, etc) and talking and asking questions. And then, of course, the steps within that process of learning that are really important is acting to change both my personal behavior and the behavior of institutions I'm a part of, away from racist settings we learned explicitly or implicitly.
If each of us who are white do this (and of course, "doing it" is not a singulary, easy task!), how would we see things like the education gap begin to change? (There are roles for people of color in this process, too, but they have already been fighting institutional racism since the beginning of the country.) What are ways we can begin to change institutional racism each day?
Institutional Racism
Thank you for your support Rachel, but please don't confuse individual Racism with institutional Racism. Individual Racism can be demonstrated by the use of the N word, the problem is that even if we could stop all that we would still be left with the institutional Racism that is undermining families and our society. Middle class folks love to concentrate on the individual Racism rather than the institutional because it limits their need to be involed and gives them the sense that if they deal with their personal racism they have done their part and they can go home happy. That's a deceptive lie that cures nothing. Institutional Racism requires vast amounts of personal energy to be expended in the political sphere, something most of us are absolutely unwilling to do. We will never fix the racial disparities in our education system or our criminal system with that kind of logic. Only the Frederick Douglass approach will get us their, and that is hard for pacifist to follow.
Let me give you a word on the philosophy of reform. The whole history of the progress of human liberty shows that all concessions yet made to her august claims have been born of earnest struggle. The conflict has been exciting, agitating, all absorbing, and for the time being putting all other tumults to silence. It must do this or it does nothing. If there is no struggle there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. The struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and never will. Find out just what people will submit to, and you have found the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them; and this will continue until they are resisted with either words or blows or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those they oppress.
Frederick Douglass 1849
I agree that institutional
I agree that institutional racism cannot be overlooked in terms of its impact on the achievement gap, and it would be a simplification to try to address the institutional racism manifested as education disparities without looking at its intersection with other major expressions of institutional racism (such as the war on drugs and the prison industrial complex).
Institutional racism is a huge thing, something that seems so beyond the scope of our individual actions that it can be overwhelming. For people with privilege (like me) it can also seem like something removed from our lives, unconnected to us. But that's the tricky things about cultural/societal institutions, they are not like mountains that exist outside of human action. Racism, on an institutional to individual level, would not exist without each of us carrying it out and replaying it every day, from personal interactions to national laws. Which is why I appreciate Rachel's point and the juxtaposition of two of Sandra's questions: "How can individuals have an impact on the education gap? What systemic changes are needed?" Asking how I contribute to to these things, acknowledging my place in this equation, is one step that has to be taken but it doesn't end there.
In terms of the achievement gap, it seems like we need direct interventions (like re-training for teachers, charter schools and non-profits like Playworks) as well as policy changes. And through all of that, asking how each of these examples along that spectrum impact who has access, resources and power, especially along the lines of race.
I would be interested if anyone has specific examples of programs or policies in Minnesota that seem promising.
Sandra...
Sandra, I'm curious to know your thoughts on the education gap issue, as well as the correlation to institutional and individual racism. You did a wonderful job of prompting all of us, but what do you think?
I'm sure you have some excellent insights from the group-discussion you led in March.
Richard
the education gap
I have been interested to follow everyones' comments but the tenor of the postings has become quite personal, and that diminishes the arguments. Rather than dwell on institutional racism, which certainly exists, let's think about a different way to look at the problem.
Our conversation in March led us to the conclusion that if we do not pay attention to the education gap now, we will reap the consequences in the not too distant future. As a designer, we are taught to look at problem solving as an iterative process: try something, fail, try something else, improve on it, try something else, fail again, etc. I think we, as a society, are intimidated by the scope of the problem, and in fact, we just need to try a lot of different things, biting off small chunks to see what is helpful.
Teaching children that you have high expectations of them is critical, I believe. If you expect children to excel, it has been proven that they rise to the challenge. If there is a way to teach children they are capable of anything, in spite of what their family environments are telling them, or society is telling them, perhaps you can make a dent in that education gap.
While I agree that the
While I agree that the coversation here has become a bit too personal, I suspect that is the only thing that is going to bring the reality of this situation to the elitist who think they are going to cure this problem whithout the input of the poor. Your very concept of being able to try something and when it fails try something else reeks of top down elitism. So long as the upper middle class, overeducated elite view this as their private experiment you will continue to fail and we will all continue to suffer because of it. You insult us over and over again failure after failure with this concept that only you and yours can solve this problem for us with your Doctorates in arrogance. I put forth the documentation of 2 very educated black women on this subject and yet you want to go back to experimentation on us. That is a Joseph Mengalle level of arrogance. We have never apponted your kind our rulers and we are tired of your continued failure to grasp the truth here. Those who have never lived poor will never understand poor and will continue to blame the poor for their fate no matter how much their ruling have created that fate. We had no societal problem with canibus until well after the 1936 Marijuana Tax Act which was not enacted by poor people, but rather by proggresive elitist insistent upon helping us for our own good. Jefferson, Washington, and Franklin all promoted the growth and use of hemp. It was used commonly for it's pain killing and other medicinal affects well into the 1920's. Who died and appointed your kind gods. What is the meaning of "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happyness? How do you redefine freedom so as to take freedom of choice from us and use it to destroy us. These games have now brought Minnesota to an important turning point. Marijuana and it's extracts are now being used worldwide to treat over 30 diseases yet this country imprisons it's citizens for it's use even though the 20+ most commonly used drugs are all potentially lethal, how intelligent are you really?
the education gap
I have been interested to follow everyones' comments but the tenor of the postings has become quite personal, and that diminishes the arguments. Rather than dwell on institutional racism, which certainly exists, let's think about a different way to look at the problem.
Our conversation in March led us to the conclusion that if we do not pay attention to the education gap now, we will reap the consequences in the not too distant future. As a designer, we are taught to look at problem solving as an iterative process: try something, fail, try something else, improve on it, try something else, fail again, etc. I think we, as a society, are intimidated by the scope of the problem, and in fact, we just need to try a lot of different things, biting off small chunks to see what is helpful.
Teaching children that you have high expectations of them is critical, I believe. If you expect children to excel, it has been proven that they rise to the challenge. If there is a way to teach children they are capable of anything, in spite of what their family environments are telling them, or society is telling them, perhaps you can make a dent in that education gap.
Hi Sandy, I have also been
Hi Sandy, I have also been also been following these posts, but was reluctant to get in the middle of the above.
I am someone that is not extremely knowledgeable in these areas. Sandy would you be able to give me an idea of what has been tried so far in Minnesota?
I completely agree with your last paragraph and I know many many years ago this really impacted me in a positive way. .Chan.
The last anonymous comment
The last anonymous comment was mine...not sure why it shows up as anonymous, Richard. -Sandy
Hi everyone!
Hi everyone! Since the personal tenor of this discussion has been called into question, I would like us all to remember the value of safety. As we continue tackling these difficult issues, please keep in mind that InCommons is committed to the highest standards of respect and civility in both online and offline forums. We understand the heated nature of many of these topics and encourage us all to approach them in ways that are constructive, inquisitive, and open to all points of view. Thank you, and let’s keep the conversation going!
- InCommons
Fixing the "Prison Industrial Complex"
Now that you have had the chance to for the depth of institutional Racism here in Minnesota to settle in, perhaps an understanding of how easily it can be fixed will make sence. This Racism is being perpetrated upon us by a tiny minority of around 3% of our population. Sarah has shown you that many of that 3% consider that what they are doing is a nessesary evil without ever looking at the entirety of the results upon society of those actions. When you come to realize that it is an even smaller fraction of this society, (our legislators and governor), who have the power to change this that the solution becomes clearer and easier. The majority of Minnesotans allready support the solution even though most lack a true understanding of the depth of the real problem. Education of the ruling class, and particularly of our legislators here is the key. This is the same group this effort was looking to target for effective change anyway. The problem isn't any larger than what your original goal was, just differnt in scope and application. Fixing the Racism first allows us to begin the multi year process of backing down it's affects on our society. Then we get real change instead of do nothing feal good, (for the ruling class, those not in the 62%), efforts. The question is, are you with us or them?
Fixing the "Prison Industrial Complex"
While I do not apoligize for my shock and awe tactics, I do understand that I have challenged many of your comfort zones. Reality bites the big one sometimes, but only when we face reality does the solution become apparent. My commitment to fixing this problem is at least as great as anyone here even if my social status is not.
Sincerely,
W. D. (Bill) Hamm
The Achievment Gap
Apparently we have solved this issue, is the report being written?
Fixing the Achievement Gap
My commitment to education goes back to 1976 when my oldest daughter entered school. We didn't have this so called achievement gap then, at least not to any degree close to what we now have. My involvement and writings are a matter of public record in District 318 and the surrounding area. I hold 3 vocational degrees encompassing 5 years of education beyond High School. Many of the continuing education training sessions used to push the education reform movement were also attended by myself, of course with no educational credit. I have lived through the switch from "Child Based" education to the "Training the Workforce of Tommorow" logic. I have seen the result of the swich from a well rounded system that allowed my generation to excell in our best areas while encouraging us to do better in our less enthusiastic areas, to the minimum copetency standards we now have. I have seen the switch from what was best for the student to the Pavlovian model of teaching only what they need to know. I have also seen the drastic rise in power of the Teachers Union and the drastic reduction of local citizen input into education decision making. I have seen citizen involvement be reduced to it's present state of raising money for playgrounds and classroom equipment. Yes all of these things coupled with the drastic rise in institutional Racism have negatively affected Minnesota's once great standing as a wordwide education leader. My overwhelming goal is to reverse this befor anouther generation of our children has their futures stolen by the arrogance and ignorance of a ruling minority.
Making change to the education gap
So, my question to all who have posted on this forum:
How do we influence the situation to make systemic changes? As a designer, I keep going back to presenting information as a way of influencing behavior. Can it be an awareness campaign around the gap and the causes of that gap? How do we make change using incentives, rather than by beating people up (metaphorically)?
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