White teacher speaks out: "What is it like to teach black students?"

If you're a mod please give this topic a chance. In today's world topics like these aren't given a chance because no one wants to seem "racist".

I've come across a very interesting read today that I thought I'd share. I am sure that we can have a civilized discussion about this without the mods having to lock the thread, I believe that discussions like these are long overdue. People shouldn't be afraid to discuss it, but they are never given the chance because of locked threads or the fear of being called racist.

http://martynemko.blogspot.com/2009/06/white-teacher-speaks-out-what-is-it.html

 

Naw I'm sure it'll be locked especially if that white teacher says anything negative.

"My students loved to
leave the classroom and slack off, even
if just for a few minutes, away from the
eye of white authority. I picked a light-skinned
boy to deliver the message. One
very black student was indignant: “You
pick da half-breed.” And immediately
other blacks take up the cry, and half
a dozen mouths are screaming, “He
half-breed.”

While some of this may be true it's a touchy subject & it'll be closed.

 

Black,white,Latino ect its all about if you in the ghetto.

 

Seriously, I really think it's more about class-ism these days.

 

I live in a predominately African American neighborhood. He is kind of right, although not all of them are like that, it's just a shame that a majority of them were like that in my high schools, I had to go to two. The first high school I went to, I was the only asian kid in there while everyone else was African American, I got discriminated against at least once everyday. I shrugged it off and focused on my grades though, got A's and B's. It wasn't until I told my parents about it, that they decided to transfer me to another high school. This one wasn't as bad, it was still predominately African American but there was like 8 other asians and 4 whites. Most of my friends are African American and they're nothing like that, they separate themselves from the bad ones.

 

genetics genetics genetics genetics!

 

I have had very similiar experiences. On the other hand I have quite a few black friends that are nothing like that. I have noticed black people from other countries that come to the US don't act this way. It really comes down to the fact that they are products of their environments and their upbringing.

 

Where I'm from, MOST black people are the *cough* bad kind, and it's about 50/50 here as far as black/white.

I mean, it's such a breath of fresh air to meet one that's respectful, and doesn't sound like a complete idiot, that it almost blows your mind when it happens. Also, I know there's PLENTY of white trash out there too that are just as bad.

Now, I wouldn't call myself a racist at all...stereotypical maybe, but when things are like they are here, how could you not be stereotypical? I've had great black friends, and I've even slept with 2 black girls who were friends.

I know one black guy that's whiter (acting) than I am, and I'm FREAKIN WHITE. He drives a big truck and has a rebel flag phone case lol.

Anyway, I'm with the op, I think that instead of disregarding it (which obviously hasn't done sh!t) we need to talk about it, and we need to be teaching kids that rappers aren't role models, they're freaking idiots, and the thug life is for freaking idiots. It is NOT cool to be a freaking idiot. Eubonics (sp) is not culture, it's idiocy etc etc.

How awesome would it be to actually get along and embrace each other as brothers you know? UUUGHGHHH

/rant

 

Exactly right. Remember a while back when people got mad at Bill Cosby for calling them out and talking about the real problems. That's what we should be doing (to some extent...somehow). The man deserves something for that!

 

I don't believe for one second that a real teacher wrote that. I've went to a black school in the inner city and yes, it is like that to a point, but this guy flung too many insults and threw in too many white supremacist agendas. Unless he really did teach there but taught as a secret white supremacist. I mean c'mon, no teacher brings up race in the classroom that much, even if the kids bring it up all the time.

btw me, both my brothers, my dad and some of my friends have all been beaten up or robbed at gunpoint by blacks, sometimes just for being white in the wrong place, but we all still have black friends and get along with black people. You just gotta know when not to stick your neck out if you're around alot of them.


*IMO this thread should be closed because the guy who wrote the article is clearly racist.

 

An interesting article for sure. I'm not sure about how much is true, and how much isnt. I've lived in smallish towns my whole life, and have friends of all races. I hope that the majority of the article wasn't accurate. It would be a shame if it is indeed true.
I hope this thread remains open for a while, but I don't think it will ever happen.

 

Why not close every single thread that is posted?

After all someone may disagree and/or their feelings may get hurt!!

Has humanity really turned into a collective group of EMO sensitives?

Where have peoples "nuggets" gone? C'mon!!!

 

How Kylzer can post in every single thread and not get banned is beyond me. But isn't wrong to have an opinion and express it these days?

 

That's part of it, but alot of people still view the upper class as "white" so whites get singled out.

 

Well yeah thats what i ment class-ism

I don't post anything derogatory so i don't see the problem.

 

Can we stop discussing "DIS THRED SHUD BE CLOSED" and "DIS THRED WIL BE CLOESED LOL", because all it does is give moderators a good reason to close it. Rather, discuss the article at hand and if it gets closed it gets closed. I know that if I saw people acting immature about whatever subject I would also have an incentive to close it as opposed to letting a few discuss.

From the article it's clear the teacher is biased but I think the problem is more of where these kids are growing up and their parents.

 

I would highly agree with the class-ism part. I'm from Lilburn, GA. It's a smallish town in the suburbs of Atlanta. In our county we have 3 predominant school: Parkview (where I went to), Berkmar, and Meadowcreek. And the breakdown is like this: Parkview is in the "rich" part of town, Meadowcreek is in the "poor" part of town, and Berkmar is somewhere in the middle. I say rich and poor in quotes because they aren't really rich or poor. Parkview just brings in the most money from parents and such so that's what people, mostly students, says. Meadowcreek is certainly in one of the poorer areas of the county. Lots of apartments, old and run-down houses, and such so they obviously won't be getting as much donations and such from parents. Parkview is predominantly white and asian with some african-americans mixed in. Berkmar is mostly african-americans with some whites, and Meadowcreek is almost purely african-americans. Parkview and Berkmar are very good schools to go to. Both are in the top 500 highschools in the US, though I don't know what their exact rankings are as of this year. Meadowcreek on the other hand is one of the worst schools in the whole state to go to. And that comes from students who actually go there. Though I believe these students are probably the ones that actually want to learn, even if only a little bit.

The african-american students that go to Parkview would be the exceptions that the teacher in the article is talking about. Although I must say that the way that they talk to their african-american friends and everyone else is very different, and I don't feel I need to explain to what I'm referring. From what I've heard and seen Berkmar is about the same as Parkview in terms of the way people treat each other and such. Meadowcreek isn't quite as bad as the school in the article, but it's far closer. They've got metal detector and such, but I don't believe they have cops. Never been there during school hours so I can't say for certain. I do know that students at Meadowcreek certainly aren't as racist as those in the article. While they may feel that way, I know they don't talk that way.

Only way to really get students to pay attention in class, be whatever race they are, is discipline. Teachers can't really do **** to force students to listen to them. I think that needs to change so we can see an improvement. Though, if it's anything like the school in the article the teachers would probably end up being shot. Of course if one has no will for self-improvement then just trying to teach them is a waste of time. Schools shouldn't have to bend rules and such just so they can get most of the students to pass. If a student is stupid, not trying, failing, etc... then they should fail. Not given try after try after try. I hope this doesn't offend anyone, but if I got as many tries at something as some of my friends did there is no way I'd get less than a 100 in EVERY class. Yet I know several people who get dozens of tries and still end up with very poor grades. Schools and teachers should not be looked down upon just because its students don't give a rats ass about learning anything.

Ohh and I believe the teacher who wrote the article is a bit extreme, but I don't believe he is racist. As he points out, harsh environments can wear down the best of spirits. He has strong feelings against them because that is what he deals with the most. In more general terms it's the ones who don't want to learn and disrupt others that bring EVERYONE who wants to learn down with them. It's not just the poor white kids who can't escape from "the blacks."

I must also say that those who usually shout racism the loudest are the ones that fall into the typical stereotype for their race, whatever that may be. Perhaps if they tried not to reinforce the stereotype that people may treat them differently.

 

All I can say is, that teacher must have taught in Orleans Parish or in some of the poorer schools in Jefferson Parish, if not it is right on the money. And that is all I am going to say about that.

 

The problem with articles like this one is that they are purely subjective. The problem with ghetto schools is the lack of adequate teachers who actually care about the students, the parents at home who do not encourage education, and disillusioned people within ghettos discouraging education. This comes from a 19 year old high school and community college graduate, who has been taught in the ghetto since birth. It has nothing to do with their cultural identity, it has to do with the environment.