A Long Way To Go
Baldwin writes in his article “A Talk to Teachers,” about the role of education. He points out that education is a paradox, by that he means that education’s purpose is to enlighten students, increase awareness of self and society and “to create in a person the ability to look at the world for himself, to make his own decisions” (1), however, our education is shaped by the society in which it is taught. Baldwin believes that the purpose of our current education systems is to create “citizenry which will simply obey the rules of society” (1). By doing this society creates citizens who will not question the status quo and be productive in the society which has been created. Our education system doesn’t create unique thinkers, it creates people who will abide by the rules and be contributors. Our education system trains young minds to fall into a role which is pretty much predetermined based on ones gender, race, socio-economic status, sexual preference, and so on. Baldwin points out that this “structure is operated for someone else’s benefit” (3), not the average person.
In Baldwin’s article he focuses his attention on how the structures in the US education system on how African Americans have been treated and taught is a system designed in “keeping the Negro in his place” (4) thus creating a large “source of cheap labor” (3). This article was written in October of 1963, during the civil rights movement, only one month after the 16th Street Baptist church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, in which four young girls were killed. Baldwin is attempting to encourage teachers to teach the truth about African Americans’ ”real contributions to this (US) culture” (4) ultimately helping liberate all people by teaching them OUR real American history. By teaching the real history of this country, we would be helping our whole society by learning what not to do and how not to treat people.
Nikole Hannah-Jones’ podcast about desegregated schools in Missouri brought forth much emotion, especially when she played the recordings of the parents from the 85% white school Francis Howell, which was slated to receive almost 1,000 students from the Normandy district after its accreditation was taken away after 15 years of probation status. The mother that asked if metal detectors were going to be installed and drug snuffing dogs brought on campus just shows the ignorance of affluent white America. She did not say it, but she was worried about black students from the other side of town, coming to school with her white kids and bringing violence. She even falsely stated that the school lost accreditation because of violence, not because of the poor conditions of the schools, lack of materials, and poor teachers. She only showed how white America fears blacks being integrated into white society.
It is amazing that these two pieces were delivered 50 years apart. The statements of the parents at Francis Howell High School sound very similar to statements of white parents when blacks were integrated into public schools. We may have come a long way, but we have a ways to go. After hearing all of the negative remarks by the parents, I was relieved to hear Mauria’s account of the first day at the new school where they were met by cheerleaders and excitement. They were really welcomed into the school by the other students when they expected to be treated the same way their parents had spoken about them. Mauria even made a friend that first day, a white girl named Brittany who went out of her way to introduce herself and welcome Mauria. This country has created much systematic racism that can only be changed by educated people who are aware of the situation which we have created and take steps to change it with more awareness.
The work I am doing at a school for learning disabled student s has brought awareness of the challenges which people with disabilities face in their everyday lives. Much like minorities, disabled people are looked at differently and treated a differently as well. Many of my students who previously attended public school were segregated from the rest of the students and all put into one class, instead of putting them into classes with “normal” students. Many of our students come to us beaten up and bullied, depressed and feeling worthless. It is my aim to enlighten these students to the many gifts they have and make them feel welcome. I also try to give them tools to use when they are not welcomed. I want them to stand up for themselves and let others know they are human too and belong here as well.
