Fame1913's Blog

How sad that children who have learning difficulties are being used as pawns in a money game. Students don't hit the mark on standardized tests, the school loses federal money. Not everybody is designed to get a PhD. While the letter is not appropriate, it is a well known fact that children from lower income families, regardless of race, tend to produce lower test scores than students that come from higher income families.
Instead of penalizing the school monitarily and ultimately penalizing children with learning difficulties, wouldn't it be better to find ways to help them?
I have a child, a preemie, with an IEP. The fact is that he may never perform as well as other children on academic tasks. He is sweet, personable and caring. Children like him have different needs and can be successful (self-supporting) on a different level.
How about if we take all of that money that we are spending on standardized testing and teaching to the test and spend it on mentoring programs to help the students who aren't doing well for whatever reason.
Better yet, how about some of the corporations in the area coming forward and giving employees release time to go into schools and give some of these kids one on one time? What an investment in the future that would be.

Whenever a statistic like this is provided to the community, whay is the first cry always one of racism? There were 2 groups identified in the letter. The people complaining about the wording of the letter should take a deep breath and try to comprehend the content. Use this information to make a difference in your community, or socio-economic group. The exaples being set by your defensive rather than constructive reactions become ingrained in your children. I particularly noted in the taped interview, the young student shaking her head disapprovingly as her mother spoke out about how the information was presented in an offensive manner. I'm sure the child will only remember that the document was offensive, and not what the data represented.
We as a society need to take charge and be responsible for the good of the society. The need for every individual to be treated so they don't feel offended, or disadvantaged, has been perpetuated by our new, feel-good, everybody's a winner mentality. It can't work.
Not everybody's a winner. Not everybody's "smart". Some need to work harder than others, and realize that fact.
"The world needs ditch-diggers too" - Judge Smails.

Yes, beacuse burying your head in the sand will fix everything. The letter wan't intended for the kids. It was intended for the parents. The letter was intended to inform the parents of why the test scores were sub-standard. Parents are always clamoring for reasons why little Johnny isn't doing well in school. When presented with the data, they look for someone or something else to blame. Parents should look inside for the real reasons, not cry foul when something doesn't go their way....

How sad:(
For all those who are crying foul and placing blame upon the victims.
Let's examine Main Entry: rac·ism
Pronunciation: 'rA-"si-z&m also -"shi-
Function: noun
1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
2 : racial prejudice or discrimination
the word racism:
Know what it means before you commence to accusing your fellow bloogers and the parent interviewed racist!

Look at the facts of the story, the school district decide to single out these group of students unnecessarily. The school leadership could have very welled contacted the parents directly regarding the test scores. I feel the schools actions were uncompassionate and insensitive. It not about race it is more about caring about the feelings of the individuals and their parents.
It never feels good to be singled out in a negative manner....put yourself in the shoes of the students and their parents....THINK ABOUT IT.....DON'T BE FOOLISH

Ok, wait a minute here. The way I understood this story was that the school is letting the parents know that they have had substandard test scores for the past 3 years in the categories mentioned. (African American students, and students that receive free lunches)
Also from what I remember, this letter was sent out to let parents know they have the option of sending their children elsewhere.
I wish that everyone would stop crying "racism" for everything. Racism has nothing to do with this. Apparently, the statistics prove this is correct. How is the truth racism? Because the letter states African American or black when it refers to the group?
Ask yourself this, would it be considered racism if this letter was about caucasian students with low test scores, and obtaing free lunch? Doubt it.

Hey Cubfan, I think you got it wrong, i'm not saying racism as the the word means. in racism, you are doing something to a black, that you don't do to a white. that's racism.
What i don't like about the letter, is it makes a statement that has NO proof. When Free meals is the reason for low scores, and everyone that gets them gets low scores, then I won't be offended. When Poor black family's ALL do bad, then i'll agree but when just THAT SCHOOL had the problem, then their is another problem. And that is the one they need to fix. I don't believe a school district should tell others to (leave) because of low scores. This is how bigger problems start. If the children are getting lower scores, why aren't we checking the teachers? I'll put it like this, A good teacher/school, is one that all the children are passing. If they have low scores, what is the teacher doing to some, and not to all. It's a fact that even a low score child can do better with special help. If that was not true, no one would go to sylven learning center. No one would buy learning programs if their was no chance of a better grade. So the problem is the teaching structure that is set up. PS. and I won't even get on the test. They are a joke. Any way if a statement is made about ANY RACE and not all the children, then 100% STUDY should be made to back up the statement. If this said "children receiving free meals have lower test scores", then I would say ok, if all the children that got free meals, were included. It was race, when the RACE was used as a pointer. PS if your son got free meals, but had higher

School comes from home first.

Here's where we disagree. You said it yourself. There were two groups mentioned. I didn't see the parents of those kids who receive free lunches complaining on television. The district didn't "encourage" the children to attend other schools, they were offered the option. Big difference. Had the parents who received the letter looked introspectively to see how THEY could improve their child's performance, rather than crying foul, we might be on to something. I feel that sometimes the black community does itself a disservice, and perpetuates the notion of racism in these circumstances.
Always interested in your point of view.