Segregated spelling Bee???

[Trajan]

I'd love to see academic excellence become a core value of African-American culture to the point where they drop the hyphenation. Until it does, having academic competition in the community is a good bridge. My two cents.

Point well taken and certainly worthy of consideration and discussion.

My gut instincts tell me, however, that as long as there IS an African American community that sees itself separate from society at large, academic excellence is not likely to become a priority.

I have heard people tell me black children did better in school before integration, is this really true?

imho- probably not.The schools until Plessy vs. Ferguson ( 1898 I think) and seprate but equal, were not equal and I am not sure what % would have gone to high school in their economies ala the environment they lived in, even in the north, Brown was in 54 so it would be interesting to see the correlations. Post Brown vs. the numbers before.

I don't think you'll find anything and would be happy to be proved wrong, becasue of the change in society;

1910 and 1930, enrollment in secondary schools increased almost 400 percent. The proportion of fourteen- to-seventeen-year olds in high school increased from 10.6 percent in 1901 to 51.1 percent in 1930 and 71.3 percent in 1940. Graduation rates remained low but still rose from 29.0 percent in 1930 to 50.8 percent in 1940. The number of African-American teens in high school was lower, but also rose at a steady rate and by the early 1950s, more than 80 percent of African Americans aged fourteen to seventeen were enrolled in school.
Teenagers - Encyclopedia of Children and Childhood in History and Society

The question I think today's environment after 40 some odd years of AA, quotas ( what we see in the OP and what I posted ala Dayton) and throwing money at the school system, where are we overall ala minority graduation and where we are going. Even graduation may not be the best statistic imho becasue of grade inflation and "social promotion" per grade etc.

 

[Foxfyre]

I dunno..I have lots of white clients and acquaintances that not only can't spell, they can't write or speak eloquently, either.

In fact, I see it nowhere so much as at my online classes, and when I was younger I saw it at school....there are a lot of people who have zero command of the language..including spelling.

This is absolutely true. I can't tell you how many employment applications I've received completed by the barely literate. And that had nothing to do with race, ethnicity, or whatever.

Awhile back I was in charge of an accredited extra credit enrichment class of middle schoolers that was pretty well evenly split between caucasian, black, and Hispanic kids. We started out with self-organized structure but it became obvious that the black kids were hanging together, the 'white' kids were hanging together, and the 'Hispanic' kids were hanging together and there were some undercurrents of racial jawing at each other now and then. So I went to 'assigned seating' and 'assigned groups' intentionally splitting everybody up. They didn't like it, but they wanted that extra credit so they complied. By the end of that project some really special interracial friendships had formed and there was no more 'racial' jawing at each other.

And desegregated in fact rather than just giving lip service to it, ALL the kids came through with significant contributions and ALL quite capably earned their extra credit.

Kids will almost always accomplish their full potential when they believe they can accomplish their full potential. And the color of their skin has absolutely nothing to do with that.

 

[beowolfe]

I went to segregated schools up until I was in the 8th grade. We loved to compete against white students when we got the chance, just to show them we were just as good/smart. A 'black spelling bee'? I'd NEVER send my kid to participate in one.

 

[AllieBaba]

I just can't believe it's ever right to promote something or someone based on color. It feels wrong.

 

[The Infidel]

I just can't believe it's ever right to promote something or someone based on color. It feels wrong.

because it is

 

[Two Thumbs]

that's kinda sad

they are conditioning kids to think the best they can do is not good enough

Why do this on your own?

didn't white America force it on them, by making seperate pro leagues, separate water fountains, get in the back of the bus? etc etc too too long a list.

I guess this follows the tradition of the naacp keeping itself apart.

idk, seems like a terrible idea.

 

[signelect]

Why don't we just drop the standards to "0" then everybody gets an A.. When you get to the operating room at the hospital for your surgery you can asked the doctor how he scored and then go peacefully to sleep knowing he made an "A" at the Africa;-American medical test. I can't wait for that.

 

[boedicca]

I don't see it this way for the following reasons:

1. Freedom of association. Groups of people are free to gather for whatever legal activity they wish to pursue.

2. The event is promoting a healthy value of academic performance which is sorely needed in the black community.

 

[Two Thumbs]

I dunno..I have lots of white clients and acquaintances that not only can't spell, they can't write or speak eloquently, either.

In fact, I see it nowhere so much as at my online classes, and when I was younger I saw it at school....there are a lot of people who have zero command of the language..including spelling.

Everyone has seen my postings.

Spell check doesn't work for me on USMB. And my grammer? pfft, Im'a guessin were all da commas and apostrfees go.

 

[The Infidel]

I don't see it this way for the following reasons:

1. Freedom of association. Groups of people are free to gather for whatever legal activity they wish to pursue.

2. The event is promoting a healthy value of academic performance which is sorely needed in the black community.

and Im free to think its a bad idea. No one is saying they cant do it, or associate with who "they" want to, but turn the table and say it is for whites only, or Asians only....

I get it that the mere fact that it is being held is good, but I dont like the segregation part of it.

 

[GHook93]

I'd love to see academic excellence become a core value of African-American culture to the point where they drop the hyphenation. Until it does, having academic competition in the community is a good bridge. My two cents.

Then again, why can't black kids compete like this kid? I don't think most kids could have kept their cool after such a hilarious word was presented and the crowd laughing so hard and then get the word right!

In case they don't know there are more poor whites kids in this country than poor Black kids, they don't get tutors or coaches either. Sorry, but this is a disgrace. These same people would go ape shit if there was the First Annual Under-Privileged White Spelling Bee!!!

 

[The Infidel]

Holy crap thats too funny!

 

[boedicca]

More spelling bees mean more opportunities for kids to learn and have fun doing it.

 

[boedicca]

Holy crap thats too funny!

It was adorable. And I think more kids should have the opportunity to be challenged with words like "sardoodledom".

 

[AllieBaba]

That's true..but they could have them based on every criteria known to man...EXCEPT color. They could have spelling bees for kids of drs, for kids of janitors, for kids of teachers. But they're setting a really bad precedent when they define them by color.

It makes me think about Africa, and about how much of the horrible stuff that goes on there has its roots in racism. And I'm not talking primarily about white/black racism issues...I'm talking about black/black racism. It's mind boggling. The racism in Africa is the one thing that is constant across the whole flipping continent.

 

[boedicca]

I'd agree with you except for the condition of doing well in school being considered "acting white" in certain black communities. I think it's GREAT for academic achievement to be promoted as a value for the kids from these communities.

 

[GHook93]

Luv this clip!

 

[Trajan]

I'd agree with you except for the condition of doing well in school being considered "acting white" in certain black communities. I think it's GREAT for academic achievement to be promoted as a value for the kids from these communities.

Losing the Race: Self-Sabotage in Black America by John H. McWhorter...... has a lot to say on that.

 

[Tank]

I have heard people tell me black children did better in school before integration, is this really true?

I know the white kids did

 

[Tank]

The special olympics of spelling bees.