So That Is Why African-American's Don't Do Well In School

[GotZoom]

They purposely do poorly so they won't be accused of "acting too white"....

Right. Maybe if their parents taught them to do their best and not listen to what other people say about them, this wouldn't be an issue.

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Smart black students being accused of "acting too white" is an issue Triangle educators are debating at a youth and race conference this week.

Students say the stigma is keeping some of their peers from doing well in school.

Tenth grader Anais Guzman is on the honor roll. She says some of her peers see the achievement as acting too "white".

"They can get high grades but they don't want to because they'll be considered as acting white, so they put white people down,” Guzman said.

That's the argument some educators say is fueling the achievement gap in North Carolina schools.

"It's a serious issue in North Carolina,” said William Darity with the African-American Research Institute at UNC-Chapel Hill. He says while the "acting white" stigma does play a part, student performance has more to do with school structure and curriculum for minorities.

"We argue it's due to the school context and because of a pattern of exclusion of vast numbers of black kids from the most challenging curriculum,” Darity continued.

But students say the "acting white" theory is a reality.

"Some people might say some people are acting white, or acting black or different things like that so I see it often,” said tenth garder Vance Cherebin.

College freshman Erin Burns added, “Black students that are doing well in the classroom or hang out with white friends or have good grammar, talk properly or don't use slang, they get accused of being white a lot."

Guzman says the accusations aren't worth the sacrifice. It's a confidence she wants to share with the rest of her peers.

Organizers hope people attending the conference will continue the debate in their classrooms. The two-day event continues Saturday in the Bryant Center at Duke University.

http://rdu.news14.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=76301

 

[CSM]

They purposely do poorly so they won't be accused of "acting too white"....

Right. Maybe if their parents taught them to do their best and not listen to what other people say about them, this wouldn't be an issue.

------

Smart black students being accused of "acting too white" is an issue Triangle educators are debating at a youth and race conference this week.

Students say the stigma is keeping some of their peers from doing well in school.

Tenth grader Anais Guzman is on the honor roll. She says some of her peers see the achievement as acting too "white".

"They can get high grades but they don't want to because they'll be considered as acting white, so they put white people down,” Guzman said.

That's the argument some educators say is fueling the achievement gap in North Carolina schools.

"It's a serious issue in North Carolina,” said William Darity with the African-American Research Institute at UNC-Chapel Hill. He says while the "acting white" stigma does play a part, student performance has more to do with school structure and curriculum for minorities.

"We argue it's due to the school context and because of a pattern of exclusion of vast numbers of black kids from the most challenging curriculum,” Darity continued.

But students say the "acting white" theory is a reality.

"Some people might say some people are acting white, or acting black or different things like that so I see it often,” said tenth garder Vance Cherebin.

College freshman Erin Burns added, “Black students that are doing well in the classroom or hang out with white friends or have good grammar, talk properly or don't use slang, they get accused of being white a lot."

Guzman says the accusations aren't worth the sacrifice. It's a confidence she wants to share with the rest of her peers.

Organizers hope people attending the conference will continue the debate in their classrooms. The two-day event continues Saturday in the Bryant Center at Duke University.

http://rdu.news14.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=76301

Isn't this just stereotyped racism? Blacks act "too white" if they appear intelligent or educated; therefore, blacks are supposed to appear illiterate and stupid. Maybe it is just a case of reducing people to the lowest common denominator. Or maybe some Blacks are their own worst enemy.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

Or maybe some Blacks are their own worst enemy.

That's not a maybe, that's a definate. Classic prisoner's dilemna.

 

[ScreamingEagle]

That's not a maybe, that's a definate. Classic prisoner's dilemna.

Exactly - prisoners of their own black leadership.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

Exactly - prisoners of their own black leadership.

Not all, but definitely some if not many.

 

[fuzzykitten99]

its sad that a race of people so hell bent on accusing whites of being racist, keeping the black people down, etc., are guilty of their own failures, and most refuse to see it, because its easier to blame someone else for their mistakes and problems. Many of the inner-city blacks are victims of their own culture's stupidity.

You can throw as much money as you want at programs, schools, other stuff, and you won't get any higher grades if the kids CHOOSE not to learn. They have to be held accountable for their own education.

You can be anything you want in this country, no matter where you come from, what your skin color is, or your gender. Some may just have to work harder than others, but the rewards are much sweeter when you have achieved something you worked very hard for, rather when it was handed to you.