Two stories based on deep research (yeah, deep alright) are once again making their annual rounds in the media.
Story 1~
The SAT is racist
Yep! The story is back once again. This time, the claim is being backed by two Harvard scholars who are now saying that research psychologist Roy Freedle was right in his conclusion about the SAT having a racial slant.
Here is what I find interesting…
Take a video game…any video game (hmmmmm, let’s go with Halo). You have Black boys all across the fruited plain that have the innate ability to spend hours learning about all the tips and tricks to excel in that game. When they do not know how to do something in that game, they ask questions. In fact, they even form study groups where they will spend hours at a friend’s house bouncing tips off of each other.
I think that most people would easy agree that games like Halo are purely race neutral. But these game do require a great level of skill and knowledge that can only be acquired by using the exact same mechanisms one would use to excel in school. But when it comes to the three “R’s”, there are those out there who peddle this notion that our children need handicap ramp to excellence. And sadly, many people easily buy into it because it fuels their bottom line worldview: The world is racist.
No word yet from Harvard on when the study on Black kids who do excel on the SAT will be released.
Story 2~
Black kids can’t swim.
Too bad the people who are pushing this recycled nonsense are not with me in summer camp. I have between 20-30 kids that would easily prove them wrong.
‘African-Americans say that a lack of access to pools, the expense of swimming lessons and the idea that recreational swimming is a culturally white activity are factors that inhibit them from learning how to swim, according to the study, which was commissioned by the national governing body of competitive swimming USA Swimming and released last month.’
‘The most common reason cited by African-Americans for not knowing how to swim, however, was a fear of drowning.’
When the Northeast swim club denied access to a group of mostly Black summer camp kids last year because reportedly they did not want to “change the complexion” of the club, this is part of what I wrote in response to the firestorm.
“As I mentioned earlier, the city of Philadelphia has 27 public pools that are closed. This same city has a Black Mayor and a city council that has numbers of Black folks. Philly has a long history of diverting money away from these pools and wasting the money elsewhere (the movie “Pride” dealt with that a little) . Anybody calling (Mayor) Nutter?”
Expecting Less From Our Black Children
by Duane on June 21st, 2010 at 9:44 amTwo stories based on deep research (yeah, deep alright) are once again making their annual rounds in the media.
Story 1~
The SAT is racist
Yep! The story is back once again. This time, the claim is being backed by two Harvard scholars who are now saying that research psychologist Roy Freedle was right in his conclusion about the SAT having a racial slant.
Here is what I find interesting…
Take a video game…any video game (hmmmmm, let’s go with Halo). You have Black boys all across the fruited plain that have the innate ability to spend hours learning about all the tips and tricks to excel in that game. When they do not know how to do something in that game, they ask questions. In fact, they even form study groups where they will spend hours at a friend’s house bouncing tips off of each other.
I think that most people would easy agree that games like Halo are purely race neutral. But these game do require a great level of skill and knowledge that can only be acquired by using the exact same mechanisms one would use to excel in school. But when it comes to the three “R’s”, there are those out there who peddle this notion that our children need handicap ramp to excellence. And sadly, many people easily buy into it because it fuels their bottom line worldview: The world is racist.
No word yet from Harvard on when the study on Black kids who do excel on the SAT will be released.
Story 2~
Black kids can’t swim.
Too bad the people who are pushing this recycled nonsense are not with me in summer camp. I have between 20-30 kids that would easily prove them wrong.
When the Northeast swim club denied access to a group of mostly Black summer camp kids last year because reportedly they did not want to “change the complexion” of the club, this is part of what I wrote in response to the firestorm.