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Borman, K. M., T. M. Eitle, D. Michael, D. J. Eitle, R. Lee, L. Johnson, D. Cobb-Roberts, S. Dorn, and B. Shircliffe. "Accountability in a Postdesegregation Era: The Continuing Significance of Racial Segregation in Florida's Schools." American Educational Research Journal 41.3 (2004): 605-31. Web. 14 July 2011.

"Declaration of Independence." National Archives and Records Administration. Web. 07 July 2011. .

Doughty, James J. "Diminishing the Opportunities for Resegregation." Theory into Practice 17.2 (1978): 166-71. Taylor and Francis Ltd. Web. 14 July 2011.

Doyle, Mary C. "From Desegregation to Resegregation: Public Schools in Norfolk, Virginia." The Journal of African American History 2nd ser. 90.1 (2005): 64-83. ASALH. Web. 14 June 2011.

"Featured Document: The Emancipation Proclamation." National Archives and Records Administration. Web. 07 July 2011. .

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The "Slave Mentality"

I know this subject is controversial and some find it offending.

I'm still trying to decide if I think it exists at all.

Slave mentality is defined as:

• Anyone exhibiting high arrogance and ignorance levels by the urban dictionary,


• A slave mentality is one of feeling inferior, or of feeling lost without hope, a feeling that we do not have the power to significantly alter our own circumstances. Another sad symptom of having a slave mentality is believing that White people are superior, have all the answers, and are empowered by GOD according to Darrell Slaughter, and


• Colonial mentality refers to faltu institutionalised or systemic feelings of inferiority within some societies or peoples who have been subjected to colonialism, relative to the mores (mores (IPA ) are strongly held norms or customs. These derive from the established practices of a society rather than its written laws.) or values of the foreign powers which had previously subjugated them. The concept essentially refers to the acceptance, by the colonised, of the culture or doctrines of the coloniser as intrinsically more worthy or superior. The subject matter is quite controversial as per the glossary.com encyclopedia.

I found several articles among other things discussing the slave mentality and the reasons for it's existence. http://http://www.helium.com/knowledge/159807-addressing-the-slave-mentality
http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/06/the_slave_mentality.html

It is also important to understand that the slave mentality some refer to does not only apply to black people, but any race or group of people fitting the description.

Some of the ideas they raise are lack of ability to trace family lineage and therefore the need to create their own culture, colorism that created the difference between light and dark skin black people and the perpetual feeling of oppression felt by groups previously dominated by another.

Does anyone find this preposterous? The author Marlon James says it's an excuse to avoid responsibility; for your family, your education, your life choices, in his blog. What do you think?

When Did it Go So Wrong?

I keep trying to figure out when the "common school" started to fail again. There were some drastic changes that occurred in the eight years from me graduating from a public, multicultural high school and me beginning to work in the public school system. I don't know what happened.
I love my job. I even love the kids as difficult as they can be sometimes. I wonder where the disconnect is occurring. As a student I didn't get all the bells and whistles and super inspiring lessons that were so fun and interactive, but I learned. I went to school and I learned.
We did have activities that I was able to participate in which made school a much more desirable place to be. I was in band, high steppers and junior honor society in middle school and choir, high steppers, national honor society and class officers in high school. I was always busy and had other reasons to come to school other than to learn and casually socialize. We performed at games and school events. We had fund raisers.
Do you think the removal of most after school activities take the incentive out of being a good student?

Perpetuating the Cycle

It's amazing to me how many issues from the 18th and 19th centuries are becoming issues again today. In most cases nearly if not 200 years later the same ideas of discrimination and inequality are driving the need for reform.

Now more than religious discrimination we are seeing racial, ethnic, gender and socioeconomic bias. With the abolition of busing student's are now confined to their neighborhoods. They never get to learn about other people from other backgrounds with other experiences. That also created segregation without using the word. The city of Cleveland has close to completely segregated itself. So many neighborhoods are all white or all black or all Hispanic or all Jewish. In this day and time it's sad that most people still feel more comfortable living with "their own people."

It can be seen that schools in poorer, more ethnic areas are not given equal supplies or staff. It perpetuates the continuing cycle of distinction between the education received by rich and poor, black and white, Jewish and Protestant. The system historically was designed to make these distinctions and is now creating the same differences 200 years later.

When will we figure out how to stop the cycle that is ruining our society?

Rich and Poor Education

On Tuesday we had our first really intense class discussion about discrimination. Some of us are more touched by the situation for obvious reasons and so are much more emotional.

I find it hard to ignore and in the reading it says that people sometimes act in racist ways without knowing it or even trying consciously to do so. This not only goes for white teachers of black students, but any teacher of any student. There are so many black teachers who have distanced themselves from their past or come from a different background that are having a disconnect with students who already feel undervalued and ignored.

They know that their schools are "poor" to use their words and "broke." They know that students at other schools have more amenities and perhaps receive better instruction. They know that their books are old and there aren't enough for everyone. I taught a class where there was only one social studies book and I had to make copies for everyone and there was no science book. They gave me the standards book and I had to research my lessons accordingly. Ever since then I always make my own work and tests and my students really appreciate it. They don't feel like I'm lazy and all I do is make copies. They see that I work too.

When I was in school, and I received a stellar education we still found ways to feel less than. They took us to a Beachwood school and they had carpet and a pit lounge and pizza hut as a lunch choice everyday. We were just really feeling neglected after that, so I can't imagine how these children feel.

What can we do to eliminate the rich vs. poor education?

Public or Private

I am the parent of an 18 month old son.

I will be an educator of middle school students in a public school setting.

I want to work in a public school, but I don't want to send my son to a public school.

I attended public school all my life.

The schools I attended were honors or major work schools as they were called back then and those are few and far between today.

It is safe to say that the public school education I received was far different from the one in existence today. There were few if any behavior problems in my classes and we were able to learn. We had homework everyday and were responsible for completing it and our parents made us accountable.

I believe that there can be positive public school experiences that rely on excellent teachers being able to overcome the financial, behavioral and political issues that burden public schools before instruction can even be addressed.

I do believe this is possible, but do I want to risk my son's education in the process?

Inspirational Teachers

Yesterday we went around the circle and named our most influential or inspirational teacher. I had many great teachers, but I found it difficult to name one. The first ones that came to my mind were the few that were negative or difficult or not so inspirational. It was so much easier to remember the ones who influenced me negatively. I had a first grade teacher that told me I was lazy and to read a book if my work was done instead of putting my head down when I had a 104 temperature. I had a physics teacher in eleventh grade who told me I couldn't be a civil engineer because I wasn't good at physics, so for years I stayed away from physics and decided not to major in engineering. In college I found that I liked physics and wasn't too bad at it. I had a crazy AP biology teacher who would tell us all week we were correct and then give us F's on tests of the same material. I remember all their names. Some of the good teachers names have left me.
I chose Mr. Fast because he had a lasting affect on my life. He was a wonderful teacher, what I remembered most was how I was able to use my high school math notes for college calculus. I will never forget how well he prepared me for college. I also remember Twillie Johnson who was the first black teacher I had in second grade. She was also a young woman who cared about us and treated us well.
I said all this to say that as future and current educators we have to be aware of the lasting affects we have on our students lives. The negative effects are often more powerful and easier to remember even if they are fewer than the positive.