Sunday, July 17, 2011



"Background Overview & Summary | Brown Foundation." Brown Foundation | For Educational Equity, Excellence and Research. Web. 07 July 2011. .

"Black Codes — History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts." History.com — History Made Every Day — American & World History. Web. 07 July 2011. .

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. .

"Jim Crow Law — History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts." History.com — History Made Every Day — American & World History. Web. 07 July 2011. .

"Plessy v. Ferguson: Supreme Court Drama." ENotes - Literature Study Guides, Lesson Plans, and More. Web. 07 July 2011. .

"Quality Counts '98: Cleveland: A Study in Crisis." Research Center: Education Counts. 08 Jan. 1998. Web. 07 July 2011. .

"The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow . Jim Crow Stories . Plessy v. Ferguson | PBS." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 07 July 2011. .

"Slavery in America - UEN." Utah Education Network. Web. 07 July 2011. .

"WayBack . Stand Up For Your Rights . Features/School | PBS KIDS GO!" PBS KIDS: Educational Games, Videos and Activities For Kids! Web. 07 July 2011. .

Monday, July 11, 2011

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?