Wise, "Between Barack and a Hard Place"

This topic of racism and inequality among blacks and whites while go on until the world ends. This has been a hot topic for generations. I choose three quotes that stood out to me throughout Wise speech “Between Barack and a Hard Place”. The first quote I found interesting was at the opening of his speech where he stated, “if people did not want to have the conversation about racism (white people) they would say I’m not racist most of my friends are black.” The word friend is often used to loosely with people in our society. Often time’s people claim others to be a friend but, like Wise mentioned that they have no clue about the people they are speaking of. This can be interpreted in many different aspects depending on one’s definition of a friend. I have many friends whether black, white, Hispanic etc., that I am friends with and I do not know their mothers name so it depends on the person.

            The second quote I found interesting is when Wise stated, “that him and his preschool friends were eventually not friends in high school, due to the teachers and staff treating the students fundamentally different.” As he went on to say that although he was not a very good student, he was able to progress and advance in school whereas, the black students a labeled, judged and reprimanded with harsher penalties such as suspension for behavior. This was confusing to me because, he said the staff and teachers in the school were primarily black, so I am not sure why there was such a negative impact on the black students.

            The third quote I found interesting “acknowledging that racism is part of your belief people can take time to not act on it” As we all know and do not like to admit, we all have racist tendencies in us. People are usually judged by skin color before anything else.

I connected this speech to Scwamp, Johnson Privilege, Power and Difference, White Privileged and the speech on Affirmative Action.

Here is a link to Tim Wise Biography

           http://speakoutnow.org/userdata_display.php?modin=50&uid=156 

Kahne and Westheimer, "In Service of What?

 I had a hard time relating to this article “In the Service of What?” Seems to be all about politics to me. From my understanding of the reading in regards, to the two service learning cases, many schools are promoting more towards Mr. Johnsons approach with having his high school “students participate in community service projects.” Whereas Ms. Adams approach with her middle school students, she kept the students in the classroom and brought advocacy groups into the classroom from the community to help enlighten the students of economic and social issues in their communities.

“The requirement that all students take part in volunteer activities in either their school or community as a condition for graduation from high school.” I have to disagree with this quote, having students from public schools volunteer (service learning) as a requirement for graduation. Many students in urban communities have to work to help their parents provide for them, especially single mothers. Most students have enough on their schedule as it is for example, sports, studying and working for pay not volunteering or for charity. Sports alone can take up a student’s entire day. Schools want these children to volunteer but, they do not consider that these children have lives outside of school. For example, if you are a student on the basketball team in East Providence High School. They practice every day after school for two hours and two hours on Sundays, the kids could not even get to church if they wanted to. When they have a basketball game the bus returns to the school between 9:30 -10:00 pm. Schools expect too much from the students just my opinion from my experiences with my children.

Here is a link on the debate if service learning should be required for high school students to graduate.    http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-high-schools-require-community-service

Shirley Wilcher, Executive Director of the American Association for Access

 

Reflection on the speech given by Shirley Wilcher, Executive Director of the American Association for Access, on the topic of Affirmative Action history and understanding Equality and Diversity. (AAAED) Affirmative Action has to ask the question, why are things not working? Here at Rhode Island College “the Affirmative Action Office provides leadership to the campus community concerning matters of equity, affirmative action, prejudice reduction and multiculturalism.” Affirmative Action is not only for the working community it is also for students in higher education. To prevent discrimination on students “on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, gender, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital, citizenship status or status as a special disabled veteran.”

Here is a list of Higher Education Admissions who were denied for discrimination due to various reasons.

v  Regents of the University of California v. Bakke

v  Grutter v. Bollinger and Gratz v. Bollinger

v  Fisher v. the University of Texas

It was interesting to hear that as an African American woman, Shirley overcame many obstacles in her life as a respectable professional woman. She shared some of her personal experiences with the audience. I found one of her recent experiences with racism and ignorance disturbing. Recently in Washington while trying to get a cab with a white colleague a cab pulled to the side of the curb, as Shirley put her hands on the door of the cab, the cab driver drove off. Why is this still happening in such a diverse and educated society in 2015?

 It is interesting to note, that “John F. Kennedy was the first to use Affirmative Action which covered federal contracting , companies who did not comply would lose their contracts” according to Shirley Wilcher. Here I will list some meaningful dates that impacts us in our society today. In 1963 the feminist movement began.

Successive Executive Orders on Civil Rights (President Orders)

v  1969 gay rights movements.

v  1969 The Philadelphia Plan “good faith” to stop discrimination of women construction workers.(Nixon)

v  1973 Nixon signed the act that require affirmative action plan for hiring, placement, for people with disabilities. “thou shall not discriminate” (Nixon)

Connections to class readings:

v  S.C.W.A.M.P

v  White Privilege

v  Indian Father’s Plea.

Connections to society:

v  University of Oklahoma college students from the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

v   Locally the recent fire of a Fatima Hospital employee with no explanation.

v  Someone I know is accusing Walmart of not hiring her for her disability.

Unlearning the Myths That Binds Us By:Linda Christensen

 In “Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us” by Linda Christensen there are three quotes that interest me.

The first quote is the opening sentence, “I was nourished on the milk of American culture: I cleaned the dwarves’ house and waited for Prince Charming to bring me life.”  While reading this it made me realize like the article mentions that many people are influenced by the things they are educated on through cartoons, films, media etc. Personally I have never taught of T.V in this manner.

The second quote that stood out to me, “Our society’s culture industry colonizes their minds and teaches them how to act, live, and dream. Meaning children and people in general. This quote coincides with my last quote. Although the typical person does not have the things or images these “secret education” portrays many people often times, try to live these fantasies out. For example, women waiting on a man to rescue them from a situation. Some people grew up in homes with only women but they still have an image of a man who will save them from a dangerous situation.

The third quote that stood out to me, “The impact of racism beings early. Even in our preschool years, we are exposed to misinformation about people different from ourselves. I can relate to this particular quote because, growing up in the West Indies around mainly black people. I was always taught that white people were all racist. Until I moved here to R.I where blacks were the minority. I learned the difference from my own experiences. The people who influenced me were probably influence from T.V, media, books etc. since they were also isolated from people of different cultures. It is imperative to educate young children with the correct information to lessen stereotypes in society.

Here is a link on how cartoon characters influence food choices for children 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB4QtwIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fabcnews.go.com%2FWNT%2Fvideo%2Fcartoons-influence-kids-eating-choices-14337275&ei=i6z8VNzyHMrEggSbz4LoAQ&usg=AFQjCNFNyrBJblS3JVoMmtIL1Yk2Kp5vIQ&sig2=qGTyvjt0Tf-UjecpwE1HoA&bvm=bv.87611401,d.eXY

Speaking the unspeakable in forbidden places: addressing lesbian,gay,bisexual and transgender equality in the primary school By: Allan, Atkinson,Brace, De Palma, and Hemingway

It's all about equality

I agree with Yer regarding this statement "Children should be introduced to sexuality as soon as possible so, as they grow up, they should have a clear understanding of identity difference that would help prevent future chaos and decrease bullying". (Yer) In my opinion it is the parents responsibility to inform and teach their children about sexuality. That way when a child is in a sex education class they can already have a clear understanding on the topic that is being presented to them. Although I understand that some parents would be uncomfortable talking to their child about such topic they should to educate them.   

The society we live in today I feel that the people are more accepting of the "lesbian, gay,bisexual, transgender community".  In the era that I grew up in a heterosexual society this was a topic that no one would speak of in public. Like Yer mentioned in her blog about the gay high school student who was mistreated and bullied I never witnessed anything like that growing. 

I also found it interesting how Laura used the fairy tale as an ice breaker to the students about the different sexual lifestyles. I really like this quote"At the end of the book,when the prince married another prince Laura observed that most pupils did not react negatively to the outcome, although mention of lesbian evoked laughter and cries of yuk". It is amazing how children look and perceive this of "LGBT". In regards, to sexuality it is a personal choice that we have as humans.

Here is a link where you can find assistance with talking to children about LGBT issues

     http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/talking-with-kids-about-lgbt-issues