Политкорректность: иллюстрация
Mar. 8th, 2006 02:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
yuccaНедавно я влезла с не слишком глубокомысленным комментом в очередной дискуссии о политкорректности. И забыла бы о нем благополучно, если бы не неожиданная иллюстрация в виде писем в местную газету. Не совсем о социологических исследованиях, но тем не менее.
Контекст: в университете штата Колорадо не слишком много испаноязычных студентов и совсем мало негров. Соответственно есть специальные люди, которые получают зарплату за то, что постоянно обсуждают, как бы изменить эту ситуацию.
1. Panel discussions are not the answer
Before diversity advocates do any more hand-wringing about the low number of minorities attending the University of Colorado, a bitter dose of reality is in order. As pointed out in a highly informative article in the Denver Post (Feb. 21), in 2004 there were a mere 289 black Colorado high school graduates who applied to one of our state's four-year colleges and had an index score high enough to attend CU-Boulder. The problem with the nose counters of minority students is obviously not about discrimination — it's simply getting enough minority kids educated and graduated from high school that's the problem.
Anyone who doesn't believe that our K-12 public education system is in crisis simply isn't paying attention. But as dysfunctional as public education is, a more fundamental problem in getting minority kids through high school lies where it always has — too many uninvolved or disinterested parents coupled with poverty and far too many single-parent households. In many Hispanic families, the problems lie with adults who don't value education as highly as white and Asian families do, along with living with one foot in the United States and the other in their country of origin.
Instead of more wasteful meetings of diversity advocates and further proselytizing to the converted, efforts should be directed at assisting programs like I Have a Dream, and those at Boulder's Family Learning Center where specific and meaningful efforts to get minority kids interested in educational opportunities abound. We need fewer panels and time-wasting summits and more attention paid to what really matters. Focus on efforts that affect the ability of more minority kids to access the abundant and diverse educational opportunities generously offered but not being taken full advantage of.
BOB GREENLEE
2. Greenlee resorts to stereotyping
While we agree with a few points made by Bob Greenlee (Open Forum Feb. 27), we must confront some of his statements. He decries the lack of good data in the diversity debate, and then launches into an unsubstantiated, stereotyped and biased attack on people of color.
Yes, our educational system is in crisis, but we should take a more analytical approach to discern why this problem exists.
Like many others, Greenlee takes the easy approach blaming the victims for this crisis. He doesn't acknowledge the root causes, probably because he is unaware of his privilege and that everyone is not afforded the same privileges because of their race, class, gender, ability or sexual orientation.
We know that Greenlee has been a supporter of getting poor children to aspire to higher education, but it is disturbing that he freely makes blatant judgments about how little people of color value education. We suggest that he spend time and ask them why and how much they value education. He should know that Latino families care as much about their children's education as any white or Asian person does.
He might be surprised to learn that people of color value even more that which is denied them. Whites have no moral superior values for education. Throughout our history, people of color have died fighting for this right. Unfortunately, Greenlee is not alone in his beliefs, just bold enough to speak it. This may be an indication of a willingness to engage in honest and intelligent discussions.
We encourage Greenlee and others to attend the Unlearning Racism Retreat facilitated by renowned diversity trainer Lee Mun Wah, on April 7 and 8, sponsored by the YWCA of Boulder County, to learn how to stop using stereotypes to make his points and to participate in a meaningful discussion about racism.
(8 signatures)
Справка: Боб Гринли - бывший мэр Болдера, республиканец, успешный бизнесмен и филантроп, занимающийся помощью бедным, включая гранты на образование. Подписавшие второе письмо, как нетрудно догадаться, связаны с YWCA и с организациями, занимающимися вопросами меньшинств.
Контекст: в университете штата Колорадо не слишком много испаноязычных студентов и совсем мало негров. Соответственно есть специальные люди, которые получают зарплату за то, что постоянно обсуждают, как бы изменить эту ситуацию.
1. Panel discussions are not the answer
Before diversity advocates do any more hand-wringing about the low number of minorities attending the University of Colorado, a bitter dose of reality is in order. As pointed out in a highly informative article in the Denver Post (Feb. 21), in 2004 there were a mere 289 black Colorado high school graduates who applied to one of our state's four-year colleges and had an index score high enough to attend CU-Boulder. The problem with the nose counters of minority students is obviously not about discrimination — it's simply getting enough minority kids educated and graduated from high school that's the problem.
Anyone who doesn't believe that our K-12 public education system is in crisis simply isn't paying attention. But as dysfunctional as public education is, a more fundamental problem in getting minority kids through high school lies where it always has — too many uninvolved or disinterested parents coupled with poverty and far too many single-parent households. In many Hispanic families, the problems lie with adults who don't value education as highly as white and Asian families do, along with living with one foot in the United States and the other in their country of origin.
Instead of more wasteful meetings of diversity advocates and further proselytizing to the converted, efforts should be directed at assisting programs like I Have a Dream, and those at Boulder's Family Learning Center where specific and meaningful efforts to get minority kids interested in educational opportunities abound. We need fewer panels and time-wasting summits and more attention paid to what really matters. Focus on efforts that affect the ability of more minority kids to access the abundant and diverse educational opportunities generously offered but not being taken full advantage of.
BOB GREENLEE
2. Greenlee resorts to stereotyping
While we agree with a few points made by Bob Greenlee (Open Forum Feb. 27), we must confront some of his statements. He decries the lack of good data in the diversity debate, and then launches into an unsubstantiated, stereotyped and biased attack on people of color.
Yes, our educational system is in crisis, but we should take a more analytical approach to discern why this problem exists.
Like many others, Greenlee takes the easy approach blaming the victims for this crisis. He doesn't acknowledge the root causes, probably because he is unaware of his privilege and that everyone is not afforded the same privileges because of their race, class, gender, ability or sexual orientation.
We know that Greenlee has been a supporter of getting poor children to aspire to higher education, but it is disturbing that he freely makes blatant judgments about how little people of color value education. We suggest that he spend time and ask them why and how much they value education. He should know that Latino families care as much about their children's education as any white or Asian person does.
He might be surprised to learn that people of color value even more that which is denied them. Whites have no moral superior values for education. Throughout our history, people of color have died fighting for this right. Unfortunately, Greenlee is not alone in his beliefs, just bold enough to speak it. This may be an indication of a willingness to engage in honest and intelligent discussions.
We encourage Greenlee and others to attend the Unlearning Racism Retreat facilitated by renowned diversity trainer Lee Mun Wah, on April 7 and 8, sponsored by the YWCA of Boulder County, to learn how to stop using stereotypes to make his points and to participate in a meaningful discussion about racism.
(8 signatures)
Справка: Боб Гринли - бывший мэр Болдера, республиканец, успешный бизнесмен и филантроп, занимающийся помощью бедным, включая гранты на образование. Подписавшие второе письмо, как нетрудно догадаться, связаны с YWCA и с организациями, занимающимися вопросами меньшинств.
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Date: 2006-03-08 11:17 pm (UTC):)