Let America be America again. Let it be the dream it used to be. Let it be the pioneer on the plain Seeking a home where he himself is free. (America never was America to me.) Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed-- Let it be that great strong land of love Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme That any man be crushed by one above. (It never was America to me.) O, let my land be a land where Liberty Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath, But opportunity is real, and life is free, Equality is in the air we breathe. (There's never been equality for me, Nor freedom in this "homeland of the free.") Say, who are you that mumbles in the dark? And who are you that draws your veil across the stars? I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart, I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars. I am the red man driven from the land, I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek-- And finding only the same old stupid plan Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak. I am the young man, full of strength and hope, Tangled in that ancient endless chain Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land! Of grab the gold! Of grab the ways of satisfying need! Of work the men! Of take the pay! Of owning everything for one's own greed! I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil. I am the worker sold to the machine. I am the Negro, servant to you all. I am the people, humble, hungry, mean-- Hungry yet today despite the dream. Beaten yet today--O, Pioneers! I am the man who never got ahead, The poorest worker bartered through the years. Yet I'm the one who dreamt our basic dream In the Old World while still a serf of kings, Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true, That even yet its mighty daring sings In every brick and stone, in every furrow turned That's made America the land it has become. O, I'm the man who sailed those early seas In search of what I meant to be my home-- For I'm the one who left dark Ireland's shore, And Poland's plain, and England's grassy lea, And torn from Black Africa's strand I came To build a "homeland of the free." The free? Who said the free? Not me? Surely not me? The millions on relief today? The millions shot down when we strike? The millions who have nothing for our pay? For all the dreams we've dreamed And all the songs we've sung And all the hopes we've held And all the flags we've hung, The millions who have nothing for our pay-- Except the dream that's almost dead today. O, let America be America again-- The land that never has been yet-- And yet must be--the land where every man is free. The land that's mine--the poor man's, Indian's, Negro's, ME-- Who made America, Whose sweat and blood, whose faith and pain, Whose hand at the foundry, whose plow in the rain, Must bring back our mighty dream again. Sure, call me any ugly name you choose-- The steel of freedom does not stain. From those who live like leeches on the people's lives, We must take back our land again, America! O, yes, I say it plain, America never was America to me, And yet I swear this oath-- America will be! Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death, The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies, We, the people, must redeem The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers. The mountains and the endless plain-- All, all the stretch of these great green states-- And make America again!
Illinois-NAME was formed by several faculty, staff and community people in Springfield in 2006. Illinois-NAME is a local chapter of NAME and supports the intentions of the National Association for Multicultural Education. Visit Illinois-NAME's website at https://edocs.uis.edu/jherr3/www/illinoisNAME.htm . Visit the National NAME website at http://www.nameorg.org .
Friday, March 11, 2011
Let America Be America Again by Langston Hughes
Thursday, January 20, 2011
The Defender Online
In Defense of The Defender Online
I have been following the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Inc.'s 'The Defender Online", offering a ray of search tags and blogs for sites that support the causes of freedom and justice for all. The Defender Online suddenly began to appear in my email box as an email newsletter. Although I did not read it every single time it appeared, it became like an old friend, an old pair of house slippers, a comfort to know that someone is still fighting the fight of good faith. One thing that I observe is that in the 21st century, we now have taken the fight for freedom and justice for all from the streets to computer systems. That may not be a bad thing, as the Internet, the World Wide Web now connects us in ways that 'who knew' we would be connected, across the oceans, around the globe and back again. Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Childhood Obesity, Nutritional Deficiencies, Lack of Adequate Exercise and Poor Academic Performance Link Study Needed in Illinois
In the state of Illinois, there are 740,200 children ages 18 and under living in poverty (State Health Facts, 2008). In Springfield School District 186 located in Sangamon County, 62.9% of its students are low income as reported as participants in the free and reduced lunch program (Illinois Interactive Report Card, 2009). Academically, the district does not meet the Annual Yearly Progress standard for its students in reading and mathematics, due to low student test scores. We therefore hypothesize that with the greater portion of its students living in poverty and all that poverty entails: poor nutrition, poor diet habits, lack of money for nutritious foods, lack of access to nutritious foods, that there is a link between poor nutrition and poor academic performance
The importance of studying the link between childhood obesity and learning would be to establish interventions that could be replicated. Interventions such as an education and training component using such tools as the Internet and blogging, launching nutrition and cooking classes; the establishment of school fruit and vegetable gardens, having access to fresh fruits and vegetables; and the instituting of in-class physical activity for all students.=================================================
RECOMMENDED LINKS TO FOLLOW THIS PHENOMENON
Let's Move.Gov - A nationwide initiative to promote making healthy choices, improving food quality in schools, increasing access to healthy, affordable food, and increasing ...
Learn the Facts About the Epidemic of Childhood Obesity - Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled ...
The importance of studying the link between childhood obesity and learning would be to establish interventions that could be replicated. Interventions such as an education and training component using such tools as the Internet and blogging, launching nutrition and cooking classes; the establishment of school fruit and vegetable gardens, having access to fresh fruits and vegetables; and the instituting of in-class physical activity for all students.=================================================
RECOMMENDED LINKS TO FOLLOW THIS PHENOMENON
Let's Move.Gov - A nationwide initiative to promote making healthy choices, improving food quality in schools, increasing access to healthy, affordable food, and increasing ...
Learn the Facts About the Epidemic of Childhood Obesity - Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled ...Should we Be Shaming Obese Children? (video) - With childhood obesity continuing to plague the youth of America, The Onion asks the question: Should we be shaming these obese children more? According to these experts, yes. And on top of that, insulting these kids can be fun for the whole family. But sending them in calorie-burning meltdown isn't the only answer. The obese are regularly glamorized on TV. The solution: "If you introduce a fat character, have that fat character die of heart disease before the season is over."
(VIDEO)
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Why the Shortage of African American Teachers?
See Published Version in the State Journal Register:
In the past 55 years after the implementation of Brown v. the Board of Education (1954), African American teachers in America’s K-12 classrooms have trickled down to almost non-extant, a reported 66% decline with African American teachers today representing less than 8 percent of all school teachers . This is a critical problem in undermining the importance of African American children being able to see reflections of them in K-12 classrooms where they spend most of their day.
When schools were ordered to desegregate, White school district officials went to work either rejecting that order or making sure the new law favored the white schools and White teachers. Many African American schools were closed, shut down, abandoned, and turned into community center projects. African American students were bused to neighboring white schools in white communities. African American teachers were early retired, displaced, demoted, and rarely placed in the white schools where African American children would now be attending. Beginning in the early sixties, suddenly scores of African American students who had been schooled by African American teachers whom they knew and had some familiarity with since these teachers also lived in the-then segregated African American neighborhoods, were no longer in touch with one of the most powerful influences in the growth of a child: the African American neighborhood teacher.
It is no wonder that during this same critical upheaval of the African American teacher in the African American community, that there began a steep growth of African American men in the prison population. It is no wonder, as traditional African American communities before desegregation resisters dismissed the African American teacher, relied on the schools as an extension of parental control. African American teachers took the place of parents in the schools. If students misbehaved, parents were called that evening. Punishment was meted out with parents and teachers, school administrators in agreement. African American boys were paddled and the girls were embarrassed, with the intent that if they were not properly trained, they would face much worse treatment outside their communities, including death by racist people. It was an understood code of survival for African American children. Because of the closeness, village-like life of African Americans, their parents would tell their children “don’t go out to that school and embarrass us, embarrass your family.” Teachers lived in the neighborhood or close by; home visits were welcomed by parents.
Desegregation has provided mixed blessings. On one hand, today’s African American students are exposed to a diversity of teachers, a diversity of ideas, and a broader expansion of knowledge about a larger world. However, one has to wonder what would be the outcome of many African American students today who are on the negative end of testing scores and still dilapidated school environments, had African American teachers been absorbed in the white schools, along with the African American students. What about the opposite approach? What would the outcomes of many African American children be if White teachers and White students were integrated at the same rate in the African American schools?
A common explanation for the decline in African American teachers has been that desegregation in many other avenues created new career choices offering a larger pay check in the White corporate world for African Americans, beyond the traditional offering of being a teacher, preacher, nurse, musician or sportsperson. But, is not this too much akin to ‘blaming the victim?’ If the greater percentage of African Americans who are poor is suddenly offered opportunities to make more money, live in better housing, eat better food, given the freedom to choose to be whatever they want to be, is not this what the American Dream is all about?
What is needed now are comprehensive front end and back end teacher education recruitment programs, bent on recapturing the African American teacher, not finger-pointing, blaming. The African American student is in serious crisis mode, requiring a triage of interventions, not separate-but-equal interventions, but equalizing interventions such as the option to create African American boys academies, African American girls academies, African American academies with the express purpose of giving these students their dignities, their due education.
In the past 55 years after the implementation of Brown v. the Board of Education (1954), African American teachers in America’s K-12 classrooms have trickled down to almost non-extant, a reported 66% decline with African American teachers today representing less than 8 percent of all school teachers . This is a critical problem in undermining the importance of African American children being able to see reflections of them in K-12 classrooms where they spend most of their day.When schools were ordered to desegregate, White school district officials went to work either rejecting that order or making sure the new law favored the white schools and White teachers. Many African American schools were closed, shut down, abandoned, and turned into community center projects. African American students were bused to neighboring white schools in white communities. African American teachers were early retired, displaced, demoted, and rarely placed in the white schools where African American children would now be attending. Beginning in the early sixties, suddenly scores of African American students who had been schooled by African American teachers whom they knew and had some familiarity with since these teachers also lived in the-then segregated African American neighborhoods, were no longer in touch with one of the most powerful influences in the growth of a child: the African American neighborhood teacher.
It is no wonder that during this same critical upheaval of the African American teacher in the African American community, that there began a steep growth of African American men in the prison population. It is no wonder, as traditional African American communities before desegregation resisters dismissed the African American teacher, relied on the schools as an extension of parental control. African American teachers took the place of parents in the schools. If students misbehaved, parents were called that evening. Punishment was meted out with parents and teachers, school administrators in agreement. African American boys were paddled and the girls were embarrassed, with the intent that if they were not properly trained, they would face much worse treatment outside their communities, including death by racist people. It was an understood code of survival for African American children. Because of the closeness, village-like life of African Americans, their parents would tell their children “don’t go out to that school and embarrass us, embarrass your family.” Teachers lived in the neighborhood or close by; home visits were welcomed by parents.
Desegregation has provided mixed blessings. On one hand, today’s African American students are exposed to a diversity of teachers, a diversity of ideas, and a broader expansion of knowledge about a larger world. However, one has to wonder what would be the outcome of many African American students today who are on the negative end of testing scores and still dilapidated school environments, had African American teachers been absorbed in the white schools, along with the African American students. What about the opposite approach? What would the outcomes of many African American children be if White teachers and White students were integrated at the same rate in the African American schools?
A common explanation for the decline in African American teachers has been that desegregation in many other avenues created new career choices offering a larger pay check in the White corporate world for African Americans, beyond the traditional offering of being a teacher, preacher, nurse, musician or sportsperson. But, is not this too much akin to ‘blaming the victim?’ If the greater percentage of African Americans who are poor is suddenly offered opportunities to make more money, live in better housing, eat better food, given the freedom to choose to be whatever they want to be, is not this what the American Dream is all about?
What is needed now are comprehensive front end and back end teacher education recruitment programs, bent on recapturing the African American teacher, not finger-pointing, blaming. The African American student is in serious crisis mode, requiring a triage of interventions, not separate-but-equal interventions, but equalizing interventions such as the option to create African American boys academies, African American girls academies, African American academies with the express purpose of giving these students their dignities, their due education.
Friday, August 21, 2009
What is Multicultural Education?
Back in the 80's, 90's and early 2000's multicultural education separated people rather than brought them together, that is in the camps that 'didn't get it.' All you had to do was mention the term 'multicultural education' and you could see the mind clickers working: oh, you're a communist, you're a liberal, you're socialist...you're a feminist, you believe in abortion rights...the list goes on and on. Depending on whose mind was clicking, you might even be called racist, believing that Blacks [or African Americans] should be given top status, no matter what, put in no work, but because of past sufferings, past enslavement and then Whites should be paying penance everyday [or the opposite]: believing that Whites have carte blanche rights, just because. Yeah, wipe my nose.
Au contrare' - 21st century multicultural education has come full circle. Everybody needs somebody, sometimes. Is not that what the blues lament? Multicultural education is inclusive: you wanna be in? You're in. Run away from the cliques. Run away from the quiets. Yes,'the quiets.' People who whisper demise, smiling in your face: backstabbers...remember the O'Jay's 'Backstabbers' song? What they do...they smile in your face...all the time they want to take your place...the back stabbers...they smile in your face...all you fellows who have someone and you really care...then it's all of you fellows who better beware...yeah, yeah...somebody's out to get your lady...a few of your buddies they sure look shady...blades are long, clenched tight in their fist...aimin straight at your back...and I don't think they'll miss...the back stabbers...I keep gettin' all these visits from my friends, yeah, what they doin to me...they come to my house...again and again and again and again, yeah...what can I do to get on the right track...I wish they'd take some of these knives off my back...smiling faces sometimes tell lies...[http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/pride/backstabbers.htm]. Doesn't sound like we are post-anything yet, huh?
Multicultural education has come to mean that we have our work cut out for us. We have a lot to do and are living in one of the most exciting eras in which to do it. It means coming together to love, share, accept, just be who we are. Impressions are for clowns, for idiots, for the ignorant. We need to be working, day by day on building good relationships, good habits of living and loving anybody. We need to be building our young now. Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, notable 20th century educator, said ' we have a powerful potential in our youth and we must have the courage to change old ideas and practices so that we may direct their power toward good ends.' Multicultural education is no longer about us creating something - it is about re-creation, paying it forward now. Teachig the young to love. Teaching the young to explore, to share, to reach out, to look out, and embrace somebody outside of themselves. Do something!
I was watching a video clip of the Woodstock Festival of 1969 and got really jealous of how much love and outpouring happened on that weekend...looking beyond the drugs, I saw youth personified and amplified many, many times over ushering in along with the Civil Rights movement and other pennacles, introducing an era of multicultural education. People were inter-marrying, upchucking the status quo, re-writing the history books.
It's a new day Will I Am says...its time for unity, for us and we, that's you and me together...I woke up this morning feelin brand new, cause the dreams that I've been dreamin finally came true...yeah I woke up this morning feelin alright, cause we weren't fightin for nothin, and the soldiers weren't fightin for nothin...no Martin wasn't dreamin for nothing...and Lincoln didn't change it for nothin...and children weren't cryin for nothin...it's a new day!
Au contrare' - 21st century multicultural education has come full circle. Everybody needs somebody, sometimes. Is not that what the blues lament? Multicultural education is inclusive: you wanna be in? You're in. Run away from the cliques. Run away from the quiets. Yes,'the quiets.' People who whisper demise, smiling in your face: backstabbers...remember the O'Jay's 'Backstabbers' song? What they do...they smile in your face...all the time they want to take your place...the back stabbers...they smile in your face...all you fellows who have someone and you really care...then it's all of you fellows who better beware...yeah, yeah...somebody's out to get your lady...a few of your buddies they sure look shady...blades are long, clenched tight in their fist...aimin straight at your back...and I don't think they'll miss...the back stabbers...I keep gettin' all these visits from my friends, yeah, what they doin to me...they come to my house...again and again and again and again, yeah...what can I do to get on the right track...I wish they'd take some of these knives off my back...smiling faces sometimes tell lies...[http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/pride/backstabbers.htm]. Doesn't sound like we are post-anything yet, huh?
Multicultural education has come to mean that we have our work cut out for us. We have a lot to do and are living in one of the most exciting eras in which to do it. It means coming together to love, share, accept, just be who we are. Impressions are for clowns, for idiots, for the ignorant. We need to be working, day by day on building good relationships, good habits of living and loving anybody. We need to be building our young now. Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, notable 20th century educator, said ' we have a powerful potential in our youth and we must have the courage to change old ideas and practices so that we may direct their power toward good ends.' Multicultural education is no longer about us creating something - it is about re-creation, paying it forward now. Teachig the young to love. Teaching the young to explore, to share, to reach out, to look out, and embrace somebody outside of themselves. Do something!
I was watching a video clip of the Woodstock Festival of 1969 and got really jealous of how much love and outpouring happened on that weekend...looking beyond the drugs, I saw youth personified and amplified many, many times over ushering in along with the Civil Rights movement and other pennacles, introducing an era of multicultural education. People were inter-marrying, upchucking the status quo, re-writing the history books.
It's a new day Will I Am says...its time for unity, for us and we, that's you and me together...I woke up this morning feelin brand new, cause the dreams that I've been dreamin finally came true...yeah I woke up this morning feelin alright, cause we weren't fightin for nothin, and the soldiers weren't fightin for nothin...no Martin wasn't dreamin for nothing...and Lincoln didn't change it for nothin...and children weren't cryin for nothin...it's a new day!
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