RACISM IN SCHOOLS IS RAMPANT ..... RACISM IS HERE TO STAY AND THE MORE WE TRY TO ERADICATE IT, THE WORSE IT SEEMS TO GET

Cullman City school board prez's kid chants ‘white power’ as racism plagues AL district

 

By Srivats Lakshman  

 

meaww

November 18, 2021

 

 

The office of the Cullman City Board of Education with an insert of Amy Carter  

 

The Cullman City School District in Alabama has become the latest to be embroiled in scandal after it emerged the board's President's son used a racist slur. The lack of inaction by the district has left parents fuming, and many have them have now opened up about the open racism in the district, highlighting just how hard it is to be Black in the Alabama district. 

In early November, the Danvers High School in Massachusetts made headlines for attempting to bury a racist, homophobic hazing tradition, before it was exposed by the media. Then days later, police were roped in to investigate a video from the Prior Lake High School in Savage, Minnesota. In the video, a student can be heard mocking a Black student's suicide attempt, before being exposed by the victim in the press. In late September, a Missouri school came under fire after a group of students posted an online petition calling for the return of slavery.

Racist behaviours have skyrocketed all over the US, but especially in schools over the past several years. It's part of a larger trend in the increase of hate crime, especially targeted towards race. FBI data shows over 3,900 such incidents in 2019, which shot up to over 5,200 in 2020. It's left parents not just worried for their children's safety, but also their own. To make matters worse, it appears the Cullman City district isn't too keen on addressing its racism issues.

Prez's son says 'kill all the niggers'

The 11-second video taken recently, shows the school district’s president Amy Carter's son exhibiting racist behaviour. He reportedly chanted "white power" and "kill all the n-----s," while being filmed by another student. It quickly circulated amongst the students of the district, and very soon parents got involved. "Tell me how he wouldn’t be threatened by KILL ALL THE Ns?! Explain to me how this is not a threat," one parent wrote in an email to the district.

Carter has since defended her son, telling AL.com that he was mimicking a TikTok video, but wasn't aware he was being recorded. He only became aware of it four days later, after receiving it on Snapchat. Carter called her son "the kindest child you would ever meet" and said he was "devastated that his words harmed other people." She called the video a "terrible error in judgement." 

However, parents didn't seem too happy with that explanation. On November 17, they flooded a board meeting with complaints, leading to the meeting being adjourned. To make matters worse, despite being made aware of the video on November 4, the district is yet to act, which has only infuriated parents further.

History of racism and inaction recorded

The school district has said it cannot act on the matter because the video was recorded off-campus. Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff said there was "no specific policy in reference to off-campus speech." He provided the same response to another fuming parent's email, saying his hands were tied. But board member Jocelyn Logan isn't too happy with that. Logan email the board her plan to contract the US Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights. "It seems to me that this may be our only option as the system isn’t willing to protect all students," she said.

 

                                

                    Cullman City Schools superintendent Kyle Kallhoff

 

The video isn't the only instance of racism, which has further infuriated Logan. While Logan and her husband are White, they have a Black son enrolled at the school according to The Daily Beast. She claims her son was regularly called the n-word, a monkey, and even teased about his skin colour. Last year, one student used the username 'Nick Gurr' during a quiz on the app Kahoot. "The history of racism in this community is so rampant that most Black people in the state of Alabama won’t even stop here for gas," she told The Beast. 

In 2020, Kallhoff was named as a defendant in a lawsuit by parents who alleged racism and bullying led their 9-year-old to commit suicide, while he was superintendent of the school in Demopolis, Alabama. Logan said the district was merely "sweeping it under the rug, and covering it up and ignoring it," rather than addressing it. She now wants both Kallhoff and Carter to resign. 

Since the incident, Kallhoff claimed it had been addressed, and that he was consulting with state leaders on further action, but provided no timeline. In the meantime, it's unclear if Carter's son was suspended. Kallhoff said he couldn't comment on that due to "federal and state regulations." But justice may be hard to come by, as Logan's own son conceded. "It’s not like they will do anything about it," he reportedly told his mom. 

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Inside Lower Manhattan Community School's controversial exercise to 'undo legacy of racism'

 

By Yasmin Tinwala  

 

meaww

November 19, 2021

 

 

Lower Manhattan Community School will segregate students according to race for a two-day program starting November 23 

 

A junior high school in New York will segregate students according to their race to discuss how it affects their racial identities influence their experiences. Principal Shanna Douglas sent out an email to parents stating they will be conducting certain exercises as part of the school's mission "to undo the legacy of racism and oppression in this country that impacts our school community." Students from seventh and eighth grades will opt into one of the categories which include - Whites, Asians, and multi-racial. African-Americans and Hispanic students will be clubbed into one. 

The Lower Manhattan Community school will racially segregate the students into "affinity groups" that will further discuss identity and social justice topics. The controversial exercises will take place on November 23rd and 24th. Douglas announced, "On November 23rd and 24th, 7th and 8th graders will explore the question ‘How do our racial identities influence our experiences?’ in affinity groups". She clarified, "An affinity group is a group formed around a shared interest." The school has also offered an idea of the fifth group for students which appears to be for those uncomfortable with affirming to a certain category. 

Groups will discuss 'Why are we even talking about racial identity?'

Douglas's message revealed that that two-day program will open with a discussion about "Why are we even talking about racial identity?" The spokesperson for the Department of Education, Nathaniel Styer said that this is an optional program and student participation is not at all mandatory and those who wish to stay out of it are free to do so. "This optional program was developed in close coordination with both the School Leadership Team, PTA, and families,” Styer said before adding  that it's made “abundantly clear to both students and parents that anyone can opt-out of this two-day celebration if they desire.”

Douglas's email further explained why they plan to base a whole discussion around race this year. She wrote, "students are talking about it since race has become a popular topic on social media, or parents are talking even more about it at home due to the recent incidents across the nation." She admitted that the school which is 44 percent Asian, 29 percent white 15 percent Hispanic, and 8 percent Black has failed to adequately address race issues in the past. A parent told New York Post there is a fear that the affinity groups could stray but at the same time praised the staff saying they are well-equipped to handle such situations. 

"I think our teachers know how to handle it," the mother said. Another parent echoed her views and said she had no qualms regarding the program. "The staff is very good about being clear when it comes to race," she said. Another set of parents said the racial segregation is divisive and troubling. “I think a lot of us feel like this is too much,” said a mother. “But most parents are too afraid to say anything at this point. Why are we separating our kids like this?” Another student's father said the school should focus on traditional academics than prioritizing political discussions. “Teach the history,” he said. “Tell that story. I’m all for an honest accounting. But this is something different. It’s insidious.” Douglas asked concerned parents to reach out to her before concluding the message. 

EDITOR'S NOTE: HS graduates nowadays can barely read, write and do simple math.  The time wasted on race-reconciliation programs is not going to help them spell "cat" even if you spotted the 'c' and 't'.