I’m a little behind the curve on this one. Last week, a principal at an elementary school in Ann Arbor, Michigan, organized a black students-only field trip to see a black “rocket scientist.” In this racial climate, Mike Madison made an obvious mistake. He has plenty of excuses, though. From AnnArbor.com:
“In hindsight, this field trip could have been approached and arranged in a better way. But as I reflect upon the look of excitement, enthusiasm and energy that I saw in these children’s eyes as they stood in the presence of a renowned African American rocket scientist in a very successful position, it gave the kids an opportunity to see this type of achievement is possible for even them.
“It was not a wasted venture for I know one day they might want to aspire to be the first astronaut or scientist standing on the Planet Mars.
…
“The intent of our field trip was not to segregate or exclude students as has been reported, but rather to address the societal issues, roadblocks and challenges that our African American children will face as they pursue a successful academic education here in our community.”
Let’s give Madison the benefit of the doubt. The trip was part of the school’s Lunch Bunch program, for black students only. That explains why he thought nothing of organizing a black students-only trip. The question is, how did the school get away with the Lunch Bunch program for so long? Regardless, the program is no more.
If Mike Madison and school administrators wish to expose black children to high-achieving black professionals, they could accomplish the goal by encouraging black parents to take their children to see them, rather than conducting such trips under the auspices of the government. Or they can include all students, so that all students may benefit.
For the record, Michigan voters barred their government from granting preferences to and discriminating against individuals or groups based on skin color in 2006.
(Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com)
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Where is the national outrage at the real segregated inequality of the Detroit school district?Its like the old folks talk about. Segregation is supported as long as it is second rate. A small group of students get something mildly helpful now folks are up in arms about special privileges. Meanwhile, not a word against Ferndale schools that ban Detroit students from its high school, only allowing them in the inferior tech school. They don’t ban the state dollars those students bring to the district from the Ferndale high school. You do know that Bobb represents corporate control of our public schools. The Michigan Appeals Court ruled against the elected school board and for corporate paid Bobb to be a dictator of our schools. Its just another stop on the hypocrisy railroad. So now you say black kids can’t even have a darn field trip or eat lunch with some other black kids. Freedom and liberty for all, unless you are not white. Hypocrites, liars, tyrants.
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