Loading ...
March 2nd, 2011 |
guest blogger
Equity and Public Education in Portland: A “Privileged” Parent’s Perspective
Equity is the new buzzword that pops up in every other article on PPS these days. My simplistic understanding is that “Equity” means social engineering, bussing, gerrymandered district borders, so that rich kids and poor kids will be forced to go to school together.
I get asked not infrequently what would make me send my kids to Public School. Let me tell you one thing that will NOT make me come to PPS: “Equity.” Better academics? Yes. High-quality teachers, world-class facilities? Yes. Small schools with small classes and a gentle, loving, community environment? YES. “Equity”? No, not really on my agenda. Am I supposed to feel Guilt about that statement? Maybe. I’ll leave that to my mother.
I’m just being painfully honest here. Do I believe in Equity as a concept? Sure, sounds great. Am I going to enthusiastically send my child to a school with reduced academic standards (cookie-cutter schools won’t have enough money for full AP course offerings), and a cultural environment that I don’t love? (Again, being painfully blunt: if your mother didn’t go to college, you probably have speech & behavior patterns that I don’t want my child to learn, because it will not benefit him in life.) Answer: No.
So: What exactly are we trying to achieve with all this social machination? What I hear:
- We want poor children to have access to the same academic opportunities as rich kids. Great, but that’s a funding question, not a geographic one.
- We want poor children to be exposed to rich children who have college & career goals. Role modeling needs to come from within the community. From my own experience, throwing disparate groups together can indeed make people learn something about each other – but cannot change fundamental group culture, for better or for worse.
I was very impressed with SEI when I toured that facility a few weeks ago. Clearly we need more organizations along that model. We also need to acknowledge that if we are going to really shift the needle in a getting Portland to a college-bound culture, we are going to have to invest a LOT of money into social services, with very early and ongoing intervention efforts, and be mercenary about it. The superficial dabbling that we are currently doing will only drive away those who have the means to go, and is simply postponing a real solution onto future generations. I dread the idea of being here in Portland for the next round of 25-year planning and still be talking about the same things.
Wow this is a really shocking article. You don’t want your kids around people who didn’t go to college? THIS is why we need to be having conversations about equity! We are talking about populations of people that have been historically oppressed – and are currently oppressed by the institutional racism in our country! This is not an issue of throwing money at a group of people or a school. It’s about CHANGING the way we think about People of Color and people who live in poverty!
Unless people of privilege (rich white people) are willing to give up some of their power, we are not going to see any change in the achievement gap. This article clearly comes from a “NIMBY” perspective.
Brown v. Board of Education ruled that separate but equal is inherently unequal. If you walk into a schools that is predominately poor students of color, it will look and feel WAY different than a predominately white and wealthy school.
I would suggest this blogger read some of Jonathan Kozol’s work on segregation and education, and some of Tim Wise’s work on white privilege.
Heather is right about a few things, I will give her credit for that. Role modeling does need to come from within the community. When there is a whole community, however, that does not have college education in its background, but WANTS it for their children, where does that role model come from?
And she is also correct, that offering certain “menu” of classes is a funding issue. But consider, funding is directly related to property taxes. Lots more money come in from individual houses than apartments.
Where I believe that she is wrong, however is calling the “under funded” (or pick your favorite word) schools cookie cutter. There she is dead wrong. The “ethnic” schools are SO FAR FROM cookie cutter, she doesn’t even realize. And I am just being painfully honest here, it is the rich white schools that are cookie cutter. Just like the kids that go there, the teachers that teach there, the parents who are oh so involved there. Personality? Nope. Culture? Nope. Community? Nope. Thanks, but I will leave the feeling guilty about that to my (white) mother. Just because I like side notes, ever notice that bullying induced suicides and school shootings are at “white” schools? Just an observation.
Interestingly (and on a yet another side note here), more PhD’s have been aware to Black Women than any other sub group in the last 10 years. There are more women enrolled in college than men. The amount of men earning 4 year degrees is at the same level it was in 1973.
“If your mother didn’t go to college, you probably have speech & behavior patterns that I don’t want my child to learn, because it will not benefit him in life.”
Are you sure you went to college?
I just ask because I have a hard time believing that any college-educated adult could make such a profoundly stupid and bigoted statement.
I’m pretty astounded by the perspective expressed by this article. Stating that academic opportunities “is a funding question, not a geographic one” completely ignores the fact that the funding of schools is directly related to the school’s geographic location and relative SES. Property taxes account for a third of school’s funding in Oregon (down from 60% not very long ago), which continues to widen the economic divide between the have and have nots.
Please keep in mind that your attitudes and actions are contributing to creating our community and the educational environment of our children. The condemnation of entire groups of children based on their parent’s education does nothing towards creating the “gentle, loving, community environment” you are looking for.
As you said, “Role modeling needs to come from within the community”. It is certain that the stereotypes and prejudices perpetuated by separating privileged children from low income populations will ensure that they also will have no opportunity to “change fundamental group culture”.
While you worry about the effects of speech and behavior patterns of low income children on your son, empirical research continues to support the conclusion that parents are the single most influential factor in a child’s development. It’s a shame that, as a parent, you’re not interested in including equity on your agenda.
“Be the change you want to see in the world”
–Gandhi
Stephanie, thank you for your clear and well reasoned reply. You said just about everything I was thinking when I read the article. It still amazes me that not only can someone like Heather,think this way, but not see the errors that you pointed out. It must be because she is an example of what is wrong with her ideas. They come from an insulated view of the world.
It is not just what the rich kids can give the poorer kids that is beneficial, it is what the poorer kids can give the rich kids–a view of the larger world outside their bubble.
Yes, that view is not always sweetness and light, but it also is not always harsh and dark. In other words, it is like real life. U.S. public schools have an unequaled variety of cultures and views that enrich a person’s knowledge and appreciation of the world. It is one thing to read about different cultures, it is another thing to experience them. Yet, another thing a person learns meeting different types of people is that even with all the differences they are all human beings who share the same feelings and needs. No group has a monopoly on joy, sadness, courage, or the desire to be loved.
Perhaps, one value that poorer kids might have a stronger attachment to is the sense of fairness and, yes, equity. This is not true for all of them, but many, having been mistreated simply because of who they are, understand better the importance of Jefferson’s ideal,”all men are born equal”. How odd that someone in America would think that equity is not an important value. And, odd also that someone would think “separate but equal”, and negative stereotyping is perfectly fine to promote for their children and for our society.
You may wince at the word racist, so I won’t deal with that argument. I can tell you where you come off sounding like a total asshole: “(Again, being painfully blunt: if your mother didn’t go to college, you probably have speech & behavior patterns that I don’t want my child to learn, because it will not benefit him in life.)”
Are you kidding me? I guess automatically we aren’t going to see eye to eye considering I teach in a public charter school in East Oakland, California. But here are some things that my fifth graders have said to me in the last week, despite the fact that their mothers and fathers didn’t go to college:
-On choosing which book to read for a 1:1 reading assessment: “I’m not sure which one. That one is about wolves which is really interesting but this one is about slavery which we learned about in Social Studies. They both sound really good so I can’t decide.”
-”Ms. Byrns, can I have my final draft back? I think I can make it better. I want to rewrite it tonight.”
-”I want to go to U.C. Davis because they have really cool sports there and I can learn about animals.”
So, perhaps you should spend some time with children who are growing up to be the first generation in their families to go to college before you make such offensive statements about their general behavior and language. To make such a broad statement is ignorant and does nothing to advance your point.
At least you’re honest about why you aren’t sending your kids to public school but really, you can’t see how being elitist and classist is also racist when poverty impacts people of color so disproportionately.
Also, although it’s really nice of you to think that “equity” benefits only poor kids by exposing them to rich kids, an education that exposes ALL kids to a range of economic and cultural experiences benefits ALL our kids.
Unfortunately, there is a long history of an unequal distribution of wealth among minorities, with African Americans and Hispanics severely overrepresented in the lower income brackets. Furthermore, Hispanics and African Americans also graduate from college at much lower rates. In fact, according to the 2009 census, in Multnomah County, Caucasians account for 39.55% of adults with Bachelors degrees, Asians make up 34.08%, African Americans 17.38% and Hispanics only 14.83%.
Obviously, there’s a significant correlation between lower incomes and non college graduates, pushing the numbers of minorities making up this population to an even further. Therefore when you speak about low income families, and the children of parents who have not attended college, you ARE primarily speaking about racial minorities.
Everyone has the right to be a little self centered when it comes to their children, but that does not imply the right to place blanket value judgments on the children of others. Whatever the solution to “Portland Polite” is, this isn’t it.
Wow. This is a really shockingly sad post. To say that students who’s parents are non-college educated have behavioral and speech problems is terrible. My parents are not college educated and I am in graduate school, my sister is a nurse, and my brother is a home designer. And neither of us have had any speech or behavioral problems. What you probably meant by that was “black” students who’s parents are uneducated. You sound very ignorant and I can only wish that you could open up your eyes and see the reality of this situation through a more critical lense.
I have to say that this is not at all shocking to me though it’s sad all the same. I’m not surprised that a wealthy, white woman in Portland doesn’t want her children in school with kids who’s parents haven’t gone to college. I’m not surprised that equity isn’t her concern – why would it be? She’s white, she’s obviously not strapped for cash too much if private school is a real option, so equity doesn’t NEED to be her problem…that’s what privilege is all about. I’m not surprised that she’s missing the connection between institutionalized racism and classism and a move toward inclusive equity in schools. I’m just not surprised.
However, I am sad. As a social worker, as an education professional, as a therapist, and as a human in this community I am sad that we continue to fight against equity. Know what happens when rich kids and poor kids go to school together? Everyone gets the same educational opportunities. People who traditionally are excluded from educational excellence access it and people who are traditionally so privileged that they don’t need to worry about ‘equity’ are exposed to communities and people who live the reality of inequity. Those children, Heather’s children, might have the opportunity to grow up to be members of our community that fight for equity rather than against it and have a real-life experience of being around people who know what it’s like to be oppressed.
As for me and my house – we’ll continue to fight for equity both professionally and personally until every child in Portland, Oregon (and one day the United States of America) has the same access to the same education and the same teachers and the same standards and the same technology and the same programs. We will keep fighting. And maybe one day all children will be able to communicate cross-culturally…rather than being afraid of how ‘the other’ might speak.
I feel a little sad for you. I don’t know why you are afraid of people who are different from you, but they may be a better influence on your children than you think.
I went to a small, rural grade school. There were 13 people in my 8th grade graduating class. I am one of a few who graduated high school, and the only one who ever went to college.
What am I up to now? I’m 26 and about to finish a Master’s degree in Social Work at one of the top 20 MSW programs in the nation. My experience in grade school helped, not hindered, the person I am today.
What your kids’ home life is like is going to determine the choices they make more so than the dialect of the kids around them. All the “headstart” kids around them will do is make them more compassionate than you, with an ability to see them as real people.
Don’t like it? Sounds like you’re able to send your kids to private school if it’s that important.
Heather has written a response to this post and the resulting comments and posted it on her blog. The post is entitled, “I said what?? (or: Mea Culpa)” http://edumusings.wordpress.com/2011/03/03/i-said-what-or-mea-culpa/
Hi Heather. I am thirty years old. My mother only got an AA in secretarial science. My father didn’t go to college at all, instead deciding to become an electrician. Judging by your post, you would seem to consider them inferior parents that produced offspring
My mother is a lovely, articulate, well read woman who devours current events and western history with equal passion. She taught us the joy of reading, and to this day we all consume books, both fiction and non voraciously. My father is a polite, intelligent man who taught my brother and I that hard work and reaching for goals are some of the most important values we can embrace, and that finding work you love is one of the most important things you can achieve. Even at thirty its rare to hear him swear or speak ill of someone else in front of us.
I would like to think that my parents, despite not meeting your petty and unexamined standards for being “good” – produced good, well behaved kids, who have each found success in their own way. I managed to get a degree, and have a prosperous career with one of the largest social game developers in the world. I support the arts, and taught myself japanese. I donate to local health charities, and volunteer with resident summer camps and social organizations. I have made smart decisions regarding investments, and carry no debt at all, which gives me the opportunity to travel the world.
My family had little money, and I went to public school. I am one of those people you assumed had “speech & behavior patterns that I don’t want my child to learn.” Except I didn’t. I was well behaved and scored well in reading and writing. My more “privileged” peers, often demonstrated behavioral problems and poor academic performance. These kids generally demonstrated that despite having Professional Parents With Money, you can still have poor “speech & behavior patterns” – especially if you have little exposure to people less fortunate than you to give perspective.
If you harbor fears that your children will be corrupted by the children of poor or uneducated people, then that indicates a lack of skill in parenting on your part, not a systemic problem.
correction: Judging by your post, you would seem to consider them inferior parents that produced offspring not suitable to for exposure to yours.
Two cents: down here in L.A. I work closely with the public and private school community. Wealthy and educated parents in some private schools not only find equity a worthwhile and beneficial goal, they are willing to make it financially feasible by donating extra money to the tuition fund so the schools can offer scholarships. See, they want their privileged children to be surrounded by the brightest minds, and these highly educated folks know that the brightest minds come in all races and classes.
Actually, the more I think about it, your post really refutes itself. It is obvious that wealth and privilege do not always produce learning on a higher plane.
Wow, I’ll be sure to let the other parents at Irvington know what you think of your neighborhood school. Oh, by the way, our school’s auction is next week…but we wouldn’t dare expect you to deign to mingle wit the proletariat.
So, let me get this correct. Heather’s ideas didn’t come across too well?
What is perhaps most disturbing about this post is the clear sense that there is absolutely nothing of substance here- this person is writing with the sole purpose of generating a reaction so she can subsequently blog about the experience of trying to be an “honest,” “reasonable,” parent whose been misunderstood by “closed-minded,” “socialist” Portlanders. This post is about projecting the image of having thought through something profound like education and been “brave” enough to say something that pisses people off. Puke.
Let’s be real: no twenty-first century American would make the public statement: “if your mother didn’t go to college, you probably have speech & behavior patterns that I don’t want my child to learn,” unless they are looking to stir up controversy. The content of the message is classist, racist (and she knows it), and profoundly ignorant. Moreover, the author’s treatment of the subject of equity in education as fodder for her own attention-grabbing antics is, frankly, disgusting. Such disingenuousness bespeaks a total lack of real interest in the topic or, really, in much beyond the sound of her own voice. Hey, while she listens to herself blather on, why don’t those of us who care about education go share ideas on what we’re doing to continually improve it?
Is anyone else concerned about middle school math in Portland Public Schools? I keep running into parents on soccer fields and other events who are struggling to have their child’s need met if their child is above grade level. I am having the same struggle and would love to hear from other PPS middle school parents in the same boat: yeigh@comcast.net.