Did you know that racism in America is getting worse? At least that is what The Nation tells us in an article written by Gary Younge.
I had to laugh when I read the article. Younge acknowledges that there is a black president, a black attorney general and a black editor of the New York Times, but it does not matter. According to Younge, schools are segregated again, and that is more important than anything else. As part of the lecture, we are told that districts with a majority of minorities just do not have the resources to provide a proper education for their students. In Younge's view, it seems we are moving back towards becoming some sort of apartheid society.
This is totally delusional. I live quite close to the nation's largest school system in New York City. It also happens to be the nation's largest system with a majority of minorities. The expenditures per pupil in New York are extremely high; there is no dearth of resources. In fact, the state of New York spends more per pupil on public education than any other state, and New York City spends more than most other districts in the state. For each student, New York City spends roughly $20,000 per year. Just to put this in context, the state with the second highest level of expenditures per pupil is Alaska, and it spends roughly $16,000 per student. In other words, the largest minority majority school district in the country is also spending way more per student than all those wealthy white districts that younge tells us have so much more in the way of resources.
Now don't get me wrong; the results achieved by the New York City schools are not good. Those results, however, are due to educational bureaucracy, teachers' unions, protection of substandard teachers and the like. It has nothing to do with discrimination against the students.
The reality of America is that many in our society have moved on far beyond race and racial issues. We should not listen to those like The Nation and Mr. Younge who try to resurrect charges of racism to advance their political agenda. Too many people fought for too long to end racism to let the race baiters bring it back, even as a political ploy.
I had to laugh when I read the article. Younge acknowledges that there is a black president, a black attorney general and a black editor of the New York Times, but it does not matter. According to Younge, schools are segregated again, and that is more important than anything else. As part of the lecture, we are told that districts with a majority of minorities just do not have the resources to provide a proper education for their students. In Younge's view, it seems we are moving back towards becoming some sort of apartheid society.
This is totally delusional. I live quite close to the nation's largest school system in New York City. It also happens to be the nation's largest system with a majority of minorities. The expenditures per pupil in New York are extremely high; there is no dearth of resources. In fact, the state of New York spends more per pupil on public education than any other state, and New York City spends more than most other districts in the state. For each student, New York City spends roughly $20,000 per year. Just to put this in context, the state with the second highest level of expenditures per pupil is Alaska, and it spends roughly $16,000 per student. In other words, the largest minority majority school district in the country is also spending way more per student than all those wealthy white districts that younge tells us have so much more in the way of resources.
Now don't get me wrong; the results achieved by the New York City schools are not good. Those results, however, are due to educational bureaucracy, teachers' unions, protection of substandard teachers and the like. It has nothing to do with discrimination against the students.
The reality of America is that many in our society have moved on far beyond race and racial issues. We should not listen to those like The Nation and Mr. Younge who try to resurrect charges of racism to advance their political agenda. Too many people fought for too long to end racism to let the race baiters bring it back, even as a political ploy.
1 comment:
The education problem lies with the desire TO LEARN, That needs to be taught AT HOME. Stable families produce well educated children.
I am tired of the left blaming the plight of educating minority youth on racism. ALL EDUCATION STARTS IN THE HOME.
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