Yesterday I was reading Black Spin and was surprised at the article that I came across. The headlines read: Chicago Students Plan First Day Boycott.
If you read yesterdays lesson, it talked about the Montgomery Bus Boycott and I charged our generation to start a modern day Civil Rights Movement for the issues that we face today.
Boy was I excited to continue to read the article to see how Chicago planned to carry this boycott out. From Black Spin:
Chicago State Senator James Meeks (D-Chicago) has proposed a rather radical action to protest the underfunding of Chicago's inner city schools. Meeks has issued a call for all school kids in Chicago's poorest districts to boycott the first day at their assigned school and instead head to resource-rich predominately white schools and attempt to register there.
From the Chicago Tribune:
Nearly 50 ministers on Monday embraced plans for students to boycott at least the first day of Chicago Public Schools classes, a move aimed at ramping up pressure on state officials to address widespread inequities in education funding.The church leaders from the city's West and South Sides pledged their support as lawmakers return to Springfield on Tuesday to meet in a special session Gov. Rod Blagojevich called to consider the funding issue that has vexed lawmakers for decades.The ministers said they would urge their congregations and communities to participate in the first-day boycott Sept. 2 and attempt to enroll Chicago students in New Trier Township High School District in north suburban Winnetka."We refuse to continue to allow the State of Illinois to orphan our educational system," said Rev. Albert Tyson of St. Stephen AME Church.
When Governor Blagojevich was asked how he felt about the boycott, he stated, "It's counterproductive to urge kids not to attend school. If a child misses a day of school, that child will miss an opportunity to learn. I think children should take advantage of every possible day they can to go to school."
As usual I had one of my moments and was taken back to the Montgomery Boycott. I am walking along the side of a friend and both of us are on our way to work. The White people that we work for live clear across town. I had to wake up extra early just so I could make it to work on time. As we are walking, the bus rides by and ask us if we need a ride. We quickly brush them off and say no thank you. We would continue to walk until the fight was over.
I flashforward a little, and can see my children being escorted by cops into the white schools, as white students and parents stood on the side yelling out, "We don't want niggers in our school". I remember smilling with admiration as my children walked with their heads held high and continued on to their classroom.
I quickly come back to reality and wonder if a modern day boycott could really work? It might seem disruptive, but people tend to only react when something extreme happens. What if schools across the country took the same action? Would it have the same affect as the Montgomery Bus Boycott or would the government not respond at all?
For this to work, the entire community would need to get involved. Just like when employees of a company go on strike and will not stop until a compromise is made, the community needs to protest until their issues are addressed. The students should not be encouraged to miss school all year to get the point across, but after that first missed day, others should protest around their local government offices for as long as it takes. Bloggers and other media outlets should cover the story and spread the word to other cities.
Keeping up with the Huxtables says congratulations to Chicago for trying to take some form of action. The rest of the states need to follow!
1. Do you think that the boycott is a good idea?
2. Do you think that it could pressure state officials to really respond?
3. What would your ideal boycott consist of?
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20 comments:
I am aware of this boycott and I had first hand knowledge of it prior to the announcement. I think drastic times calls for drastic measures. If not now, when? I think this boycott will open the rest of America's eyes to the inadequacies in the way public schools are funded. I hope America will wake up and make some changes. It is unfortunate that educators/education is no longer respected. I think a lot of the people who make the decisions affecting the school system don't really care about the students in the system.
I would like to believe that a mass boycott would send a message. I wouold not like to see the kids put in any danger by doing so. New Trier should offer a fairly civilized environment, but boycotts are always risky for violence and injuries.
We have severe problems with our education system in Florida as well. I don't know what can be done about it. The state is constantly reorganizing the tax structures, but for the poorest, "economically distressed" counties, the children do without.
With all the money spread out over the Chicago school system, and the fact that many of the wealthiest students attend private schools, there should be a solution with redistribution of funds. I think no group has been creative enough, but most sadly, not concerned enough to develop an equitable system.
I agree! I do not think the children should be put in danger. That is why I think the entire community should get involved and protest til their concerns are heard. For years we have been asking for more school funding and a better educational system. For years it has been talked about, but nothing has been truly done. Sometimes that calls for drastic matters. During the Civil Rights Movement alot of people stood up for what they believed in and it resulted in alot of sacraficing on their parts. They ran the risk of being hurt, yelled at, and called names. It took them awhile for any change to be made. But simply asking for change doesn't seem to work in this country. I think that a boycott or protest is neccessary. What I hope is that a plan has been made and they have thought out all of the danger this can cause. If they have throughly set down and planned this out, things can run alot smoother.
The thing that bothers me is that we spend so much money on war claiming to protect other people. We go over to other countries and offer aid. Celebrities adopt babies from Africa. Schools are built for students in other countries. There are a number of dollars spent to so call improve other areas, yet we forget about things in our own backyard. I dont mind the US being the saviors of other people, as long as they don't skip over those that they have to live with every day.
It is 2008 and we still face some of the same issues we did before the Civil Rights Movement! Something needs to be done fast.
I agree with you both about not putting children in danger. During the Civil Rights Movement, the entire family/community was involved. Many of the people involved believed that change was necessary. The other day I watched the episode of the Oprah show that highlighted the dysfunction/nonfunctioning schools around the nation. They took lower class Black students from the South Side of Chicago to visit affluent students in Naperville, Illinois and vice versa. When the students from Naperville saw Harper High School and the conditions, many of them looked as if they would cry. The students from Chicago eyes got as big as silver dollars when they saw the facilities at the Naperville school.
Why isn't education valued in America? Why is it that we pay entertainers millions of dollars to entertain and we can't put a small percentage of that money into our schools. My hope and prayer is that this boycott will open America's eyes and change will come.
I think the boycott is smart in a symbolic way and stupid in a effective way. It brings attention to something that will not change. It lets you know the parents have enough fight to organize but not enough to say where the school fails I guess I will have to succeed. It's a classic case of they have more and we don't and we're going to throw a tantrum to get it.
Now the kids learn a valuable lesson early instead of waiting til their adults. That lesson is no one will do anything about it but at least you said something.
Ideal Boycott: Is to start your own school, bankrupt the city and educate your kids the right way. If you have enough to organize why don't you have enough to get to a real solution.
Freeman: I guess that goes back to the whole idea of if we rather be segregated or integrated? The boycott is asking for the government to take action, and you are asking for us to just build our own schools sorta like HBCU's for younger kids. I always agreed that we should start starting and running things for ourselves. I'm not sure which one would come first, government funding or us starting our own schools.
I feel bad for the children, as they wait around for all of us to get off of our butts.
My concern is that this boycott isn't going to really address the problem. I'm a CPS teacher, and I can tell you that CPS does spend a lot of money per student. CPS also misappropriates millions of dollars each year that could go to improving our schools. CPS spent $60 million on a software program to record attendance electronically. The program was purchased and installed before being tested. The program does not work. CPS does not fund its own schools fairly. CPS schools in wealthy neighborhoods (where more white students are in attendance) spend a great deal more and are budgeted a great deal more than CPS schools in poorer neighborhoods. I think Rev Meeks should address that inadequacy. It's bad enough that our students (at my school) know that their schools can't compare with New Trier. It is even more insulting that their school can't compete with fellow CPS schools in better neighborhoods.
I applaud your vision. If a boycott could be well-enough organized, it might have some effect. For one thing, don't schools lose federal money for the days that kids don't attend? It's a small incentive, in the big picture, but it might actually count for something.
I had a different kind of vision some time ago. (I live in Philly suburbs.) We spend so much money on professional sports, including salaries, and just look at all of the amenities that the players receive, in addition to their salaries. Special astro-turf, shoes, equipment. Lot of stuff!
Clearly, kids don't charge the system enough (I thought to myself) for the "privilege" of attending school. And I invented a scheme with teams and trading card with kids' photos and stats. I think I even wrote up a blog post about it in another blog-chapter of my life.
I try not to begrudge celebrities or sports figures their astronomical salaries, and for myself... I really don't. But, when I see and hear and read about the conditions of kids in urban public schools, and contrast that with the sports extravaganza that comprises any ordinary weekend on network and cable TV... I do begrudge them.
I guess that, bottom-line, for a boycott to work, there will have to be some kind of economic consequences for the system. Right now, with kids dropping out, there is no real consequence for the school system, just for the kids. It's like an inside-out boycott. A self-defeating one.
Thinking out loud... what about a reverse boycott? Would there be any way to convince kids who don't go to school often enough, that if they went all the time, and took advantage of every possible activity or benefit they could, that they would be sticking it to the system? That would also require a lot of organization, but it would have the advantage of lacking the potential for harm that staying away from school does. And maybe it would inspire some of those celebs with the astronomical salaries to give something back where it would really count.
it is stupid we need to be in school each day of the year
Governor Blagojevich has missed the big picture, and I'm surprised that his comment has not spurred more attention, as I immediately felt some offense. If a child misses a day of school due to this boycott they are not missing an opportunity to learn, they are GAINING an opportunity to learn. While this boycott might seem futile it can speak volumes to a young child whose parents, guardians, and other adult influences take the time to help them understand WHY the boycott is necessary, and even more importantly WHY it is vital to take a stand for what you believe is right. Instances such as this are what teach people is how to stand up for themselves, and develop concern for others around them, their community, and the world at large. There are many things that can be learned in the classroom, but the lessons that this boycott can provide cannot, especially since this is a "hands-on" experience. It's one thing to learn about the civil rights movement and leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr., but when you actually participate in something similar everything that you know gains new meaning.
I know that I've been speaking a bit idealistically, and that there are many children who may learn nothing from this event (because an authority figure did not take the time to speak with them on its importance), however I know that I would have been greatly affected by this boycott.
I'm not sure how I feel about the boycott as a whole. Is it really a futile attempt? I'm not sure. However, at least they are doing SOMETHING when there are soooooo many doing NOTHING.
catherine: You made two good points.
1. Students can learn so much from actually participating in the boycott. So often we think that students should only learn whats in a text book, but there are so many life lessons for them to learn. During the Civil Rights Movement Blacks learned about having pride and standing up for what you believe in. We don't know anything about that anymore!
2. You said that you are glad they are doing something, when there are so many people doing nothing. I think as a race we spend more time pointing out what others are doing wrong. I don't think we ever stop to ask what are "we" doing to help the cause.
@ Torrence, what good is a child being in school if they are not learning or the environment is not conducive for learning? I know first hand many children DO NOT give a good dog gone about school. They don't come prepared, and they don't do the homework, so what are they doing? I'll tell you, being disciplined. A lot of the time in the classroom is spent trying to maintain order so there is very little time for instruction.
Many of the kids in urban schools have been in environments where education is not valued and that is part of the reason the school systems across America is in the shape that it's in. We don't value education, we value entertainment. It is apparent when you have the Mayor of Chicago in China concerned about getting the 2016 Olympics. The Governor of Illinois was at the state fair auctioning off cows when he called a special session for the legislators. What message are they sending to the children? If they were truly concerned, they'd put the money where their mouths are.
Foxxy: I agree. Being in school becomes a waste of time, if they aren't learning anything. With the conditions the way they are, going to class is almost as bad as just staying home.
If we could figure out how to get kids to come to school, a lot of problems would be alleviated. I wish we could figure that out. Attendance is a major issue. I am just afraid this boycott will provide another excuse for kids to stay home from school. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. My school's attendance hovers around 75% on a good day.
I was checking this out the other day as i was watching a Rainbow Push conference on TV recently.
I think its a good move, as in a good first step. I do think they should extend it to one week rather than one day to make a significant impact.
With Cook County Ill being the largest African American population per capita in the country, this would be significant, and could very well be the start to somrthing big. Of course their issue is theirs alone since they happen to be ranked #47 out of 50 states as the inequality of funding shows (thats what I got out of the conference).
I think overall this is a problem all accross the country, and its gonna take alot of media coverage, and even the good work of the Bloggersphere for this to take off.
After all...
the smartest slave wasn't the house negro, nor was he the field negro. The smartest slave was the one who ran away.
I say boycott, and be commited to change. Thats the only way you can get things done on a political level. The embarrassment should be enough for the state gov't to get off their asses and make it happen.
First of all, James Meeks has very mixed standing with blacks in Chicago.
Secondly, at those saying that no education is taking place in schools is true to some extent--but I think Meeks and his supporters are not fully comprehending the law. As far as Chicago is concerened, schools get funding based on attendance. So, the less kids, the less money is getting sent to that school--and I can guarantee that he's prolly not going to get 100% participation, meaning that some students are going to ultimately suffer.
Furthermore, he's supposedly trouncing these kids out to New Trier high school which is whole other district than the city of Chicago. He's not going to have enough evidence to enact the power of this School's Choice program and the people at New Trier are going to ultimately send them back packing.
Furthermore, we're the only country in this world that pulls school funding as a result of property taxes. Property taxes, don't get me wrong aren't cheap especially with many old brownstones on the south and west side, but they still pale in comparison to northern suburbs. So, comparing these school kids "marching" for equal rights verus these modern day kids "boycotting the school" I think sends the wrong message.
Moreover, I think by not going to school the first day totally sends the wrong message. I don't think it sends a message of fighting for what you believe in, but rather that you're neighborhood school, the one that you're parent's property taxes paid for doesn't matter.
It would be nice if the governor would call his bluff and actually pay attention to the real concerns that James Meeks is raising--which is school funding is effing disproportionate.
Annnnnd....I've found a new blog to add to my blog roll!!
Uppity Negro: You make alot of great points! Thats why any plans that any of us have to ever make a change, needs to be throughly thought out. Like you said, at the end of the day the Governor should realize what they are trying to fight for, and make some stuff happen!
Oh yeah and thanks for the add! I will do the same...lol
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