Advanced California HS Science Fair Project Promotes Racist Theory
African American students at a Sacramento, CA, high school are upset over a science project that proposes that Black students do not participate in the magnet school because they are not as intelligent as White students. The project was created by an Asian student who theorizes based on intelligence tests given to his classmates that African Americans, and Hispanics are not able to handle the academic rigors because they lack the basic intelligence. After the science project was put on display, Black and Hispanic students were offended. The display was taken down after it was up for several days.
Much like B.T. Washington Magnet High School, the school is designed to create an academically and culturally diverse learning environment. Because of its mission, it’s even more harmful that this project was even allowed to be conducted. Questions are being asked by nervous administrators.
The project titled “Race and IQ” proposed the hypothesis “If the average IQs of blacks, Southeast Asians, and Hispanics are lower than the average IQs of non-Hispanic whites and Northeast Asians, then the racial disproportionality in the Humanities and International Studies Program (HISP) is justified.” Accordingly, the project claims because African Americans scored lower on intelligence tests, they ae not as smart as white students who disproportionately occupy the most spots in the coveted school. The bibliography and quotes attributed to the project should say plenty about the content. Part of the contributions come from the 1904 book titled “The Essential Kafir” that claimed that South African blacks were inferior intellectually to ruling whites. The author is a young Asian student who has a history of racially insensitive comments in class. He has not been identified or interviewed.
Out of the 508 students only 12 are African Americans, 80 are Hispanic and 104 are Asian. Despite all of the so-called advances in racial equality, in a place where cultural diversity is celebrated, apparently it is also debased. Educational attacks on the intellect of people of color is not new.
Eugenics or human biodiversity claims science proves the hierarchy of human intelligence can be identified by race. In recent years the book “The Bell Curve” (1994) by political scientist Charles Murray made another attempt to tie IQ scores to racial differences in intelligence. In recent years his theory has gained new steam. The emergence of Alt-right politics has used the bigoted theory to promote their views on immigration. Was Trump making the same argument when he voiced he preferred immigrants from Norway over those from Mexico and Africa? Reputable experts have long debunked these theories and have pointed out that the singular use of an IQ test created by a White scientist, fails to take any the myriad of context that goes into coming to any conclusion. Accordingly, the IQ test, while passing the criteria for a scientific test; was based upon values, backgrounds and educational factors. Meaning judging intelligence on an IQ test alone is like judging a box by only looking at the front of the container and ignoring the back, bottom, sides and insides.
Sadly, this tired attack on people of color over their brain capacity is not new. It happens to keep the ruling class on top and keeps their equals from rising because they are afraid they might have to share. Having the truth of intelligence told to those who don’t want to listen is a fight that shouldn’t be fought.
Ben Carson Hasn’t Opened Any Doors
One time presidential candidate Ben Carson is the highest ranking member of the Trump administration and is the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), an agency he describes as the “philanthropic” arm of the federal government. He is a well-known brain surgeon but has no governmental experience. Like President Donald Trump. He at first declined any role in the administration, and had to be talked into taking the job by Trump. Now he runs a $46 billion dollar agency that is going to soon be trimmed down to $39 billion.
The cut comes at some displeasure to him because he knows the cut in funds means many people needing assistance will not get it. The least of us. And despite his unusual conservative beliefs, he knows what services mean to the people he serves. But, not so much it has caused him to fight back against the administration budgets cuts. Someone has to pay for those tax cuts for the rich.
Although Carson can be accused of bringing his conscience to the huge agency, he is also not without his problems. For one thing, Carson has been known to bring his wife and grown son to work every day. They would lock themselves behind doors and not interact with any of the staff. His son Ben Carson Jr., an investment consultant may have made some questionable moves. Junior invited an executive of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services to a HUD event. Three months later his wife received a $485,000 contract from the invited company. No current proof of anything fishy going on. Not yet anyway. News of the transaction has led to the family staying away the last week.
What he hasn’t done is make things better, provide opportunities for African Americans or, create more innovative housing opportunities. He has not been happy with Trump’s comments on race relations. However, he has not said much to dissuade Trump from being racially insensitive.
It’s unfortunate there will be cuts, because the reduction in funds come at the time when for the first time since 2010, homeless levels have tragically ticked up. And now he is doing it with less people. When President Ronald Reagan was in office he had 16,000 employees. By the end of President Barack Obama’s administration, congressional budget cuts shrunk the agency down to 8,000 employees. With billions less in the coming years, he will have even more to do with less money and staff. This may cause Carson to leave. Carson would have nothing to lose by fighting for this agency’s life and more importantly, fight for the most vulnerable. He has a chance to stand out as someone who evolved to the point he did the right thing when others blindly followed immoral orders.
