Now Students List What Is Good About Slavery
There are times it seems progress is being made and much of that change is happening in schools. Or not. A Texas charter school decided it would challenge their students by asking them to list the positive aspects of slavery in their American History Class. This happened at Great Hearts Monte Vista School last week. While this is a charter school and schools are free to create creative curriculums it is still public money and there should always be a high degree of responsibility. In this case, this was not exercised in what looks like an isolated incident.
8th graders were instructed to list the positive aspects of slavery. They knew for themselves this was wrong. Perhaps that is the one positive aspect of all this; the children knew better than the teacher. Right now it looks like the school has learned a lot more than what they expected the students to learn. Unfortunately, in today’s environment of racial insensitivity, there are those in and out of the school who support the question being asked. This incident shows us the day; when concern for how anyone would feel about past atrocities and the evil of slavery are no longer considered.
To its credit the school has apologized and is taking steps to keep this from happening again. The school has tried to imply a history book by a school vendor needs to be studied to make sure it did not compel the teacher to ask such a question. Pearson, the publisher of the text book, has denied any responsibility and stands against anything resembling support for slavery or human trafficking.
It’s always easier to accept whatever responsibility an institution owns and support the belief you claim to have because actions are the greatest teacher.
Retail Shopping; The New Civil Rights Battleground
In the early 1960’s African Americans were not allowed in certain stores in America. Could not eat at certain restaurants, shop in certain stores, stay in certain hotels and could not be buried in certain cemeteries. Free and open access to stores and public areas were battles fought and won during the Civil Rights movement through laws and court battles. For decades the fruit of these battles have become a way of life. However, this freedom is being challenged in stores and shops across the nation.
The night President Donald Trump won, patrons in stores across the nation acted out their dislike of minority people with rants about no longer putting up with political correctness and minority rights. Most thoughtful people thought it was the ravings of the unhinged. Some people are not so sure anymore.
Starbucks reminds us there are two distinct set of rules on the treatment of customers. One is full of respect and the other is mean and unyielding. Last week two African American men arrested for waiting inside a Starbucks. Police were called and they were removed in handcuffs. Fortunately, they were not charged and Starbucks has come under extreme scrutiny. The company CEO has apologized to Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson who are both 23 year old entrepreneurs who were attempting to do what millions of people have done at Starbucks; to sit and talk over coffee and discuss business. Since last week the Nelson and Robinson have received an apology from the Philadelphia Police Commission Richard Ross. Ross who is African American first defended the actions of his officers. He has since said his officers acted within the scope of the law but did not exercise good judgement.
In New Jersey last week, two African Americans were escorted out of a gym they were members of (LA Fitness) after they refused to rescan their membership card. They had already done so. LA Fitness has apologized for the error and plans to retrain their staff to keep this from happening again. They are welcomed back into the corporately owned gym in the future.
An Oklahoma Native American died in police custody in June of 2017 on a trip to his father’s home in South Dakota. Zachary Bearheels of Kiowa City, was kicked off a bus and reportedly abused by policemen in Omaha, NE. Bearheels suffers from mental illness and was beaten and tased by two officers. In this case the officers are now heading to court for felony assault and will go to court in November. This era of abuse and bigotry is new and mean.
Sitting while Black, Waiting while Black, working out while Black, retail racism, riding while Indian, and shopping while Black are some of the new impressions of what is happening in Trump’s America. There is some good pushback after the fact, but it doesn’t keep the incidents from happening. Problem is the core notion of promoting racial disharmony has not stopped and its firm jaw of intolerance shows no sign of loosening.
One has to demonstrate little insight to see that only people of color are on the wrong side of Trump’s view towards the world. Only Caucasian nations are treated with respect and dignity. This country can change things from the outside and understand the mean-heartedness of the president will never warm. Change should not rely on someone so invested in hate and division, it should belong to good people.
