"One More River to Cross"

Charles Lawrence

Context:

• segregation
• people of color
• white
• privileged
• schools
• label
• seperate "but equal"
• Brown vs Board of eduacation
• power

Argument:

Lawrence argues that in the courts decision regarding Brown vs. Board, they did not recognize (or chose not to recognize) the true nature behind segregation as a deeply rooted issue that is not easily destroyed.

Quotes:

"If one views the Brown case narrowly, as a case intended to desegregate the nation's schools, history has proven it a clear failure."

"Segregation's only purpose is to label or define blacks as inferior and thus exclude them from full and equal participation in society."

"Equality of education is not enough, there can be no equality under a segregated system. The American negro is not a dominant minority; therefore he must fight for complete elimination of segregation as his ultimate goal."

Tracking:Why Schools Need to Take Another Route

JEANNIE OAKES

Context/Premise:

• schools
• students
• classrooms
• high-ability
• low-ability
• learning opportunities
• differences
• alternatives

Argument:

Oakes argues that the tracking system in schools is only affective in high-abilty classrooms. Students placed in lower-ability classes are not recieving the same learning opportunities.

Evidence:

"Sterotyped as "less-able" and have fewer opportunities to learn."

"Students who are placed in high-ability groups have access to far riched schooling experiences than other students."

"Students who need more time get less, those who have the most difficulty learning seem to have fewer of the best teachers."

Other Stuff:

I don't know if i agree or disagree with the idea of tracking. Being placed in a room filled with students who are educationally on the same page as you seems right. Being in a class where students are of different abilities could hold back the higher-abled students and loose the lower-abled ones.

On the other hand, mixing everyone together could help the low-abled students stay on track. Studies have show that "as children interact with their environment, they acquire cognitive abilities", and that higher-abled students do just as well in mixed classes.

In The Service Of What?

Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer

Context/ Premise:
-politics
-community service
-service learning
- schools&classrooms
-education
-support&effort
-giving&caring
-feelings

Argument:
Kahne and Westheimer argue that learning about and actually participating in community service should be brought into school systems for students to experience first hand. This could be as simple has not even coming in contact with the people, just a good changing feeling for the students. From hands on participating, students can take in more then just giving a helping hand.

Evidence:
"In addition to helping those they serve, such service learning activities seek to promite students' self-esteem, to develop higher-order thinking skills, to make use of multiple abilities, and to provide authentic learning experiences--- all goals of current curriciulum reform efforts."

"Service learning can advance other priorities, such as the acquisition of vocational skills."

"..both the motivation and joy that come from giving and the importance of altrusim."

"The most broadly supported goal for service learning activities is to convey to students the importance of charity."

Linda Christensen

Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us

Context/Premise:

-media
-stereotype
-Disney
-influence
-racism
-young children
-hidden message

Argument:

Christensen argues that the media portrays bad stereotypes and that children are easily influenced by these characters leaving them with bad judgments.

Evidence:

“At the age of three, these children had a set of stereotypes in place.”

“Although these stories are supposed to merely entertain us, they constantly give us a secret education.”

“Many students don’t want to believe that they have been manipulated by children’s media or advertising. No one wants to admit that they’ve been “handled” by the media.”

“Many who watched cartoons before we start our study say they can no longer enjoy them. Now instead of seeing a bunch of ducks in clothes, they see the racism, sexism, and violence that swim under the surface of the stories.”

Other:

I really enjoyed reading this. I know a bunch of toddlers who love watching cartoons. I never realized they could get a negative message at such a young age.

First Black Princess

I thought this was really interesting!
A new Disney movie "Princess Tiana and the Frog" is coming out in 2009 with the main character being a young girl of color. Its about time! =]

Soo i was watching The Ellen DeGeneres Show , and this totally reminded me of what our class has been talking about. On Valentines day a 15-year-old boy was murdered by a classmate. The boy who was killed was homosexual. He had asked a boy to be his Valentine and the boy killed him. It was so horrible that a boy wanted to be his Valentine that he killed him. I couldn't believe it!

Homosexuallity is stereotyped as something terrible and bad starting at such a young age. It really is sad to think about. I couldn't imagine hiding my sexuality just so someone wouldn't kill me. =(

Talking Point # 3

"Gayness, Multiculturalism and Community"

Context/Premise:

Gay
Lesbian
Straight
School
Invisible
Separate
Normal
Abnormal
Oppression
Homophobia
Democratic
Public
Silence

Argument:

Carlson argues that reinforcement in the classroom about the respect towards gender and sexuality is crucial for the change in the outside world towards the issue.


Evidence:

"Public schools in particular have often promoted such "normalizing" conceptualizations of community that are based on defining a cultural center or "norm" and positioning class, gender, race, and sexual Others at the margins."

~Carlson is saying that public schools teach children right off the bat that the “norm” in this world is to be straight. Such things as teachers expecting all children to have one mom and one dad could through off someone’s judgment.

"I want to suggest that public schools may play an important role in helping build a new democratic, multicultural community, one in which sexual identity is recognized..."

"For the time being, at least, this means that the public schools are caught in a dilemma over gayness, unable to please anyone, and unable to act without inviting attack from one side or the other."
~School systems don’t know what to do. Whatever they choose to do, someone will be unhappy.