Tuesday, August 28, 2007

High School Administrator Orders Black Males To Sit In Front Of Classes

From the Beaumont Enterprise comes this story about the Ozen High School Assistant Principal's e-mail directive.

Assistant Principal Elvena Colbert sent out an e-mail stating that all black male students were to sit on the front row in classrooms.


I guess this caused some confusion and outrage, because the Principal has since overridden the order. But before anyone jumps the gun and cries racism, it is important to note something in this. The AP's name is Elvena Colbert and she is black.

So, Al Sharpton can unpack his bags and Jesse Jackson has no need to clear his schedule. There will be no need for a trip to Beaumont (Texas), after all.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm kinda....eh, on this one. Probably not a good idea to send this email out. But one question - isn't it true that even though a black woman issued the decree there are still racial stereotypes present here?

LA Sunset said...

Mark,

//isn't it true that even though a black woman issued the decree there are still racial stereotypes present here?//

More than likely, one can make the case for it. I certainly wouldn't have recommended that she make this kind of move, because it doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand the fact that not all black males are trouble-makers.

My reasons behind the post were to reassure the race-baiters that love to jump to conclusions, this wasn't a white woman and inappropriate comments can be made about one's own race just as easily as those from another.

Now, we'll see how the race card-players react to this, once they know the specific demographics. Will they call for her head on a platter, or will they simply chastise her, and forget it.

Anonymous said...

Fascinating issue. On the one hand, being race-conscious and keeping statistics on performance gives you useful information. On the other hand, actually using that information means making decisions based on race, which can obviously be controversial or even illegal.

Also, at the outset, isn't it fair to question whether the schools should be spending more time on the kids who "stare out the window and doze off," at the expense of the kids who work hard and pay attention?

I asked myself that question as I saw the new Boston school commissioner give her first press conference. She said her priority would be to focus on "underachieving, underprivileged minority students" (apparently no one clued in the former Memphis school commissioner that whites are the minority in Boston). I thought to myself, "My kid is (1) not an underachiever, (2) not underprivileged, and (3) not black (we all know the comm'r meant black/brown kids and not asians)." So, basically, my kid isn't a priority to the new school commissioner. Needless to say I didn't appreciate it. I enrolled my daughter in the Catholic school where she will receive the attention she deserves.

A.C. McCloud said...

Good luck up there, Greg. We ran her out of Memphis after several years of failure. And that's hard to do.

Anonymous said...

Interesting, A.C. - now that you mention it, Memphis didn't try too hard to keep her.

L'Amerloque said...

Hi Greg !


/*/ …/… So, basically, my kid isn't a priority to the new school commissioner. Needless to say I didn't appreciate it. I enrolled my daughter in the Catholic school where she will receive the attention she deserves…./… /*/


Yes, Amerloque had the same reaction and did the same thing in the 1980s, here. The local schools have a yearly "school project" that supposedly mobilizes the pupils throughout the two terms. Back then, the local public school principal had chosen … the Olympic Games … as the school project !?


Total BS, in short.


Neither Amerloque, nor Mme Amerloque, nor the children (now in their 20s) have ever regretted the choice.


Best,
L'Amerloque