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Post by Bornthrilla on Jun 12, 2007 12:37:09 GMT -5
Freeze, you came on this site and posted this article to obviously alert us about a negative trend currently affecting our youth. It sounded like something you were personally very concerned about. I asked you, as someone who works in education, what are some solutions to the problem, what courses of action can we take to fix this situation.
You tell me: "You have to find your own launching point. You have to discover for yourself where you want to sail to and where you want to anchor. Define the problem. Find your own solution. Dedicate yourself to that cause."
Thanks bruh. I will get to work on that. The revolution will not be televised.
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Freeze
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Post by Freeze on Jun 12, 2007 12:43:51 GMT -5
Freeze, you came on this site and posted this article to obviously alert us about a negative trend currently affecting our youth. It sounded like something you were personally very concerned about. I asked you, as someone who works in education, what are some solutions to the problem, what courses of action can we take to fix this situation. You tell me: "You have to find your own launching point. You have to discover for yourself where you want to sail to and where you want to anchor. Define the problem. Find your own solution. Dedicate yourself to that cause." Thanks bruh. I will get to work on that. The revolution will not be televised. Why all the contention bruh?? I cant even begin to suggest how horribly you took my post out of context. You must have skipped over the direct suggestions I gave you and the ones that Aggie 77 suggested. Exactly whats your angle cuz?? You need a hug or something? We gave you some suggestions. If you dont like them, thats fine. But dont make yourself look like an a$$ who cant read or doesnt like to listen. It actually funny that you would use the Last Poets phrase the "revolution will not be televised" because they were talking about the very same thing that I am. By the end of the sixties, a lot of true radicals were concerned that the Civil Rights Movement had become one big photo opp and disingenious at best. To hell with the spot light and the glare of the camera. What can we do in our own way to find solutions to what confronts Black America. You have yet to offer your own solutions to that yet. I gave my two cents, what is yours? Or do you not have one???
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Aggie77
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Post by Aggie77 on Jun 12, 2007 12:58:55 GMT -5
Dude, the glass is half empty, but the pitcher isn't. There is no recipe “fix" because the problem is as varied as the number of kids. The "fix" is to find what is of interest to the individual and build on that to expand the desire to learn about other things. It's simply overwhelming to go to an after school program and try to engage 15-20, 5th,6th,7th graders about academic success. With that number of student you have to find commonality, the result is playing dodge ball and keeping them from breaking a leg. The “fix” is one-on-one mentoring and guidance, some people call it parenting.
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Post by Bornthrilla on Jun 12, 2007 13:07:42 GMT -5
Cousin, I'm trying to listen to you but you aren't really saying anything. You are telling me to identify what the problem is, volunteer at my local church or high school and basically hope and pray that things will work themselves out.
I guess I was hoping that after posting all those statistics about the decline in HBCU graduation rates and so forth, and giving all those personal testimonies, that you would have an equal ammount of data to show which specfic direction we need to go in to flip those numbers around and what would be our best chance to make the greatest impact.
For instance, I kept hearing how everyone complained about A&T's athletic budget, how we are so broke, how we ranked near the bottom of the conference in spending, so .... as a SOLUTION to that issue I decide to organize a online fundraiser. It won't solve all our problems but I felt it my make some small difference.
This was how that process worked:
1) I was dissastified with something (our athletic department is broke) 2) I identified what I felt was one of the main problems (lack of fundraiser/alumni giving) 3) I came up with a potential solution and took action (organized a online fundraising campaign)
Honestly Freeze, you are the one who seems to be getting defensive just because I asked you an honest question that requires more than a campaign slogan and empty rhethoric. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO REVERSE THIS TREND?
Actually, you and I are on the same team here. We both want to see black people excell academically. There really is no beef between me and you.
You may have confused my tone, but I am still wanting to know what can be done to fix this problem. If you don't really know, just say that ... and then maybe together we can all indentify some tangible solutions.
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Gator
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Post by Gator on Jun 12, 2007 13:12:07 GMT -5
My issue with all of this is why are we trying to compare ourselves and institutions to PWC, when economically and educationally, things are not even or level. It's a nature of the beast, capitalism, that we as a people are in this situation. Therefore, our institutions have had to adjust to survive. HBCU will have to continue to adjust to survive. If families, communities, culture, and the public school systems are contributing factors in producing the kind of kids described above, then our institution must prepare to address the situation. A very good point made in the article above was about preparation (before arriving on campus). Are HBCUs to blame for this, no. I think our institutions are trying with the resourses and hand that they've been dealt by society. Bottomline, these kids and their families are going to have to be held accountable. If that means low graduation rates, so be it.
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Post by Bornthrilla on Jun 12, 2007 13:15:31 GMT -5
I haven't the foggiest idea. I don't even know where to start at this point. Thats why I asked you what can be done.
You are the general here; I am the foot soldier. Just waiting for my marching orders.
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Gator
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Post by Gator on Jun 12, 2007 13:50:53 GMT -5
Actually, to fix this problem we'll have to fix the family, communities, and the public education system. It will have to be a collaborative effort of all entities to change the current focus and mentality of our people. This begins in the home and in our communities. We have to offer alternatives to kids starting out early in age i.e. boys and girls club, boy and girl scouts, mentorships, community clubs, educational trips... A Call to Action should be adopted as an agenda for all of Black America. We can't wait on Rev. AL and Jackson. We as a people need to start holding each other accountable. If the kid gets in trouble, then the parents need to be held accountable too. I'm not advocating family distruction but a family must pay a penalty or the kids gets sent off for remedial family training (boot camp). Drastic situations require drastic measures. The time for babying and feeling sorry is no more! You work with those that have a desire, but may have a learning disability. Those that walk around without a care will get the no care treatment and end up suffering consequences. Other kids will be shown those kids as an example of the path not to take.
This, in my opinion, can serve as foundation to begin the change process!
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Freeze
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Post by Freeze on Jun 12, 2007 14:01:16 GMT -5
I'm not sure what you are looking for from me. I posted the article that correctly identifies many of the present issues confronting our students, our schools, our parents, and ourselves. In my opinion, the author is not suggesting that Black colleges should go the way of the dinosaur. He is merely saying that this was his experience at an HBCU after two years of teaching there. After my first year in the college classroom at a respectable HBCU, I can understand exactly where he is coming from because I have observed many students with those same distorted perspectives on life. The article serves as a warning that if this trend continues then Black colleges could become irrelevant and obsolete.
When I told you that I took it upon myself to have a "safe who I can" philosophy by actually teaching at a Black college and embedding history into my young brothers and sisters that they can appreciate and build upon, you asked what could you do to help. I am telling you that these young brothers and sisters from college to elementary need to hear from you, need to see you, need to touch you and see that you truly care for them and want the best for them. This in itself is a step in the right direction. I wish I could post or forward to you all the emails I received from students that I came in to contact with this year who said that they appreciated my role in their lives as young men and women. Thats why I do what I do. Thats why I get out the bed in the morning. Thats my reward. There is a huge generational gap between these students and the civil rights era folk. They dont know who they are and further more, many of them do not care. Why is that? Because there has been no "laying on of hands" with this generation. You need to actually lay your hands on some of these kids and give them direction. I cant tell you how many young brothers I held behind in class to talk about them about their grades, about their dreams, and about how they were f**k**g up in my class and continuing in that fashion was unacceptable. When's the last time you looked a young man or woman directly in their eye and told them whats what?? Thats difference making.
Maybe you were expecting me to give you a power point presentation full of statistics and a 10 point program to liberation. Hell I wish it was that easy. On the MEACFANS site, my lifes philosophy is found in my signature which is a quote from James Baldwin: Teach our children. For we will profit or pay for whatever they become. So I decide to teach, to mold, to shape, to love. If you dont think thats worth anything and if you want to dismiss my philosophy as hollow rhetoric that doesnt make a difference, then so be it my friend.
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Post by Bornthrilla on Jun 12, 2007 14:02:42 GMT -5
OK, how about this: what specifally can the BDF as an organization do to make a difference here? We all seem to work well as a group. Maybe we can make our presence felt outside of the realm of college football.
BTW: Freeze, I apologize if I came off the wrong way in this discussion. We need more cats like you who are fighting this good fight. Perhaps you can be the one who spearheads a new BDF initative to help young HBCU students.
I value your expertise, passion and committment.
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Freeze
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Post by Freeze on Jun 12, 2007 14:10:35 GMT -5
Intrestingly enough, I just received this email about Hackley's response to the negative press surounding our beloved alma mater:
Maybe we should keep Dr. Hackley on as Chancellor! This is in response to the negative press NCA&T has been getting lately.
(Dr. Lloyd Hackley has been the interim chancellor for NCA&T for the past year. On July 1, Dr. Stanley Battle, president of Coppin State, takes the helm.) Just FYI, here is Dr. Hackley's unedited response: Obrie: I have seen this article and others very similar to it. Having served now as head of three HBCUs, and having spent about seven years as chair of the president's commission on HBCUs, I find a lot of truth in what is said. The decline started in 1954 with Brown, was accelerated in the 70s with Adams vs. Richardson, and will be further exacerbated with No Child Left Behind. Nevertheless, the power to decimate HBCUs in the hands of African American people, and the power the stop the decimation is in the power of African American people. These colleges are suffering from a lot of internal rot from the top down and including trustees. A&T did NOT have to suffer the way it has; nobody sneaked into A&T and did this to us. Too many people see these colleges as places for employment and self-aggrandizement; thus, they effect an air of bigotry of low expectations, which from some sectors can be called racism and from other sectors called ""crabism." In other words, some inside these HBCUs in trouble seem to be saying, "... if I am riding on a ship that is going down, I may as well ride first-class;" In other words, I may as well get as much as I can get while it is until afloat - salary, position, resume enhancement, "proving my commitment to diversity just by showing up," and other actions not related to the students' best interests..
HBCUs deserve better service within the institution including from their CEOs and all other leaders and trustees. Some HBCUs may very well die in the next decade, but those that live ought not do so just because of their history or just because of their predominant population, but rather because they are equal to the task of graduating students in numbers that are least at the national or state averages, students who are intellectually and behaviorally competent. Allowing those factors to control their existence that have nothing to do with quality and productivity of outcomes is a form of bigotry of low expectations.
Regards,
lvh
Obrie
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Post by Bornthrilla on Jun 12, 2007 14:35:29 GMT -5
I think as black people we historically have done a great job of identifying the problems that plague our community. We have no trouble quoting stats about the AIDS rate, unemployment, high blood pressure, single families, etc.
Unfortunately, I think we are in our current situation because we have not done as good of a job when it comes time to offer solutions to those problems and galvanize our people into a course of action.
Jesse and AL will go on for hours about 75 percent this .. 15 percent that ... study's show this ... in 2003 that occurred X many times ... but when you sit down and really pick their brain for a solution, a lot of the times all you get is: 'Keep hope alive."
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Freeze
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Post by Freeze on Jun 12, 2007 15:12:42 GMT -5
I think as black people we historically have done a great job of identifying the problems that plague our community. We have no trouble quoting stats about the AIDS rate, unemployment, high blood pressure, single families, etc. Unfortunately, I think we are in our current situation because we have not done as good of a job when it comes time to offer solutions to those problems and galvanize our people into a course of action. Jesse and AL will go on for hours about 75 percent this .. 15 percent that ... study's show this ... in 2003 that occurred X many times ... but when you sit down and really pick their brain for a solution, a lot of the times all you get is: 'Keep hope alive." Thats an interesting spin on it. What I have found actually is that a great deal of Black folk sit around waiting for someone to tell them what to do to fix their own problems. If you go back and read what alot of former activists had to say about it, you will find that there existed a small division between leaders and grassroots activists. The leaders wanted to tell them what their problems were and what the solutions were going to be, whereas many grassroots activists noted the fact that the people already know what the problem is and that they are working towards the solution already. What has occured in the post civil rights era is that many folks have become so leader dependent that they sit on their hands when the problems and the solutions are staring them in their face. Read some Stokely Carmichael or Charles Hamilton, or better yet get the book written on Ella Baker who helped to organize SNCC independent of the leaders who were trying to take over the students and see what they had to say about it. Taking small steps doesnt mean you are going to wipe out the problem overnight, but a step is a step....is it not?
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Post by Bornthrilla on Jun 12, 2007 15:26:32 GMT -5
So basically you're saying those small steps consist of volunteering at a local HS or church.
Would you suggest that the BDF look into creating some type of mentor program?
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Freeze
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Post by Freeze on Jun 12, 2007 15:34:01 GMT -5
Man you crack me up....hold it in the road bruh, hold it in the road.
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Post by Bornthrilla on Jun 12, 2007 16:14:02 GMT -5
I'm just all about the solutions, man.
Sometimes you have to kill the rhetoric and just roll up your sleeves and get it done. Lets figure this thing out and help our younger generation get back on track.
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