Saving Central: A Story of America's Resegregating Schools
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 เม.ย. 2014
- In Tuscaloosa today, nearly one in three black students attends a school that looks as if Brown v. Board of Education never happened. Central High is one of those schools. Meet Principal Clarence Sutton Jr. as he fights to save his students from the effects of resegregation.
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I was in this school in 1990/91 as a german exchange student and graduaded as a senior...great experience....
It’s still like this!
The college student talking to the class about caucasian students asking about stereotypes( Are african Americans "ghetto"?) is basically noting the reality of segregation in the South and what it produces.
This is the reality of America.
I feel for my high school because of the opportunities that were stolen from us, and the fact that nobody tries to understand. You can not fix anything without understanding first what the issue is. I was a victim of that 2007 rezoning and I can tell you that this video is telling the truth.
I would go to spend time with my friends I had to leave behind because we live on the south side of Tuscaloosa. They went to schools like Northridge and Bryant. When they were learning Algebra and Trigonometry in 9th and 10th grade, that wasn't yet on the curriculum for Central. My friends at NHS got the opportunity to take Physics without having to be in AP/Honors or IB. At my high school those classes weren't offered. Now being a teenager at the time I just felt dumb compared to them, looking back now I ask myself, "Why was our curriculum at CHS different from the other two high school?" As young adults, what did we do to deserve this disservice? How could the Tuscaloosa City School System and Board of Education sleep at night knowing full well that they had put us at a disadvantage and did so purposely? The facts are that Central wasn't a failing school, a failing school was created because greatness can't possibly rest solely on the black side of town. I am a proud graduate of Central High School c/o 2012, and nobody can tell me what they think about Central because had your child been in that position your perspective would change completely.
It's a shame Madeline! I do pray that you were able to rise above. The harder they make it... the stronger you will be. The stronger you are, the more change you can help lead this country through in the future.
Dear Madeline, The real problem is quite simple:
Authorities work on large scale problems and answers. Worse, they are "committee-bound", which means their solutions are never anything more than "consensus". (The easy way out). So, being born on the "wrong side of the tracks/ town" is a bad thing in three ways:
1. That's where the disenfranchised come from. (Losers, minorities).
2. Very few people ever make it across the tracks (up town).
3. They don't/can't make it, because of (1.)
It's true. The odds of succeeding from that start are minuscule. History proves it. So, they are a waste of time and money.
"Segregation" is the result of being socially/financially unacceptable from all of the above , compounded by being the wrong Religion, or colour, or worst of all having different customs/attitudes. (SOCIAL acceptability)
The world only works on the principle that made Rome the ruler of the world.
WHEN IN ROME (simply) DO AS THE ROMANS DO.
If you are brown the odds are stacked against you. They are much worse if you are black-black. (Oh, yes, colour/shade is even important in the Negroid world.)
Just like the 100 million low-class whites in the USA, you will have to work at getting out and up. Education isn't everything but it is a long way in front of what comes second.
It is all about "fitting in". Whatever you do, forget about being "African American" you aren't. You are a minority class American - like an Indian. Study the social system. Learn to speak properly- study it - it is the 3rd most valuable social possession you will ever have.
So, you aren't going to be socially acceptable till you do these things and there is one last thing that counts: where you live. When you can, you get an address. A socially acceptable one. Just not on the "wrong side of the tracks" get out of the main ghetto. You move to a "better class of Black people" area.
You can do it your writing proves it.
Just remember the 100 million - yes - many times more than black - whites in the same shape, but worse in some ways, as they don't benefit from the special government programs that are available to you. Go research....
Namaste! (Indian -the real one - for go to your best)
Madeline I went to NHS class of 08 and you telling the whole truth.
And over at NHS we KNEW the difference in the curriculum we had vs y'all.
Thing is, a lot of us was on the south side too.
Southwood, South park, University Manor area is 5 minutes from Central High but we was zoned for Northridge. Hell even Queen City was zoned for NHS and it's right across the street from Central.
But understand we got used. They used us to make NHS enrollment high and overcrowded so they could argue that North of the river needed a middle school.
When they got Northridge Middle school approved, they rezoned Southwood South park Woodlawn manor to Bryant because they didn't need our neighborhoods for enrollment scheme anymore.
@Madeline I m not from the South . I have visited a couple times but that's it. Thus I don't personally know what high schools are like there and can only contrast my HS experience with yours.
I think your point on not getting opportunities seems accurate. It strikes me that racially segregated schools in the South give students separate and unequal educations .
I went to a high school that was ok, basically good. As a senior , I was in 2 AP classes ( my school only offered 4 AP courses) and I did some extra curricular activities . I think it worked well for me when I went to college .
The only thing I can see here about your experience avd this video is unfairness . African Americans are in an unfair system that seems rigged against them but are expected to be up to date and ready to compete like everyone else . That means inevitable failure .
Keep Pushing! The hard work is not over. We can, we will, we must!
Must what Sylvester?
All anyone has to do is copy the winners and get out there and LEARN HOW TO DO IT.
One last point: the failure of blacks in the education system isn't about intellect, it is about intellectual environment. Not just the physical address, it is about INGRAINED ATTITUDE.
THAT is the product of the local social environment.
In the USA today, there are fantastic opportunities to educate yourself with nothing more than ATTITUDE. (or DESIRE).
Like I am fighting against in far off Australia - the social disintegration caused by 'handouts" - a system designed to produce bums (losers). My country has literally slipped to 3rd world status in education in just two generations. Everything is "free" and worse:
THE COMPETITIVE ELEMENT HAS BEEN DELIBERATELY REMOVED IN SOCIETY HERE.
The only good point is that those very, very rare people with drive can get anything they want - there isn't any competition!
Last point: E.G. There are very few Aboriginals left in Australia ( most were killed in the colonial days). Those that are still alive have a life expectancy if a male of 45 years.
The amount of money spent on those very few by the Government is staggering.
Billions and billions wasted on insane programmes that cannot work.
Gigantic wasted education programmes "teaching cultural history" and no effort to either inculcate them into White society, or leave them alone!
But, any individual Aborigine can have anything they want - if they will earn it. Most wont.
sad :(
Poverty, poverty, poverty, poverty, poverty, poverty, poverty, poverty, poverty, etc.
Just keep saying it.