>I am not proposing a rehash of the old Multi-Cultural Gender Fair >Disability Aware Shtick. > <snip> >I am positive that there are staff in the school district that believe >in ending oppression, but belief is not action. We have been trained in >a multitude of ways to use and access our privilege subconsciously...we >must be consciously trained to not use it. This program would teach HOW >to be an ally, how to be anti-racist and not just stating that racism is >bad. We know that racism and other forms of oppression are "bad." We now >need to provide real and viable curriculum and tools to dismantle >oppression.
Personally I think it's oppressive and disappointing that the schools in Minneapolis have a 50% graduation rate. I'm wondering what your proposals are Brandon to increase the graduation rate. Matthea writes: Privilege, by definition, is something that those that oppress, are totally unaware of their adverse behavior of those without the prvililege. Privilege is one of the largest hurdles systems change activists work to address, because it is very difficult to get, otherwise "very nice" people to understand that their behavior or lack of of activity, is hurting another individual or group of individuals. ================================================ Let's teach our kids they CAN succeed and do well -- and let's not teach our kids that because they are oppressed in various ways, they don't have a chance to succeed. I've been to some of these anti-racism trainings, and have also been to anti-sexism training (it was required), when I worked at the state. That training didn't do anything to change the attitudes of those I worked with towards women. What did change attitudes was demanding respect, and calling people on their stuff when they did things that were insulting. Often an unintended consequence of such training is to intimidate people into not talking or bringing up real issues for fear of being called racist, sexist, homophobic (name your flavor). Successful minority folks -- like Tonya Moten Brown who is second in command at the University of Minnesota gets called a "house negro" because she fires the women's basketball coach -- who deserved to be fired. Meanwhile, when Brian Herron pleads guilty to extortion, he gets lionized in Insight. What type of message is this sending to African American Children? Meanwhile the Republican Party of Minnesota in trying to reach out to minorities, gets Lucky Rosenbloom as President of the Black Republicans. I've talked to African Americans in the Central Neighborhood who are appalled at this type of condescending and frankly racist "outreach". Eva Eva Young Central _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
