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State legislators in Nebraska have approved the
implementation of three separate school systems in Omaha..One for blacks,one for
whites,and one for hispanics.The psychology underlying this separation is
that
by turning over the predominantly black schools to
its own governance,the black community would have a vested interests in the
competence and academic outcomes of the schools.There is also the advantage of a
more dynamic attempt to upgrade those schools with economic parity
with the other schools.I personally am not opposed
to all
black institutions.It is well known that black kids
were highly motivated and excelled in schools during the days of
segregation.When busing and integration came along,black performance in those
integrated schools declined even up to this day.Integration might have advanced
funding for all the schools,but during the days of segregation,kids came out
reading well and parents and teachers took an interest
in those black schools and the drop out rate was
not as high as it is now.
I have told black seniors that they should
comtemplate going to a black college for their undergraduate
degree.
I assure them that they will graduate,but there is
no guarantee that they will graduate if they go to other
predominantly white institution and forget about
graduating
magna or summa cum laude.Black institutions have a
tremendous impact on the black person from a socio-emotional-cognitive
standpoint.Parents are also in close contact with the blacks schools.They feel
it is part of them.
Again the psychology behind the current separate
but equal
idea in Nebraska is the realization that blacks
will have control on all levels and with controls come appropriate
and competitive reinforcement.Having taught at two
historically black colleges,students appreciated my seminar
in Afro-centric psychology.There is something wrong
when blacks folks are told that they have to intermingle with white folk in
order to learn or to get better learning or that the Eurocentric domain is the
way to go.
Michael J.Sylvester,PhD
Daytona Beach,Florida
"When everybody thinks alike,nobody is thinking."
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