Omaha schools may be officially segregated

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darsmama

· #3 · Apr 14, 2006

Call me naive, but I wouldn't have a problem with this IF education was the same across the board & you weren't forced to go to a school solely on the color of your skin.
If you were spanish speaking, and wanted to go to a spanish speaking school you could go. Same with English/Russian etc.
Have your native tongue the predominant with classes in Spanish, or English or what not. KWIM?

This is just off the top of my head..But does what I'm saying make sense?

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pumpkinsmama

· #4 · Apr 14, 2006

Ummmm... I'm moving near Omaha in June. I don't really get that they would have more control or quality teachers. I'm pretty confused by this in general.

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Chambers said the schools attended largely by minorities lack the resources and quality teachers provided others in the district. He said the black students he represents in north Omaha would receive a better education if they had more control over their district.

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Boundaries for the newly created districts would be drawn using current high school attendance areas. That would result in four possible scenarios; in every scenario, two districts would end up with a majority of students who are racial minorities.

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Supporters said the plan would give minorities control over their own school board and ensure that their children are not shortchanged in favor of white youngsters.

How will this help? Will all the districts have the same income?

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angelpie545

· #5 · Apr 14, 2006

Okay, I'm sorry, but I think this is totally wrong. Too many people put way to much emphasis on race and education. I don't think race should every be a factor regarding education, and realistically, it isn't, unless someone decides not to properly instruct someone because their skin happens to be darker than the next student's. If that is the case, there are grievances procedures in place to curb such behavior. However, I'm not sure what the case is in Omaha, but I know where I am from racism is hardly a problem. I do understand that this isn't the case in other states, however.

I think we should focus on all student's learning, and what is best for all collectively, instead of saying: well, what's best for the whilte students, the black students, the hispanic students. Splitting them up according to outside appearance perpetuates and encourages racism. We need to think of students as a whole, as one, as many beautiful colors blended into one, instead of seperating them according to looks. All students deserve equal education, regardless of how they look.

What is happening in Omaha is unconstitutional, reagardless.

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swimswamswum

· #6 · Apr 14, 2006

Somebody wake me up when it's 1964.
I grew up in Omaha as did DH. DH is a grad of OPS and is really upset by the proposed changes. Currently, there are some fantastic schools in the Omaha Public School district that all kids in the district can access. The city is also REALLY racially and subsequently, economically, segregated. I think this is going to be a nightmare if funding for the new districts is based on geography. If funding of the new districts depends soley on the area's tax base, this is going to be extremely ugly. Omaha is already a city with major differences in wealth and swarming suburbs with people trying to "get away" from "those" people who don't look and think like them.

I have been following the rhetoric behind changing the district and it has been full of racist and classist underlinings.

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swimswamswum

· #7 · Apr 14, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by darsmama
If you were spanish speaking, and wanted to go to a spanish speaking school you could go. Same with English/Russian etc.
Have your native tongue the predominant with classes in Spanish, or English or what not

There are already wonderful schools in the district that offer bilingual education to all kids- the classes are half English half Spanish speakers and they do M-W-F in English and Tu-Th in Spanish so the kids will come out proficient in both languages. It isn't like the needs of the kids aren't being met. It is a really good district.

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RachelGS

· #8 · Apr 15, 2006

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!

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lilsishomemade

· #9 · Apr 15, 2006

Wow....I went to school at a high school in usd 501, which was the usd in the Brown v. Board of Education...I'm just surprised, I can't believe there are people who think this is a good idea.

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Tata

· #10 · Apr 15, 2006

So, what if we got rid of districts and simply divided the money equaly?

Then kids in the poorest "districts", let's say in Chicago as an example, could have simple learning tools like pencils and textbooks. Or, buildings that are maintained and safe, secure environments and even well paid teachers.

Why is that a bad thing? Because people with excess money seldom want to just "give" it to anyone. Even if it will do enormous amounts of good. They want to keep it for themselves and their "kind". That's the "American way of life". They would rather create a system that protects what they have. Even if it's at someone elses expense. Why should they provide for the common education of people who don't have as much money as they do? Why not, is the better question.

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chersolly

· #11 · Apr 15, 2006

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Originally Posted by RachelGS
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!

My sentiments exactly!

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mirandahope

· #12 · Apr 15, 2006

If people from diverse backgrounds are schooled together, they are socialized together and learn how to interact when the get into the "real" world, post school. When they are segregated, there is a great opportunity for misinformation, false ideas, misconceptions, and discrimination to breed and gain power. Some colonial powers have purposely segregated ethnic groups in order to divide and conquer, allowing the groups to do damage themselves, through being separated institutionally.

I am saddened to see this proposed and wonder why such an option is being considered? I read that the authorities want to give Hispanic-American and African-American students an advantage over their European-American counterparts.

Maybe there is an argument somewhere, similar to the argument that girls learn better when they don't have boys competing for attention in their classrooms, to suggest that segregation would level some playing fields within these ethnic groups (but who is to say they are cohesive or homogenous groups unto themselves either! Most of us are a lovely combination of genes and cultures from many sources!)

But what happens when students educated in such a divided system encounter people of diverse ethnic origins? Would the institutionalized racism of the past resurface with a strong resurgence?

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sunnybear

· #13 · Apr 15, 2006

What??? I went to a k-8th school that boasted students representing over 40 different countries. This was a GREAT thing that had a very positive impact on my life, meeting people from so many different backgrounds, some vastly different from my own. How can this be good? Like a PP said, it seems like it will only encourage racism.

DH read over my shoulder and said, "Sweet! We're regressing!"

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swimswamswum

· #14 · Apr 15, 2006

A little background on this- Omaha was trying to incorporate rich suburban districts into a single powerful OPS with a "one school one district" proposal. This would have, as some posters have suggested, made all of the schools supported by a single tax base. The suburbanites FREAKED out and this seems to be a twisted compromise. Many threatened to move further away (which is really funny, b/c they are literally taking up all of the farm land getting away from the big scary city) and yank their kids from their current schools. From what I have gathered from liberal friends and family (yes there are a few) in the 'ha- this whole thing came out of the same irrational fears that help drive suburbanization. The rhetoric has been really hateful with the lovely mask of feigned concern for children. I am really disappointed that Ernie Chambers, Nebraska's lone African American senator is supporting the bill. I expect it from most of the politicians there, but not from Mr. Chambers. Like others said, raising children without diversity doesn't do them any favors for the "real world".

I can't believe this is legal. There was that "crazy" Civil Rights Act in 1964 and Brown- I wonder how it's going to be justified.

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Tata

· #15 · Apr 16, 2006

"If people from diverse backgrounds are schooled together, they are socialized together and learn how to interact when the get into the "real" world, post school."

Absolutely.

"A little background on this- Omaha was trying to incorporate rich suburban districts into a single powerful OPS with a "one school one district" proposal. This would have, as some posters have suggested, made all of the schools supported by a single tax base. The suburbanites FREAKED out and this seems to be a twisted compromise."

Exactly.

The sad thing is, this could be a test case. If it stands and does not get knocked down on the Civil Rights Act or other constitutional grounds, it could start a movement in this direction. Back to the glory days of separate but equal. A slow reversing of the Civil Rights Act itself.

Give it time, boys. We'll have them upity (derogatory racial slur here) back in their place soon 'nough. Give it time.

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Marsupialmom

· #16 · Apr 16, 2006

Are they going to pull the monies together and divide it equally among the districts?

I know one of the issues with busing (growing up) was that the kids that were being bussed families couldn't afford to go to the school for functions or parent/teacher meeting. Getting a taxi is expensive. Having to take off the day. Public transportation issues running late enough, schedule often enough. Et. So I do worry about drawing districts that make it hard for parents to be involved in the school. Another issue was it was a racist system because only black/minority kids got bussed.

Do they need to build more schools?

It sounds like a poor solution to a problem.

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swimswamswum

· #17 · Apr 16, 2006

DH just talked to a friend who's father works for OPS and rumor has it that this was all proposed so it would be shot down as unconstitutional. Basically, the idea was to propose such an outrageous type of districting as to force the laws to change and then incorporate the rich suburban districts (because they have been so resistant).

I really hope that this is true. It made me feel a lot better that most of the people in the city don't actually think it's a good idea.

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Pynki

· #18 · Apr 17, 2006

You know what I've been warring with myself on this about?

I think it's abad idea. But, I'm white. Who am I to tell these other families that are other ethnicities that I know best for them. It puts me in a really uncomfortable place in my mind.

I mean. I FEELS wrong to me. It feels well segratory, and wrong, and like it will negatively influence the students. I mean if they already aren't getting the support they need under ONE school district how is splitting into 3 going to help? I lived in Omaha for about 4 years and I had friends all over town, who went to school all over town. I don't know how this is going to help.

But again, and a white person who am I to tell the African American community or the Hispanic community they are wrong if this is what they want. I'm not close to Omaha anymore, so all I'm seeing and reading is Chambers view on it and a bunch of white people saying it's a bad idea.

Anyone have any closer/local sources on this?

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momof3sweeties

· #19 · Apr 17, 2006

swimswamswum said:
Somebody wake me up when it's 1964.
QUOTE]

I heard about this news story a few years ago...Let's go back 30-40 years...yuck.

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But again, and a white person who am I to tell the African American community or the Hispanic community they are wrong if this is what they want. I'm not close to Omaha anymore, so all I'm seeing and reading is Chambers view on it and a bunch of white people saying it's a bad idea.

If this is what they want...fine...it just seems wrong somehow. It seems segratory to me.

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Marsupialmom

· #20 · Apr 17, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pynki
You know what I've been warring with myself on this about?

I think it's abad idea. But, I'm white. Who am I to tell these other families that are other ethnicities that I know best for them. It puts me in a really uncomfortable place in my mind.

I mean. I FEELS wrong to me. It feels well segratory, and wrong, and like it will negatively influence the students. I mean if they already aren't getting the support they need under ONE school district how is splitting into 3 going to help? I lived in Omaha for about 4 years and I had friends all over town, who went to school all over town. I don't know how this is going to help.

But again, and a white person who am I to tell the African American community or the Hispanic community they are wrong if this is what they want. I'm not close to Omaha anymore, so all I'm seeing and reading is Chambers view on it and a bunch of white people saying it's a bad idea.

Anyone have any closer/local sources on this?

But why is it ok or even benificial for minorities to to segergate themselves like this? But it is ok for whites? How white or black do you have to be.

I am caught. I don't think schools should be that far away from a child's home. Getting to and from school shouldn't be a burden (added stress to the child). But this can lead to defacto segragation, don't think that is completely benificial for anyone.

I don't see why the monies cannot be divided better.

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