Black Community News News and Commentary for Christians
The educational achievement of white youngsters is nothing to write home about, but that achieved by blacks is nothing less than disgraceful. Let’s look at a recent example of an educational outcome all too common. In 2016, in 13 of Baltimore’s 39 high schools, not a single student scored proficient on the state’s mathematics exam. In six other high schools, only 1 percent tested proficient in math. In raw numbers, 3,804 Baltimore students took the state’s math test, and 14 tested proficient (http://tinyurl.com/y7f56kg2). Citywide, only 15 percent of Baltimore students passed the state’s English test.
Last spring, graduation exercises were held at one Baltimore high school, 90 percent of whose students received the lowest possible math score. Just one student came even close to being proficient. Parents and family members applauded the conferring of diplomas. Some of the students won achievement awards and college scholarships (http://tinyurl.com/ydb3v2ya). Baltimore is by no means unique. It’s a small part of the ongoing education disaster for black students across the nation. Baltimore schools are not underfunded. Of the nation’s 100 largest school systems, Baltimore schools rank third in spending per pupil (http://tinyurl.com/ybzglbyp).
Baltimore’s black students receive diplomas that attest that they can function at a 12th-grade level when in fact they may not be able to do so at a seventh- or eighth-grade level. These students and their families have little reason to suspect that their diplomas are fraudulent. Thus, if they cannot land a good job, cannot pass a civil service exam, get poor grades in college and flunk out of college, they will attribute their plight to racism. After all, they have a high school diploma, just as a white person has a high school diploma. In their minds, the only explanation for being treated differently is racism.
Let’s look at math. If one graduates from high school without a minimum proficiency in algebra and geometry, he is likely to find whole fields and professions hermetically sealed off to him for life. In many fields and professions, a minimum level of math proficiency is taken for granted.
Let’s look at just one endeavor — being a fighter jet pilot. There are relatively few black fighter jet pilots. There are stringent physical, character and mental requirements that many blacks can meet. But fighter pilots must also have a strong knowledge of air navigation, aircraft operating procedures, flight theory, fluid mechanics and meteorology. The college majors that help prepare undergraduates for a career as a fighter pilot include mathematics, physical science and engineering.
What’s the NAACP response to educational fraud? At a 2016 meeting, the NAACP’s board of directors ratified a resolution that called for a moratorium on charter schools. Among the NAACP’s reasons for this were that it wanted charter schools to refrain from “expelling students that public schools have a duty to educate” and “cease to perpetuate de facto segregation of the highest performing children from those whose aspirations may be high but whose talents are not yet as obvious.” Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys is a charter school. In 2016, 9 percent of its students scored proficient on the state’s math test. This year, over 14 percent did so. It’s in the interest of black people for more of our youngsters to attend better schools. However, it’s in the interest of the education establishment — and its handmaidens at the NAACP — to keep black youngsters in failing public schools.
Few people bother to ask whether there’s a connection between what goes on at predominantly black high schools and observed outcomes. Violence at many predominantly black schools is so routine that security guards are hired to patrol the hallways. The violence includes assaults on teachers. Some have been knocked out, had their jaws broken and required treatment by psychologists for post-traumatic stress disorder. On top of the violence is gross disorder and disrespect for authority.
The puzzling question for me is: How long will black people accept the educational destruction of black youngsters — something that only benefits the education establishment?
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Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University.
The views expressed in opinion articles are solely those of the author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Black Community News.
I read recently that the teaching of math is considered racist by some. That’s how to successfully strive downward.
Liberals have the NAACP in their hip pocket and the NAACP will dance to any tune the progressives play. Most comparisons show there is a definite learning advantage for children taught in a Charter School vs Public School.
The various Teachers Unions (Democrat front people) have a strangle hold on the education/indoctrination system cloning uneducated progressives to support their cause and are anti Charter as well.
Hopefully, although highly unlikely, the NAACP will return to their original tenets of helping minorities succeed.
Dr. Williams, you highlight a black community problem, however, it applies to a lot of white communities also! Can’t recall how many times I have caught cashiers making change in error. When confronted, most become at least semi-irate when being questioned. That is, until I inform them that they have given me TOO MUCH money. That cash register only tells the cashier what the results are of whatever they INPUT, and they rarely have the ability to do simple math in their head, or even after writing it down. As you have often noted, there is a reason America’s rank in education is not even in the top ten of countries – last I checked, we were somewhere around 17th!
“The college majors that help prepare undergraduates for a career as a fighter pilot include mathematics, physical science and engineering.” You might have added that it only “gets harder from there.” My Marine Corps son flew F-18 Hornets in Iraq and Afghanistan. It takes much more than a college degree to become a “fighter jock.” I look back over the years and am still in awe of what they do. Somewhat off the subject; however, an interesting reply one Marine aviator had to a question about having some fear about reentering civilian life: “I located a postage stamp, on a moonless night, darker than pitch, in the middle of the ocean; I pointed my 30,000+ pound F-18 at it, and landed safely on an aircraft carrier. I’m positive there is nothing in civilian life that possibly compares!” Semper Fi, and God’s blessings on all who serve!