Principal Mike Madison must be fired.
An Ann Arbor elementary school principal used a letter home to parents tonight to defend a field trip for black students as part of his school’s efforts to close the achievement gap between white and black students.
Dicken Elementary School Principal Mike Madison wrote the letter to parents following several days of controversy at the school after a field trip last week in which black students got to hear a rocket scientist.
“In hindsight, this field trip could have been approached and arranged in a better way," Madison wrote. "But as I reflect upon the look of excitement, enthusiasm and energy that I saw in these children’s eyes as they stood in the presence of a renowned African American rocket scientist in a very successful position, it gave the kids an opportunity to see this type of achievement is possible for even them.
“It was not a wasted venture for I know one day they might want to aspire to be the first astronaut or scientist standing on the Planet Mars.
“I also think it’s important that you know that I have talked to the children who did not go on the field trip, and I think they have a better understanding of the purpose of the AA Lunch Bunch now, as I hope you do. I’m sorry if any kids were upset by the field trip or my discussion afterwards with them, and I have let them know that.
....
District spokeswoman Liz Margolis said after the trip was over, those who went returned to their fifth-grade class and were greeted by boos by those who didn’t go on the trip. Margolis said Madison, who is black, heard the boos, and went to talk to the class. She said he and the class had a “discussion” about race issues.
“He wasn’t yelling at them. He was very passionate about it,” Margolis said.
Parents have complained he was yelling at the class and belittled a Muslim girl who said she also had experienced racism and discrimination.
So, you close the gap by educating other students less?
ReplyDeletewhat a dumbass. if this was the other way around al sharpton and jesse jackson would be in the principal's office with a rope.
ReplyDeleteThis is out and out racism. I though we were supposed to be past this kind of behavior with a black president but Obama has only made race a bigger issue than it was in the 1950's.
ReplyDeleteGood going Obama. Stellar job.
As well meaning as that principal may have been trying to be, segregating and excluding the other children from going on that field trip solely on the basis of race was not the right thing to do. Legally, this was a public school and unlike private schools, such violation are not allowed. But from a purely moral standpoint, there are many children regardless of race who face immense challenges, if he had allowed all poorly performing children to go that would not have eroded the ultimate lesson he was trying to convey. But in the same way that Arizona has overly impeded on people’s rights for a legitimate purpose that could be solved in another fashion: http://lawblog.legalmatch.com/2010/04/30/preliminary-thoughts-on-the-arizona-immigration-law/ This principal has done the same thing and discriminated against many children in the process.
ReplyDeleteClassic. Just classic. Martin Luther King, Jr., had a dream that all children would play together. I suppose Principal Madison knows better...
ReplyDeleteOnce you find his picture, this makes a lot more sense.
ReplyDeleteonly in segregated Ann Arbor is the achievement gap so big....
ReplyDelete