The New Miseducation of the Negro

One of the most prominent Black historians of all time, Carter G. Woodson wrote a profound statement on Negro education entitled, The Miseducation of the Negro. Written over 70 years ago his belief was that Black Americans are indoctrinated, rather than taught, in American schools. This conditioning, he claims, causes African-Americans to become dependent and to seek out inferior places in the greater society of which they are a part. That was back in 1933 when the youth of America gave a damn about education. Fast forwarded to 2009 and you get a whole new set of Negroes and a whole new mindset. In my 8th week of fully being in the trenches as an American educator I have come to believe, at least from majority of my students and from other soldiers in the struggle and their students, today's youth especially the Negro child does not care to learn! As painful as it was for me to write that, it is sadly, the truth. I don't know what happened or how we came to this point as a community but it is a damn shame when most of my students say day in and day out: "man, school is boring why can't we learn about what we see on the tv?" "I ain't going to college!" "Why should I care about English, Science, and Math, what does that have to do with me?" I be listening to what you saying and get it too but I just don't care."

About a week ago I had a heated debate with an associate about how things have turned out here in DC public schools since its reduction in force. He said something that struck my nerve to the core, he said all students want to learn! Now deep down in my heart I want to be believe that but its just not true. Now I would modify that and say a handful of students in today's generation want to learn. Achievement is a function of effort not innate ability, meaning success is worked for not giving out right, until these kids understand that they will not realize the potential that they are born with. These are by far the most incompetent, most destructive, most disrespectful, non-working group of kids that I have ever met! There seems to be no moral or social system in place in these kids lives, and who is to blame? Where has the ball been dropped?

Most people want to put all of the blame and responsibility on the teachers and you know what that is definitely not true or fair. Teachers do factor into the equation but there are other variables that influence how these children behave! How about their parents and other family members? How about the communities, neighborhoods, and environments they live in? How about the negative images on tv? or better yet how about the students themselves? They are old enough to know the difference between right and wrong, how to behave, and what is expected from them when it comes to school and work. But they don't see the big picture! They don't understand the blood, sweat, and tears that were and still labored and sacrificed for them to sit in half-way decent classrooms and have some tools to learn. They do not understand that they are not getting this education for them but for someone else, opening the door for someone, encouraging someone else. All in all they just don't give damn about education!

So what is the solution? How do move these children out of learned helplessness and into a position of positivity and self-motivation? I don't know and many of colleagues do not know and many parents do not know and students alike do not know, so who the fuck knows?!?!? When will some of the variables in the equation start taking ownership for their role in the demise of the Negro in education? I know one thing Dr. Woodson was and still is right; welcome to the new miseducation of the Negro!