Michael Eric Dyson takes Bill Cosby to task for his comments.

http://www.michaelericdyson.com/

I think Cosby hit it right, but Dyson, like Cosby is using the situation to make millions.

Edit: The ebonics everyone keeps talking about originally came from the poor uneducated white people, not the black community. In either case people need to show respect for themselves and others and speak correctly. By trying to speak "Ebonics" they are in fact hurting themselves socially and economically. They isolate themselves which hurts them in finding a good job so they can break out of the poverty they live in. Simply, they need to get a education and be reponsible to themselves and others and stop blaming other for thier problems.

[This message has been edited by Earl-R (edited 10-28-2005).]

quote Originally posted by Earl-R: I think Cosby hit it right, but Dyson, like Cosby is using the situation to make millions. Edit: The ebonics everyone keeps talking about originally came from the poor uneducated white people, not the black community. In either case people need to show respect for themselves and others and speak correctly. By trying to speak "Ebonics" they are in fact hurting themselves socially and economically. They isolate themselves which hurts them in finding a good job so they can break out of the poverty they live in. Simply, they need to get a education and be reponsible to themselves and others and stop blaming other for thier problems.

If you knew about Michael Eric Dyson you would know he is a man of conviction and is not in it just for financial gain.

[This message has been edited by Unrivaled (edited 10-28-2005).]

Cosby makes a great point. The more people try to minimize/critcize his reflection and astute observations of these issues, the less those that are the subject of his commentary are likely to realize that they are more in control/responsible for their own situation and future. The blame game plays on and the blind keep leading the blind... Why some what to complicate something as simple as the things Cosby pointed out I just can't understand. I guess over reaction and exageration are the tools of those who would continue to blame others for the woes of the poor rather than pointing out the more obvious: personal responsibility.

quote Originally posted by Unrivaled: If you knew about Michael Eric Dyson you would know he is a man of conviction and is not in it just for financial gain.

You might consider reading some of the comments posted on the page, especially those who agree with Cosby. It seems that most of them are black, and I'd consider a black persons viewpoint to have more weight.

For example (any emphasis is by the author):

Agree with Bill Cosby
Jason, Oakland, CA
I believe Mr. Cosby's comments are true.

We do need to practice self-enhancement and quit excusing the crime, dead-beat fathers, and drugs that permeate our communities. My community celebrates criminals like they are Robin Hood or something, but these hoods don't steal from the rich, they suck the life out of the poor.

I thank God that I was able to turn my life around, but in hindsight I think that if my community had not been so receptive to my anti-social behavior, I would have seen the light much sooner.

I understand that we live in a society that has oppressed us from day one but the voices blaming white people for our problems should not drown out the voices calling for the black community to stand up and take care of our own.

�ª Hide
Ronnie, Marin City, CA
Michael Eric Dyson is too busy trying to fit in and suck up to the HIP HOP community that he has no clue to what is really going on in OUR community.

What Bill Cosby said is the truth but, he didn't go far enough. I'm tired of making up excuses for the behavior of far too many of our youth. I live life in the hood daily and our communities our in crisis. Shootings, drugs, robberies, you name it, it's going on. Today it is worse than ever because of the ever emerging 'thug culture" where anything goes and damn everybody else.

We make excuses for everything our youth do. That they can't get jobs; go to bad schools, experience racism and profiling, and more. We all know this happens all the time and much more than anyone wants to admit but too many of our kids quit before they ever even try. You can go tell Newsweek or Time or whoever about your watered down version of what is going on but we live it.

I know first hand about going door to door to talk with parents, or sitting on the local school board hoping that one parent would show up, and hosting meetings in the community to get parents involved but nothing worked. I see parents hang out half the night with their newborns in the back of their cars blasting music and drinking. I see kids spaced out on drugs. We tolerate everything.

You tell Mr. Eric Dyson to come on down to Oakland, or Richmond or pick a city and do something about the drug dealing, the murder, and the terrorizing of our communities.

He talks a good game about something he knows nothing about. Look at our low-income communities and you will find a sense of anomie has settled in most cases and people like Mr. Dyson sit around and bump their gums all day and have NO solutions or anything that can help alleviate any one of these daily issues.

Thank you Mr. Cosby, I only wish you went a little further.

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David, Augusta, GA
I believe that Mr. Cosby's 100% correct on this issue.

The thing that black people seem to fear the most is the airing of the dirty laundry of our community. However, right is right and wrong is wrong. The fact of the matter is that many black people have absolutely no interest whatsoever of improving their lives through education. The sad truth is that many young black parents are looking for a quick fix to their lives when there isn't one. Many young black parents have all but abandoned the hopes and dreams of the civil rights movement if they ever embraced them at all.

And I can honestly say as a probation officer with the Georgia Department of Corrections that I witness daily what Mr. Cosby talked about. I'm a huge fan of Mr. Cosby and Mr. Dyson. However, I wish that Mr. Dyson wasn't so LIBERAL MINDED that he'd miss the opportunity to speak the truth regarding the black community. What's the truth? That being black and poor has never been justification for bringing shame to oneself. Being black and poor has never been justification for not speaking proper English. Being black and poor has never been an excuse for not encouraging your kids to be all that they can be. And finally being black and poor has never been justification for allowing our community to spin out of control.

Bravo Mr. Cosby for having the GUTS TO CONFRONT THE FAMILY for its wrong doing. Bravo Mr. Cosby for being willing to stand alone in the lions den and speak the truth. This is not about a divide between poor and rich. This is about right and wrong whether it be black, white, rich, poor or whatever, someone has to call the family to task for the behavior that we're displaying.

I'm a HUGE MIKE DYSON FAN but I have to DISAGREE WITH HIM ON THIS ISSUE. Mr. Dyson tries to suggest that the names some of are people are choosing to name their kids is an expression of cultural pride. That would be true if our people were living lives that reflected cultural pride. What needs to be taken into consideration is that OUR CHILDREN WILL HAVE TO BE EMPLOYED SOMEDAY. We've got to prepare our children for a life above and beyond youth. As much as I'd like to agree with Mr. Dyson I can't because naming our children Shaniqua, and Shaquan isn't an attempt by these people to express their identity.

Peace and God Bless.

quote Originally posted by Earl-R: Edit: The ebonics everyone keeps talking about originally came from the poor uneducated white people, not the black community.

Yep, blame whitey as usual ;)

quote Originally posted by Earl-R: Edit: The ebonics everyone keeps talking about originally came from the poor uneducated white people, not the black community.

Do you have a source for this, by any chance?

Not meant to be confrontational. I have my own theory, but I may be wrong.

Thanks.

I dunno, I feel that Cosby hit it right on the head. The only thing that really stands out in my head is one time when I was in high school. And A guy (who happened to be black) blames me personally for him not being able to learn. Me sitting in the same class with him caused him to not learn... I dunno but I think that to fix certain problems you need to accept your responsibility in it.

This guy wants to exterminate white people:

http://carolinajournal.com/exclusives/display_exclusive.html?id=2869

quote Originally posted by MDFierolvr: Me sitting in the same class with him caused him to not learn...

Ya know, that would have been the funniest thing I have heard all year..................if I didn't believe you were 100% telling the truth!

"I can't hurt anyone, becouse no one cares."

quote Originally posted by Boondawg: RALEIGH — A Raleigh activist and bookstore owner told a panel at Howard University Law School on Oct. 14 that the solution to many of the problems faced by black people is the extermination of “white people off the face of the planet.” Dr. Kamau Kambon, who taught Africana Studies 241 in the Spring 2005 semester at North Carolina State University, also said this needs to be done “because white people want to kill us.” Kambon told the audience that white people “have retina scans, they have what they call racial profiling, DNA banks, and they’re monitoring our people to try to prevent the one person from coming up with the one idea. And the one idea is, how we are going to exterminate white people because that in my estimation is the only conclusion I have come to. We have to exterminate white people off the face of the planet to solve this problem.” Prior to his call for genocide against white people, Kambon, who owns Blacknificent Books in Raleigh, told the panel that “we are at war.” He said that white people had set up an "international plantation" for blacks, which made “every white person on earth a plantation master.” He said that, “You’re either supporting white people in their process of death, or you're for African liberation.” He stressed one point in particular. “White people want to kill us. I want you to understand that. They want to kill you,” he said. “They want to kill you because that is part of their plan.” Aw, crap! They're on to us! I have more in common with poor blacks, then I do with rich whites! I suspect the REAL enemy wears a suit........................

HOLY ****! Just wow. . .

quote Originally posted by Boondawg: He stressed one point in particular. “White people want to kill us. I want you to understand that. They want to kill you,” he said. “They want to kill you because that is part of their plan.”

I have a plan, and it's so cunning you could brush your teeth with it!

As a side note, I live in Raleigh and the article about this yahoo was the first I'd ever heard of him. I believe WRAL carried the story locally.

quote Originally posted by Formula88: I have a plan,

Yea, me to.
I can't even plan a dump!

I never thought of myself as "The Man".
As in, "Da' Man be keepin' me down!"
I can barely hold down a job, let alone an entire RACE!

Back on topic, Michael Eric Dyson "takes on" Cosby's comments by just excusing the behavior Cosby criticized. Very simplistic, typical, tired "rebuttals".

Just take the basic theme of "it's not my fault, it's society's". That is all his "rebuttal" is about Cosby's points.

Use the same theme for whatever. His arguments are hardly thoughtful or insightful.

Example from his points:

Poor kids go to schools with less money than rich kids. That is one of his poorly thought out contentions. That might actually be an excuse IF THE KIDS SHOWED UP TO THE SCHOOL. Of if they did their homework. Etc., etc. It isn't that schools with less money aren't good enough. Never has been. That is a tired, worn out, thoughtless excuse.

Cosby kids using slang. Uh huh. It was STILL intelligible. AND they knew when in society it was ok to use it, and when to can it and use language common to ALL in the culture.

quote Originally posted by frontal lobe: Back on topic, Michael Eric Dyson "takes on" Cosby's comments by just excusing the behavior Cosby criticized.

Nice, to the point, but not exactly. More so like Cosby was raining on his parade. He was holding up Cosby as part of "the white plan" as so to keep his rhetoric alive.
(book subtitle) "Or has the black middle class lost it's mind". He was giving them an excuse, not excusing them. I don't think Cosby was talking about the middle class. Or the upper class. He was talking about class.

quote Originally posted by frontal lobe: Back on topic, Michael Eric Dyson "takes on" Cosby's comments by just excusing the behavior Cosby criticized. Very simplistic, typical, tired "rebuttals". Example from his points: Poor kids go to schools with less money than rich kids. That is one of his poorly thought out contentions. That might actually be an excuse IF THE KIDS SHOWED UP TO THE SCHOOL. Of if they did their homework. Etc., etc. It isn't that schools with less money aren't good enough. Never has been. That is a tired, worn out, thoughtless excuse.

Sure it is, you want us to believe that a education from Chicago State University is just as good as one fron Harvard or Yale. In other words inner city schools are not on equal standing as most suburban schools so why do you act as if they are? They aren't funded equally the curriculums are different. Most suburban schools prepare their students for college. Whereas too many inner city schools barely prepare their students for a minimum wage job. Do you disagree?

I absolutely disagree.

Funding is NO excuse. Schools, inner city, public, suburban, or private do NOT select curriculae based on money. There is PLENTY of money for that, no matter WHAT the school.

They may not have enough funding for OTHER programs like art, music, sports, etc. But any curriculae needed to give ANY child an excellent foundation is more than funded.

What suburban versus inner city schools prepare their students for is NOT related to funding, it is related to vision.

And why are you comparing Chicago State University to Harvard or Yale? Why aren't you comparing it to Illinois State, or Northern Illinois University?

And even if you DO compare Chicago State to Harvard or Yale. Is the education going to be better at Harvard or Yale? Yes. So what? The question isn't that. Wrong question. The question is: is Chicago State's education fine and sufficient for you to achieve your goals. And the answer to that is yes.

The inner city public schools are NOT the problem. Could they be better? Of course? Is that the major problem? No. It is lack of parental involvement, guidance, encouragement, and support. Is that rampant in the black culture as a whole? Yes. Cosby acknowledged it and called that culture out. Dyson just went back to the same old excuses that you are talking about.

You could DOUBLE the money spent in inner city schools. It would make NO difference in the outcome.

You probably aren't old enough to know of a similar failed social experiment. Did you know that the reason the black culture in Chicago's inner city lived in squalid conditions was because they were so poor and so they had no self pride, and no pride in their community? If they only had a nice, clean place to live like affluent city and suburban people had, that would give them self esteem and they would live differently?

So the government spent millions of dollars building nice high rise apartment complexes along the freeway across from the old Comiskey park for low income people in the '60's. Now they had these nice high rise apartments like others in Chicago lived in and so all would be fine, right? It didn't take long for those buildings to be utterly torn apart and ruined. After several decades, things were so bad they actually had to be raised.

The problem wasn't the poverty of the people and the solution wasn't money. It was the behavior and culture of the people.

Same thing with the schools.

Same thing will happen as long as Michael Eric Dyson, you, and others continue to defend and excuse this type of behavior and culture.

quote Originally posted by frontal lobe: I absolutely disagree. Funding is NO excuse.

The first flaw in your argument. Money equals resources and resources are a major factor in making the difference in the finished product (student).

quote Originally posted by frontal lobe: Schools, inner city, public, suburban, or private do NOT select curriculae based on money. There is PLENTY of money for that, no matter WHAT the school. They may not have enough funding for OTHER programs like art, music, sports, etc. But any curriculae needed to give ANY child an excellent foundation is more than funded.

I'd love to see how far you get starting a business without adequate capital. Even if you got it started it would soon collapse for lack of it. Yet you advocate schools are different and don't need funds.

quote Originally posted by frontal lobe: What suburban versus inner city schools prepare their students for is NOT related to funding, it is related to vision.

Once again you don't see the inequities in funding as having anything to do with the problem. I find that very interesting. I'd like to see you try and convince suburban parents to switch their childs level of funding with that of inner city kids. I doubt you'd get very far before being laughed or thrown out the room.

quote Originally posted by frontal lobe: And why are you comparing Chicago State University to Harvard or Yale? Why aren't you comparing it to Illinois State, or Northern Illinois University?

Because suburban schools are light years ahead of most inner city schools as is Harvard and Yale compared to Chicago State University.

quote Originally posted by frontal lobe: And even if you DO compare Chicago State to Harvard or Yale. Is the education going to be better at Harvard or Yale? Yes. So what?

Are you typing with a straight face to say given the choice you would choose Chicago State University over Harvard or Yale?

quote Originally posted by frontal lobe: The question isn't that. Wrong question. The question is: is Chicago State's education fine and sufficient for you to achieve your goals. And the answer to that is yes.

You might not realize that sometimes people go to a certain school because that's the only one they can go to or afford. So the answer could be yes but it could also be no.

quote Originally posted by frontal lobe: The inner city public schools are NOT the problem. Could they be better? Of course? Is that the major problem? No. It is lack of parental involvement, guidance, encouragement, and support. Is that rampant in the black culture as a whole? Yes. Cosby acknowledged it and called that culture out. Dyson just went back to the same old excuses that you are talking about. You could DOUBLE the money spent in inner city schools. It would make NO difference in the outcome.

Sure and cutting suburban schools funding by half would make NO difference in the outcome.

quote Originally posted by frontal lobe: You probably aren't old enough to know of a similar failed social experiment. Did you know that the reason the black culture in Chicago's inner city lived in squalid conditions was because they were so poor and so they had no self pride, and no pride in their community? If they only had a nice, clean place to live like affluent city and suburban people had, that would give them self esteem and they would live differently? So the government spent millions of dollars building nice high rise apartment complexes along the freeway across from the old Comiskey park for low income people in the '60's. Now they had these nice high rise apartments like others in Chicago lived in and so all would be fine, right? It didn't take long for those buildings to be utterly torn apart and ruined. After several decades, things were so bad they actually had to be raised.

Don't assume. Did you know that the infamous housing projects (Cabrini Green, Robert Taylor) etc, were built by Richard J. Daley ( the father of Richard M. Daley, Chicago's current mayor ) to concentrate blacks in a limited area in order to keep them from going to other parts of Chicago?

Did you know that 290 the Eisenhower expressway was built at that location as a buffer to separate Blacks from Whites?

quote Originally posted by frontal lobe: The problem wasn't the poverty of the people and the solution wasn't money. It was the behavior and culture of the people. Same thing will happen as long as Michael Eric Dyson, you, and others continue to defend and excuse this type of behavior and culture.

So what part do you think Whites play and/or played in Blacks being in their current condition?

[This message has been edited by Unrivaled (edited 10-29-2005).]

"I'd love to see how far you get starting a business without adequate capital. Even if you got it started it would soon collapse for lack of it. Yet you advocate schools are different and don't need funds."

I NEVER said schools don't need funds. You don't even GET it. Public inner city schools get MORE than adequate funding. They have MORE than adequate capital. Where did you get the idea they didn't? In Milwaukee, for example, the inner city schools get TWELVE THOUSAND DOLLARS PER STUDENT. The idea that this is not adequate funding is BEYOND ludicrous. Also, it is WAY MORE than private schools in the city spend per student. Yet their student's achievement is WAY higher.

This is blatant, obvious proof that MONEY is NOT the answer. By the way, you said "...you advocate schools are different and don't need funds." I never said ANYTHING like that. I SAID the funding in inner city schools is more than adequate, which is true.

"Because suburban schools are light years ahead of most inner city schools as is Harvard and Yale compared to Chicago State University."

I haven't checked, but I'll assume Harvard or Yale are upwards of $30,000/year and Chicago State University is about $10,000. Approximately THREE TIMES the money at least. Suburban schools do not get CLOSE to 3 times the funding of inner city schools. Totally unfair comparison. Illinois State or NIU are much more realistic comparisons.

You also said, "...given the choice you would choose Chicago State University over Harvard or Yale?" I never said it and I never intimated it, either. Then you state, "You might not realize that sometimes people go to a certain school because that's the only one they can go to or afford."

Yeah. No kidding. Since I LIVED it. When I got out of high school, I could not afford much for school. I went to the COMMUNITY COLLEGE in my hometown for the first 2 years. That isn't even on the level of Chicago State University, much less Harvard, Yale, Northwestern, U. of Illinois, or even Northern Illinois University. According to you, I should have had NO chance to compete with people who had access to better funded education. How could I? Money is everything in education.

Well, I am an MD. I am AOA, the medical honor society. I have been named in Milwaukee's best doctors. Career wise I have blown away nearly all peers, whether from Harvard, Yale, Northwestern, Mayo, U. of Chicago, etc., etc., etc. It was NOT because I went to some super suburban high school, either. I lived in a small town. There WERE no suburbs. All whites and blacks went to the SAME high school. ONE high school in the town.

The answer to "How could I?" is because the money didn't matter. The money the Community College had to spend provided ADEQUATE money to provide me an educational OPPORTUNITY that was competitive with the other places. So for me to sit here and listen to your FUNDING assertions is laughable.

Then you say, "Sure and cutting suburban schools funding by half would make NO difference in the outcome." Cutting it in half certainly WOULD make a difference in the outcome. If a suburban school has $13,000 per student to spend and the inner city has $12,000 to spend-which is the case where I live-then cutting the suburban amount in half would be $6,500 versus $12,000. Not even a fair comparison. Although the suburban results would STILL be better than the inner city after those cuts, because funding isn't even close to being the primary determiner of results.

And what are you talking about "...don't assume." I didn't assume ANYTHING. That group of people in Chicago in the '60's were handed BRAND NEW low income housing to access in order to have "pride in their community". What does the fact that they were separated from white people have to do with the fact that the housing was destroyed and blighted to the point they had to be raised?? The example was about money not solving inherent problems in a social group, not segregation. Are you saying that blacks need to have access to whites to be able to not destroy things and ruin their homes? That's pretty condescending.

And I don't live far from Chicago. I've been there. Blacks could STILL go to other parts of Chicago. They weren't fenced in anywhere. And you said 290 was a buffer, but it is not an impermeable BARRIER.

"So what part do you think Whites play and/or played in Blacks being in their current condition?"

Why are you even ASKING that question? I don't mind, but it is largely irrelevant to the point. The vast majority of what condition blacks are currently in is due to blacks, not anyone else. Perhaps that wasn't the case in the '60's when I was growing up. But in 2005 the excuses have run out. Society in the US has changed GREATLY, and although there is racism it isn't anywhere NEAR what it was when I was a kid.

But to answer your question, since whites are in the majority in the US and in government, they have played a harmful part. Harmful by devising a governmental system that incents and supports and props up a way to not have to have a traditional family unit with 2 parents supervising and raising children. This system is available to any racial group, and harmful to any people that avail of it. It is just that certain social groups have availed of this system to a much larger percentage. That is a factual observation. But ANY people that are going to be single, teenage mothers and single parent homes are going to have a high percentage of problems. AND THERE IS NO AMOUNT OF MONEY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO OVERCOME THAT TO A HIGH PERCENTAGE. I have LOTS of patients who are teachers in the Milwaukee Public School system in the inner city. They do NOT complain to me about inadequate funding. They complain about behavior patterns of students, and lack of parental support and involvement.

And that brings us right back around to what Cosby is saying. He is right. And brings us right back around to Michael Eric Dyson. You can have a lot of education, Mr. Dyson, and STILL not be wise. Especially if you are going to be like him and ignore the facts of what is happening right before your eyes, and instead make excuses for behavior that has PROVEN to result in failure.

quote Originally posted by Unrivaled: Don't assume. Did you know that the infamous housing projects (Cabrini Green, Robert Taylor) etc, were built by Richard J. Daley ( the father of Richard M. Daley, Chicago's current mayor ) to concentrate blacks in a limited area in order to keep them from going to other parts of Chicago?

Daley was a Democrat....

Irrespective of that, however: Have you ever looked at what big cities PAY, per student, for public schools? Did you know that they pay tens of thousands of dollars per year, PER STUDENT, in order to educate these children?

NYC was paying on the order of $50,000 per student in the 1990s. What is it now?

So, how much money will constitute "enough"? At what point will the educational system be funded "well enough" that we can start looking at other causes for poor performance? Will $100,000 per student be enough? $200,000? $1,000,000?

You say that $50,000 per student per year is not enough to fix the problem; how much is? Can you even name a qualitative level of funding which will guarantee that no inner-city child will lack an education?

Yes, we can afford to flood inner city schools with money--but if we do, will that guarantee that the kids rise from poverty and end up being rich?

You must know that it won't. As long as I have had more than a passing interest in community affairs--about since 1981--every year the educational system has whined that it needs more money, and every year the educational system has GOTTEN more money. The funding increases have always outstripped the inflation rate. President Bush signed into law an education act which was the single largest expansion of education spending in US history--the bill was practically written by Teddy Kennedy!--and still the education establishment complains that it's not enough.

Ed

EDIT: Dag-nabbed quote tags...

[This message has been edited by edhering (edited 10-30-2005).]

quote Originally posted by frontal lobe: The problem wasn't the poverty of the people and the solution wasn't money. It was the behavior and culture of the people.

You hit the nail on the head!!! It will fall on deaf ears because to think like that is "wrong" no matter how true it is.

Los Angeles, CA Riots and the New Orleans, LA Katrina Hurricane seem to slip peoples minds sooooo quickly.

Excellent post frontal lobe.

quote Originally posted by Gordo: Excellent post frontal lobe.

Agreed. Seems as some learned a lesson in the first grade and some did not.

Just what makes that little ole ant
Think he'll move that rubber tree plant?
Anyone knows an ant can't
Move a rubber tree plant

But he's got hi-i-igh hopes, he's got hi-i-igh hopes
He's got high apple pi-i-ie-in-the-sk-y-y hopes
So, any time you're gettin' low, 'stead of lettin' go, just remember that ant
Oops, there goes another rubber tree plant.

School is a tool. I don't need a high dollar screwdriver to turn a screw. So what that some own power screw drivers. "Whaaa, snif, life ain't fair".
One needs to know how to use tools. First, they need to be taught how to use them. Parents need to be involved in their children's education. Not all lessons are learned in school. Such as personal responcibility.

Who's talking about college? Until those knuckleheads get past High School, college is moot.

quote Originally posted by Unrivaled: The first flaw in your argument. Money equals resources and resources are a major factor in making the difference in the finished product (student).

Well, I am not sure about this statement because my school has been doing more with less for many years. We serve a lower economic area, primarily of mobile home residents who have very limited financial resources. We are a school wide Title One school- that means that a majority of our students live at poverty level, so we get some federal assistance. Our SAT scores are consistantly above the national average in the 61st to 81st percentile ranking (national average is the 50th percentile). Percentile rankings in nationally "norm group referenced" tests are not the same as a percent correct type assessment. When you score in the 50th percentile range, that means that you score better than 50% of the people who took the assessment. By scoring in the 60+ percentile range, we are scoring better than over 60% of the nation (most schools use the SAT). We are striving to narrow the gap in achievement between our minority/majority population, but just throwing money at it will not fix the problem. It takes parents who care and want better for their kids than what they had, and that is not something I can teach a child in 8 hours a day- change begins at home.

quote Originally posted by edhering: Daley was a Democrat.... Irrespective of that, however: Have you ever looked at what big cities PAY, per student, for public schools? Did you know that they pay tens of thousands of dollars per year, PER STUDENT, in order to educate these children? NYC was paying on the order of $50,000 per student in the 1990s. What is it now? So, how much money will constitute "enough"? At what point will the educational system be funded "well enough" that we can start looking at other causes for poor performance? Will $100,000 per student be enough? $200,000? $1,000,000? You say that $50,000 per student per year is not enough to fix the problem; how much is? Can you even name a qualitative level of funding which will guarantee that no inner-city child will lack an education? Yes, we can afford to flood inner city schools with money--but if we do, will that guarantee that the kids rise from poverty and end up being rich? You must know that it won't. As long as I have had more than a passing interest in community affairs--about since 1981--every year the educational system has whined that it needs more money, and every year the educational system has GOTTEN more money. The funding increases have always outstripped the inflation rate. President Bush signed into law an education act which was the single largest expansion of education spending in US history--the bill was practically written by Teddy Kennedy!--and still the education establishment complains that it's not enough.

50k per student is a fixed plant ONE TIME COST not per year
for NEW school BUILDINGS in the worlds most expenceive real estate market
and as most schools were built years ago at a much lower cost ,
the number is meaningless

real numbers off the web for a high school in NY NY

Education Agency NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Phone Number (212) 391-0041
School Type Regular School
Official Grade Range 09 to 12
Statistical Information
Total Enrollment 582
Total Full-Time Teachers 28
Students per Teacher Ratio 20.79
Number of Migrant Students 0
State Instructional Expenditures $6,017.22 per student:

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Question wonder and be wierd
are you kind?

quote Originally posted by Boondawg: RALEIGH — A Raleigh activist and bookstore owner told a panel at Howard University Law School on Oct. 14 that the solution to many of the problems faced by black people is the extermination of “white people off the face of the planet.” Dr. Kamau Kambon, who taught Africana Studies 241 in the Spring 2005 semester at North Carolina State University, also said this needs to be done “because white people want to kill us.” Kambon told the audience that white people “have retina scans, they have what they call racial profiling, DNA banks, and they’re monitoring our people to try to prevent the one person from coming up with the one idea. And the one idea is, how we are going to exterminate white people because that in my estimation is the only conclusion I have come to. We have to exterminate white people off the face of the planet to solve this problem.” Prior to his call for genocide against white people, Kambon, who owns Blacknificent Books in Raleigh, told the panel that “we are at war.” He said that white people had set up an "international plantation" for blacks, which made “every white person on earth a plantation master.” He said that, “You’re either supporting white people in their process of death, or you're for African liberation.” He stressed one point in particular. “White people want to kill us. I want you to understand that. They want to kill you,” he said. “They want to kill you because that is part of their plan.” Aw, crap! They're on to us! I have more in common with poor blacks, then I do with rich whites! I suspect the REAL enemy wears a suit........................

Not trying to digress again, but heres this guy VIDEO .
Electromagnetic? Is this how were gonna kill 'them' ?
'Exterminate White people off the face of the planet" ? Wow, this guy is nuts, modern day Hitler

quote Originally posted by RandomTask: Not trying to digress again, but heres this guy VIDEO . Electromagnetic? Is this how were gonna kill 'them' ? 'Exterminate White people off the face of the planet" ? Wow, this guy is nuts, modern day Hitler

Just like there are extremist in the republican and democratic parties so I'm not surprised you found that guy.

I just watched the video, there is something seriously wrong with that guy. I'm thinking that not having meat proteins in his diet must be affecting his mind.

quote Originally posted by Boondawg: RALEIGH — A Raleigh activist and bookstore owner told a panel at Howard University Law School on Oct. 14 that the solution to many of the problems faced by black people is the extermination of “white people off the face of the planet.” Dr. Kamau Kambon, who taught Africana Studies 241 in the Spring 2005 semester at North Carolina State University, also said this needs to be done “because white people want to kill us.” Kambon told the audience that white people “have retina scans, they have what they call racial profiling, DNA banks, and they’re monitoring our people to try to prevent the one person from coming up with the one idea. And the one idea is, how we are going to exterminate white people because that in my estimation is the only conclusion I have come to. We have to exterminate white people off the face of the planet to solve this problem.” Prior to his call for genocide against white people, Kambon, who owns Blacknificent Books in Raleigh, told the panel that “we are at war.” He said that white people had set up an "international plantation" for blacks, which made “every white person on earth a plantation master.” He said that, “You’re either supporting white people in their process of death, or you're for African liberation.” He stressed one point in particular. “White people want to kill us. I want you to understand that. They want to kill you,” he said. “They want to kill you because that is part of their plan.” Aw, crap! They're on to us! I have more in common with poor blacks, then I do with rich whites! I suspect the REAL enemy wears a suit........................

I go to NC State University here in Raleigh. Here is NC State's response to this nut.
http://www.ncsu.edu/news/press_releases/05_10/nielsen_statement.htm