Can’t Possibly Be True:

[Fisherking]

Can’t Possibly Be True: Mount Diablo High School in Concord, Calif., apparently thinking outside the box to get its state test scores up, held four pep rallies: one each for whites, blacks, Hispanics, and Asians. ("What up, white people!" kicked off one session.) The principal said she’d rather appeal to racial pride (to raise your "team"'s score) this way than expose pride defensively in the face of intergroup taunts over scores. Mount Diablo apparently did this last yr and got improvements ranging from whites’ 46 points to Hispanics’ 80.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/16792877.htm


I don't know what the heck to think about it! Very questionable and may lead to trouble later….or what????

Any thoughts?

[ShadeHonestus]

Way to appeal to people as groups rather than individuals...and in education to boot. :dizzy2:

[Banquo's Ghost]

It's fat-headed in the extreme.

There's nothing at all wrong with encouraging competition between groups in a school. But these groups should be artificial, like school houses - my school had four houses named after the gospel authors - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

The groups, chosen as a balanced mix of ability in a range of disciplines, competed in everything from academic excellence to sporting excellence. Dull boys still had to be encouraged and motivated, as their scores would drag the house down if the more able pupils didn't at least encourage them to improve.

But this was all based on having a different colour blazer badge. My Oxford college was decided on merit and selection. These were things I could change or outlive.

One's race is not determined by oneself. It's not a source of pride or achievement, since you had nothing to do with becoming it. It shouldn't be used to motivate people.

In addition, racial groups often have social factors that impact their performance at school, so certain groups may be more disadvantaged from the start. This racial competition then exacerbates those distinctions and reinforces the belief in pre-ordained failure producing more "victims" and fewer "team players".

Put them all into Slytherin. :wink3:

BTW, maybe there's a clue in the school name: Mount Diablo? :devil:

[ShadeHonestus]

what he said


(insert clapping hands emoticon that is strangely absent from the selection here0

[Papewaio]

~:cheers: ~:grouphug: ~:thumb: ~:pat: :cheerleader: :2thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Hmm there does seem to be one missing from that set...

[ShadeHonestus]

Hmm there does seem to be one missing from that set...


I want credit for the impending addition, like in the code being :honestusisleet: for it.


Or could I get some green credits? I've got a pile of tires that I need to burn but I may feel guilty without chits.

[BDC]

My school introduced hosues to try and improve scores. Of course being an arts college you got most points for prancing about on stage or something. Rather pointless.

I don't think I managed to make a single house assembly. They only introduced them in my final year, and that 0830 start was just so painfully early...

[drone]

(insert clapping hands emoticon that is strangely absent from the selection here0
Just use this until it's implemented:
https://img64.imageshack.us/img64/2719/applause3ch9oued6.gif (https://imageshack.us)

[ShadeHonestus]

Just use this until it's implemented:
https://img64.imageshack.us/img64/2719/applause3ch9oued6.gif (https://imageshack.us)



Oh niiiiiiice.

[Adrian II]

(..) held four pep rallies: one each for whites, blacks, Hispanics, and Asians. (..) Any thoughts?1. It stinks
2. It works
3. This makes me sad

Oh, and :honestusisleet:

[KukriKhan]

https://jimcee.homestead.com/applaud.gif

I'll send that .gif to TosaInu for inclusion (although I really like the crowd-applause one above).

edit: on-topic:
1. It stinks
2. It works
3. This makes me sad

succinct, accurate, and repeatable.

[Fragony]

2. It works

What else do you need? All sounds pretty lighthearted to me. A very big so what from here, ethnical makeup would be the same if they could chose their teammates themselves.

succinct, accurate, and repeatable.

Sometimes I suspect that I suffer from ethical authism, but I don't see it.

[InsaneApache]

that 0830 start was just so painfully early...

Wait until you start work. If you think 8:30 am is early....:sweatdrop:

[ShadeHonestus]

https://jimcee.homestead.com/applaud.gif

I'll send that .gif to TosaInu for inclusion (although I really like the crowd-applause one above).


Nice choice Kukri. :yes:

[Fisherking]

BG was right of course. Using racial groups to compare each other is only going to prolong the effects. I am sure they could have come up with something that worked equally well and not have a racial component to it.

It may have worked but it wasn't smart. It is like the guy who used the .22 bullet to replace the blown fuse in his truck. It worked…but it removed him from the gene pool…though it didn't kill him. (got the picture yet?) It worked but the later consequence didn't make it at all worth while.

I disagree with Frag, popularity is a much bigger draw in selecting groups than race.

[Fragony]

Not race, background. If you want people to stop making an issue out of it, stop making an issue out of it and you will see things aren't that bad. People flock together, it just happens to be that way.

[drone]

Oh niiiiiiice.
I can't take credit for it, someone posted it in the Backroom GIFs thread. But use it as you see fit! :2thumbsup:

[Goofball]

What else do you need? All sounds pretty lighthearted to me. A very big so what from here, ethnical makeup would be the same if they could chose their teammates themselves.

succinct, accurate, and repeatable.

Sometimes I suspect that I suffer from ethical authism, but I don't see it.

One of the reasons it stinks is that students will start to accredit their successes or failures to their skin color as opposed to their efforts. For example: "I failed the math part, but that's to be expected since I'm white. No matter how much I study the Asians will always beat me." Very unhealthy (and wrong) thinking.

[macsen rufus]

Not race, background. If you want people to stop making an issue out of it, stop making an issue out of it and you will see things aren't that bad. People flock together, it just happens to be that way.

Someone slip some Es into your coffee, Frag? Not even one little poke about muslims? Go on, you know you want to..... :laugh4:

Sorry: back OT -- looks like a seriously dodgy idea, to me, for many different reasons. Inter-racial competition becomes inter-racial conflict, racial supremacism / victimism, special pleading etc.

I found school houses distinctly confusing when I was a kid (I guess I was off the day they were explained) but I guess in retrospect it has to be better than this divisive enterprise. The whole point is it puts people together that wouldn't necessarily choose to be together, so creates a much more useful set of social skills and awareness, real teambuilding for one. Let's face it, when you get to work, there are going be complete a-holes you need to be able to work with. Randomly selected houses are a much better preparation for that than pre-defined cliques.

[AntiochusIII]

They could at least rip something off Harry Potter before resorting to this...

I'd love to be in Slytherin, for one. Die, Potter! Die!

The idiots from the school in the article seem to say, "Oh, it makes people proud!" And apparently they set up the meetings with "your foreign flags" and "your MLK pictures." Pathetic. How the hell does having stupid country flags flying around with a condescending "we appreciate your culture" tripe even remotely helpful in breaking down race barriers?

[KukriKhan]

I heard an interview with the school Principal on the radio yesterday. (4-minute clip here (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7700564)) She explained that she implemented the system because the proficiency tests the students take get reported back to them (by the Education Dept) by ethnicity.

She explained further, that under the "No Child Left Behind" laws, test score results determine budget levels; so her teaching staff spend most of their time 'teaching-to-the-test', not actually covering subject matter in depth.

So what we're training at the midle- and high-school levels are race-conscious test-passers.

[AntiochusIII]

So what we're training at the midle- and high-school levels are race-conscious test-passers.Cute. The Asian countries actually admired the US school systems for their perceived capability to ignore stupid tests and pointless academic hammering so prevalent in said societies to do something slightly more useful with the kids during schools.

Thank the No Child Left Behind Act and US school principals for breaking that myth!

The funny thing is, our school "failed" last year because, out of the four Indians (Native Americans) in the school, only two bothered to take the "proficiency exam." That means 50% and a not passing for one ethnic designation; the school therefore has failed!

[BDC]

Wait until you start work. If you think 8:30 am is early....:sweatdrop:

I know, I foolishly took a gap year and discovered the joys of commuting in to Canary Warf. Shoulderbargpushgethitbydoorswaitfornexttraindelayedcry.

Even more foolishly I am taking medicine, so many more early mornings for me. :furious3:

[scooter_the_shooter]

I don't see anything wrong with it.....

[Xiahou]

She explained that she implemented the system because the proficiency tests the students take get reported back to them (by the Education Dept) by ethnicity.That's a really interesting thought. Why is it ok for the government to lump them all together by race, but it's not ok for a principal?

Personally, I don't agree with either. :no:

@BG: Setting up friendly competition sounds like a great idea to me- but that doesn't fly in most American schools. You see, because in a competition, there are losers and it's just horrible for our children to learn that you need to work hard to get ahead and succeed. :dizzy2:

Our public schools aren't even allowed to compete with each other. If your child's school stinks out loud, it's illegal most places to send your child to even the next nearest school. The only way to get to a better school is to move to a better area, of course if you're poor that may not be an option... :help:

[GoreBag]

One of the reasons it stinks is that students will start to accredit their successes or failures to their skin color as opposed to their efforts. For example: "I failed the math part, but that's to be expected since I'm white. No matter how much I study the Asians will always beat me." Very unhealthy (and wrong) thinking.

Only that's an assumption because there's no evidence of that. The article, at least, portrays it in a positive light, and I don't see a need for 'houses' or other artificial divisions to be used (especially ones pertaining to a particular cult, for that matter) if there is already a division among the students that follows along race lines. It's not like that division can be erased by ignoring it; it makes more sense to deal with the issue directly. Besides, if the school is being graded based on its ability to make non-WASPS pass, then they're just making proverbial lemonade.

The bottom line was that the scores went up in every category, unless I missed something, and no one was stabbed, raped or lynched. The dumb kids thought it was inspiring and the smart kids thought it was patronizing; it sounds like effective rhetoric to me.

[Fragony]

Someone slip some Es into your coffee, Frag? Not even one little poke about muslims? Go on, you know you want to..... :laugh4:


I can do funny walks, just ask.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

I think it stinks as well, an artificial grouping would break down barriers, and the steriotypes. If Asian pupils really are better at mathamatics then they'll have to help the poor stupid white people, won't they?

BG has the right of it but saying "Houses" in a state school won't work, too much reverse snobbery.

Incidently, BG, as a former intelligence officer (I believe that's right?) don't you worry about giving out all this information about your self?

Unless of course it's all lies.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Incidently, BG, as a former intelligence officer (I believe that's right?) don't you worry about giving out all this information about your self?

Unless of course it's all lies.


Gunner, old fruit, a gunner.

This "information" is all out in the public domain. If someone was obsessive enough, it wouldn't be hard to find out where I went to school, or much else besides. I'm not aware of giving out specifics, just anecdotes from my experience.

In contrast, as a fencer who lives on one of the three sheep farms left in Devon, you should be hearing the black helicopters of my former colleagues overhead at any time now. :wink3:

[Slyspy]

To take information from another thread:

The Irish army has helicopters? Well I never. ~D

Edit:

In the interest of fairness I should add the following:

The British army has working helicopters? Well I never.

[Banquo's Ghost]

To take information from another thread:

The Irish army has helicopters? Well I never. ~D


:yes:

We breed them (http://zapatopi.net/blackhelicopters/) in peat bogs.

Ooops. Too much information. :eeeek:

[Somebody Else]

To take information from another thread:

The Irish army has helicopters? Well I never. ~D

Edit:

In the interest of fairness I should add the following:

The British army has working helicopters? Well I never.

Yep. We have 67 Apaches. 1 works. Sometimes.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Gunner, old fruit, a gunner.

This "information" is all out in the public domain. If someone was obsessive enough, it wouldn't be hard to find out where I went to school, or much else besides. I'm not aware of giving out specifics, just anecdotes from my experience.

In contrast, as a fencer who lives on one of the three sheep farms left in Devon, you should be hearing the black helicopters of my former colleagues overhead at any time now. :wink3:

Touché, also sorry for the insult. In any case I think I've given out far more information than that, finding me should be very easy actually.

Of course I'm a callow youth who is too trusting and not worth a great deal at the moment.

You on the other hand would appear to be a wealthy Public school and Oxford educated Buisnessman or academic with a family and a past in counter terrorism.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Touché, also sorry for the insult.

No offense taken at all. :bow:


You on the other hand would appear to be a wealthy Public school and Oxford educated Buisnessman or academic with a family and a past in counter terrorism.

You might think that. I couldn't possibly comment. :wry:

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v695/aslanngrae/house_of_cards_lead.jpg

Hmm. :hijacked:

[Del Arroyo]

I think that alot of people are crying fowl on this one because that is the way they have been trained to think. I think some of these people may also be out of touch with the reality on the ground in populous cities of California. Racial divisions are there and self-reinforcing. To me it makes alot of sense to turn students' pre-existing prejudices into a motive for excellence, rather than an excuse for mediocrity, which so far has overwhelmingly been the case.

If you put them in mixed groups, you'd just get racial cliques within those groups, and a lot of frustration when large portions of one or more cliques decide they don't give a hoot or holler because one of the other cliques is taking most of the initiative anyway.

Dividing the students competitively by race, instead of reinforcing existing racial presumptions, challenges them. While counter-intuitive, I would say that this program is actually quite progressive. As long as it's all in good fun, of course.