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WillowTheWhisp · 08-03-2005, 09:17

Trevor Phillips, the Chairman of the CRE (Commission for Racial Equality) has expressed his concern that black schoolboys are not doing as well as they should/could/ought in schools. A very valid concern. His suggested solution to this problem is to educate them separately although he himself admits that part of the problem is the attitude amongst black scoolboys that it is not "cool" to be an academic acheiver.

If it isn't cool when they are in a class with Asian, Chinese, White or whatever schoolboys (and girls ) then what makes it become "cool" to be singled out and eductaed separately? Will their attitudes suddenly change?

He also points out that part of the problem is a lack of father figure in the home as many of these boys come from single parent families where the father plays no part at all in their upbringing. I venture to suggest that doesn't only apply to black boys. I am aware of many white single parent families where the mothers don't want anything to do with the fathers. sad but true. I only know of two muslim families where this is the case and of those two only one is Asian but that doesn't mean that there may not be more.

There is an excellent article in today's Daily Mail by Dr. Tony Sewell, education consultant and director of The Learning Trust who himself at one time was a "black schoolboy" and he thinks the proposed solution would be worse than the problem itself. In the 60s in the USA people died for the right to an integrated education system. Going backwards cannot be the solution surely.

Isn't there a solution available within an integrated system where any failing pupil, black, white pink or polka dot can be encouraged and helped? If the child himself (or indeed herself) refuses to learn can segregation change that? What about the white kids with no father figure and the same sort of attitude? or indeed those with a father figure who has that attitude (I can think of one - "MY kid don't need to know that stuff coz I never did an it aint done me no 'arm. I still gets me benefits")

Apparently some Afro-Caribbean (his words not mine) families are sending their children to the West Indies for an education, not because they have all black schools there but because the system there is like we had back in the 1950s with stricter regimes and firmer discipline and hey guess what? The children learn more. Doesn't that speak volumes about the "improvements" in our education system here over the past 50 years?

08-03-2005, 09:17	#1
WillowTheWhisp Resident Waffler Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Accrington, Hyndburn Posts: 18,142 Blog Entries: 14 Liked: 14 times Rep Power: 1062	The Escaping of Yet More Worms From Cans Trevor Phillips, the Chairman of the CRE (Commission for Racial Equality) has expressed his concern that black schoolboys are not doing as well as they should/could/ought in schools. A very valid concern. His suggested solution to this problem is to educate them separately although he himself admits that part of the problem is the attitude amongst black scoolboys that it is not "cool" to be an academic acheiver. If it isn't cool when they are in a class with Asian, Chinese, White or whatever schoolboys (and girls ) then what makes it become "cool" to be singled out and eductaed separately? Will their attitudes suddenly change? He also points out that part of the problem is a lack of father figure in the home as many of these boys come from single parent families where the father plays no part at all in their upbringing. I venture to suggest that doesn't only apply to black boys. I am aware of many white single parent families where the mothers don't want anything to do with the fathers. sad but true. I only know of two muslim families where this is the case and of those two only one is Asian but that doesn't mean that there may not be more. There is an excellent article in today's Daily Mail by Dr. Tony Sewell, education consultant and director of The Learning Trust who himself at one time was a "black schoolboy" and he thinks the proposed solution would be worse than the problem itself. In the 60s in the USA people died for the right to an integrated education system. Going backwards cannot be the solution surely. Isn't there a solution available within an integrated system where any failing pupil, black, white pink or polka dot can be encouraged and helped? If the child himself (or indeed herself) refuses to learn can segregation change that? What about the white kids with no father figure and the same sort of attitude? or indeed those with a father figure who has that attitude (I can think of one - "MY kid don't need to know that stuff coz I never did an it aint done me no 'arm. I still gets me benefits") Apparently some Afro-Caribbean (his words not mine) families are sending their children to the West Indies for an education, not because they have all black schools there but because the system there is like we had back in the 1950s with stricter regimes and firmer discipline and hey guess what? The children learn more. Doesn't that speak volumes about the "improvements" in our education system here over the past 50 years? __________________ Last edited by WillowTheWhisp; 08-03-2005 at 09:19.