A person knows when a nerve has been hit when the person
finds themselves being “twittered” with certain followers. Now I can add Cory Booker, the Mayor of
Newark to my list. How thrilling! How wonderful! How- mmmm!
So let’s continue with the De facto segregation in
Newark - Newark public schools are under State control. NJ State has de facto segregation occurring
in Newark. You would think that the State would want to
do something about that, wouldn’t you?
However we are talking about the state where its governor
appeared to want to follow in the same footsteps of what the Governors of PA and
NY had tried to do by limiting/removing any proof of legitimate Native Americans
from existing in the state. However, NY
and PA failed miserably to accomplish that attempt and NJ will soon be joining
them.
So because our Governor appears to have no qualms about
removing two legitimate tribes from the annuals of NJ history and replacing them
with apparent usurpers, of course NJ wouldn’t want to address the apparent de
facto segregation of Newark Schools.
What amazes me is that none of the liberal progressive
people reading this diary seem in any way perturbed by such a revelation.
If this were the 60s or 70s, there would have
been such a cry of outrage that it would have shaken the walls of
congress.
But there is no reaction! Nothing!
De Nada! Have New
Jersey’s die hard liberals become politically correct
rather than morally and ethically correct?
Any one with an ounce of brains understands that when being “politically
correct” that the masses suffer in the end!
WE HAVE DE FACTO SEGREGATION IN NEWARK and everyone is
blithely going about their business worrying about an election.
Yes, the election is very important, depending upon which
side you are on and who is your candidate of choice.
But there are thousands of children trapped in segregated
schools run by the State and no one is screaming for an investigation?
I have a serious problem with the conservatives,
liberals, and moderates in NJ. I am a
die hard democrat but I find the fact that there is segregation being allowed to
exist in NJ and not one politician and/or liberal is asking for a federal
investigation kind of makes you wonder just what has the democratic party turned
into in NJ?
This isn’t a false statement being made. Most of the African American students in
Newark are
attending failing schools, while the Hispanic and Portuguese are attending
better schools? That’s segregation
folks- You know, keeping the “blacks” down so other groups can
improve?
Unfortunately, there is very little that the current
Mayor can do about this as Newark has no control over their schools and
this falls under the purview of the State.
However, I would suggest that Booker grow a pair of “you
know what” and blaze a new trail. One
where he gets before microphones and says “that the State of NJ has established
de facto segregation within Newark and
it must be addressed at the federal level!”
That takes a certain amount of guts and courage.
That takes a Mayor who loves his city and its citizens
more than he loves having a political career.
It takes someone who truly believes in the “civil rights” of people to
take a stand.
It may take the people of Newark, themselves, to stop the de facto segregation
because it is very obvious that its elected officials appear to care more about
their political futures than the future of Newark’s children. But that wouldn’t be the first time that
parents have to rally to protect the civil rights of their children in Newark-
It’s happened before and it will
probably have to happen again.
By the way, segregation helps to guarantee the
continuation of gangs! Just thought
you’d like that tidbit. Another
thought. If the State of NJ is receiving Federal funds for integration of its city
schools and it is receiving funds for Newark- that is a serious problem because the
Federal funds are not being spent correctly.
Newark NJ Discrimination Part One:
by Liz
On May 17, 1954 the Supreme Court made a landmark decision when it ruled on Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka. The court case that stated (Wikipedia’s easy interpretation) “by declaring that state laws that established separate public schools for black and white students denied black children equal educational opportunities. Handed down on May 17, 1954, the Warren Court's unanimous (9–0) decision stated that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal." As a result, de jure racial segregation was ruled a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. State Laws which established separate schools for black and white children were denying black children the right to an equal education”
As a result of the above ruling, education in America began its journey in addressing integration in all public schools regardless of where those schools were located.
According to: "88.01.03: School Desegregation and Prejudicein the United States Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute:School Desegregation and Prejudice in the United States by Mary Ellen Leahy http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1988/1/88.01.03.x.html#a“In 1974, Federal District Court Judge Garrity found that the Boston, Massachusetts School Committee was implementing a systematic program of segregation affecting all students,teachers and schools. The Court imposed the remedy of mandatory busing. This order created chaos and social upheaval in the city of Boston. “
Every few years new milestones would be made guaranteeing that integration continued throughout America. School districts bus their students within their districts to maintain integration so that the schools represent their total student population. Some districts actually integrate based upon race and religion to maintain a truly integrated system so that children of all backgrounds mingle and mix together.
However, the question arises is how integrated are our Urban schools in New Jersey?
I have no idea as to what is happening nationally, but I have a pretty good idea as to what is occurring in New Jersey. As a Special Education Advocate I have had the opportunity to work with some of the Urban districts; most recently in Newark, NJ.
I have been representing four Native American children. What I have experienced from the regular education to their Special Education would have stunned anyone else who had never run into the workings of inner city schools.
Newark is a very interesting City. It is comprised of African Americans, Hispanics, Portuguese and a sundry of other minority groups- with a speckle of Caucasian sprinkled in somewhere.
The problem with Newark is that their schools are racially and ethnically imbalanced. In essence Newark practices de facto segregation. You have schools which are basically comprised of children of Hispanic origin attending one school, African American students attending another school, Portuguese children in another school, and the splattering of other ethnic and cultural groups scattered throughout the district. Native American children, regardless of how many times the administration is told that they are Native American are told they are Hispanic, African American, and basically denied recognition of their heritage.
However, that’s another diary. Right now, Newark needs to end its de facto segregation and begin bussing their students city wide to effectively integrate their school system.
It is unacceptable in today’s society, that there should be a school system where their schools are not racially and ethnically balanced. The fact that most African American students are attending the failing schools in Newark; while children of other racial and ethnic backgrounds go to the “better” schools, should immediately cause outrage in a progressive society such as New Jersey.
You have Hispanic principals with Hispanic children and African American Principals with African American children and the cultures do not mix on a grand scale.
The State of NJ needs to integrate Newark schools by bussing the African American students to the Portuguese and Hispanic schools. The Portuguese students need to be divided up and sent to the Hispanic and African American schools and Hispanic students sent to the Portuguese and African American schools. Neighborhood schools/SLTs must end in Newark because not only is it a violation of integration, but depending upon which school the child attends, will determine the quality of education that child receives. Mixing the populations of the children guarantees an end to de facto segregation.
THAT’S INTEGRATION! Something that Newark is in great need of. Also, isn’t there something about Federal monies going to districts for integration? What happened to Newark? Why wasn’t it ever given Federal monies for bussing for integration? If they received it, where did the money go?
The next diaries will deal with my personal and/or other people's experiences with Newark's defacto segregation.
