Why Do School Officials Hurt Poor Children?
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Why do school officials continue to hurt poor children? The San Bernardino School District (search) west of L.A. is not doing well. Its average test scores for African-American and Latino students are a disaster. And they're not much better for white kids.
And here's the latest brainstorm by the school board out there — Ebonics (search), slang, that some blacks use instead of proper English. The San Bernandino School District wants to include Ebonics as part of a supplemental reading program.
"Talking Points" wants to be very clear about this. Every school official who wants to use Ebonics in any way should be fired immediately. The only way poor American children are going to succeed in our very competitive society is to teach those kids academic discipline and the skills they need to secure a good job.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Reading and writing proper English is the first priority. Math is the second. Ebonics should not be anywhere near a public school. Lack of discipline in poor school districts is a national disgrace. If society really cared about these kids, it would double the pay of teachers in these districts and impose strict hiring and performance standards on instructors who want to earn that increased salary.
School uniforms would be mandatory. And all anti-social behavior would be dealt with immediately and harshly. Zero tolerance for any violation of the public safety in schools. Separate classes for kids who won't obey the rules.
But America doesn't really care about poor children. And those who live in chaotic homes and attend chaotic schools, allowing idiotic educators to promote Ebonics to kids who can hardly read is not only insane, it is condemning those children to lives of poverty and disappointment.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Finding your way out of poverty is incredibly difficult. And Ebonics is not going to help you. Again, only a classic education and learning how to think clearly will give you the opportunity to rise. San Bernardino is conning the kids. Those school officials who are pushing Ebonics should not be allowed to get away with it. And that's “The Memo.”
The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day
I'd like to acknowledge the L.A. Times for recognizing the unfairness of its description of me in an article I helped them out with.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}As you may know, I no longer talk to the print press, because it's a no-win situation. For every fair assessment of me and this broadcast, there are 10 unfair ones. Why fight the odds?
Anyway, as I reported in a "Ridiculous Item" a few weeks ago, The L.A. Times broke its promise not to put a subjective description, in my case, "ultraconservative," in front of my name when using my comments about Bono, a man who does good things in the world.
The L.A. Times admitted it did what I said it did. They didn't apologize for anything, but at least they admitted it. Maybe progress is being made, which is never ridiculous.