The Balkanization Of Big D

Dallas I.S.D. trustee Lew Blackburn wants the school district to require all principals to become proficient in Afro-centric studies. "They can help those African-American students, some of whom may not be doing too well because they may be losing some of their identity," Dr. Blackburn told the Dallas Morning News. So the reason for low test scores is identitiy loss? Cheryl Ajirotutu, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, likes what Dr. Blackburn is proposing. As an example of the success of such prorams, Ms. Ajirotutu points to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School in Milwaukee. She said test scores at the school have improved since it began infusing African and African-American culture into its curriculum. The program includes childlin' reciting a pledge of allegiance to Africa after saying the U.S. pledge.

Those in favor of such programs argue that including an African-American perspective catches the interest of black students, helps them understand their roots and teaches about the contributions that African-Americans have made to this country. Experts say teachers work the history and culture of Africans and African-Americans into daily lessons. For example, a discussion on inventions could include gas masks and Super Soaker water guns, which were invented by African-Americans.

The proposal comes at a time when the Big D school board is divided along racial lines among it's minority members. Dallas Hispanic leader Jesse Diaz says Hispanic trustees might not get all fired up over the idea. He says Hispanic trustees still resent black trustees' opposition to the recent school board requirement that forced many principals to learn Spanish. "Other Hispanics are kind of upset that we didn't have the African-American support," Mr. Diaz told the News.

It's pretty obvious that this whole thing is nothing more that petty payback for the Spanish language requirment. But here's a thought, instead of telling black kids to be proud that a water gun was, "invented" by an African-American, why not make them take advanced math, physics, and chemistry and encourage them to pursue a career in science? That way instead of learning about inventions, they could actually invent stuff.