The term 'boycott' goes all the way back to the 1800's, and guess what we (BLACKS) were all in the mix back then too. BLACKS always had to figure out ways to make things better for themselves, and boycotting became a way to express that we were fed up, and just not going to take the nonesense being thrown at us. The practice of boycotting started circa 1830, when the National Negro Convention encouraged a boycott of slave-produced goods.
Well, boycotting is still being practiced today and it is 2008. Almost 180 years later, BLACKS are still fighting for what we need and what we should already have, EQUALITY. In this case, Chicago is dealing witn inequality and low resources in the inner city schools. One Chi-town official is taking an unconventional approach, well for 2008, its rather unconventional. When was the last time you heard of a mass boycott where people were actually doing something. It's been some time since I have heard of BLACKS boycotting. I stand to be corrected, if I am wrong. Chicago's Democratic State Senator James Meeks has proposed a rather radical action to protest the underfunding of Chicago's inner city schools. Meeks has issued a call for all school kids in Chicago's poorest districts to boycott the first day at their assigned school and instead head to resource rich predominately white schools and attempt to register there.
Now you know that this will cause a major uproar. I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but they will not be accepted with open arms. They will be pushed right back over to the other side of town, where 'they belong.' It's no deep dark secret that schools in middle class and affluent neighborhoods are afforded better schools, better resources and just overall better opportunities. It's a shame that our government, city, state, and federal, does not allocate enough funds for our children to be afforded an education that will allow them to compete with their peers in wealthy neighborhoods. And forget competing for a minute, they do not even have the resources to read at the appropriate grade levels.
Full story from
Chicago Tribune:
Nearly 50 ministers on Monday embraced plans for students to boycott at least the first day of
Chicago Public Schools classes, a move aimed at ramping up pressure on state officials to address widespread inequities in education funding.
The church leaders from the city's West and South Sides pledged their support as lawmakers return to Springfield on Tuesday to meet in a special session Gov.
Rod Blagojevich called to consider the funding issue that has vexed lawmakers for decades.
The ministers said they would urge their congregations and communities to participate in the first-day boycott Sept. 2 and attempt to enroll Chicago students in New Trier Township High School District 203 in north suburban Winnetka.
"We refuse to continue to allow the State of Illinois to orphan our educational system," said Rev. Albert Tyson of St. Stephen AME Church.
Those who do not agree witht he boycott stated:
"It's counterproductive to urge kids not to attend school," Gov. Blagojevich said at a separate event. "If a child misses a day of school, that child will miss an opportunity to learn. I think children should take advantage of every possible day they can to go to school."
Further, he said, Chicago Public Schools would lose some state money if students skip because average daily attendance helps determine each school district's overall funding.
New Trier District 203 Supt. Linda Yonke, bracing for Meeks' attempt to enroll 1,000 students, labeled the ministers' move a "political action" she hopes won't be disruptive.
The governor thinks its counterproductive for students to boycott and miss school. He says, if a child misses school, that child will miss an opportiunity to learn." I want to know if he honestly believes that, who is he fooling? It sounds nice, but in all actuality, if a child who attends a school with no resources misses school, they aren't missing much learning at all, simply because the resources aren't there for them to learn anything.
For one, a classroom of 35 children has five dated books, if that (no people this is not an exaggeration), two, there aren't any teachers in the classroom, beacuse they get tired of not being properly compensated for their hard work, as a result they have long-term substiutes who aren't prepared to teach anything, so the students aren't learning; then you have students in the classroom who are constantly disrupting the class because they can't read and don't want anyone to know, so they act out.
There are so many things that go on in underpriviledged schools, and for the most part an abundance of learning is not one of them. So if the constant conventioanl way of trying to make our schools better is not working, then you are suppose to try new things.
Go ahead and try to redefine your dreams Chicago inner city schools--BOYCOTT until they give you what you are suppose to already have.
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