Inside an IPS locker room...look at the racial stuff...white kid gets hit in back by black kid...posted by YouTube user 'MrDMorris38' who seems to spend a lot of time filming with his cell phone inside Marshall.....
Racial tensions will continue until people look at problem students as problem students and not a representative of their race. (The same thing goes for other generalizations -- culture, socioeconomic status, etc.) The fact that you see a black kid hitting a white kid shows your own bias. Most of us who have been at IPS for awhile wouldn't have worded it that way because we think differently. My best students, funniest students, angriest students, most sensitive students, and kindest students are all statistically likely to be nonwhite. Now if you want to address gangs, I'm all for that. But gangs have nothing to do with race. It has more to do with poverty and self preservation in hostile urban environments. We see more gang members who are racial minorities because the poorest members of our city are minorities. Back when the poorest members of cities were Italian and Irish, gang members were white. In the west, Native Americans are the disproportionately "criminal" race.
This is an example of bullying, not racial tension. Sometimes bullying happens with kids of the same race (like the incident in Carmel) sometimes, inter-racially. Playing the race card unnecessarily perpetuates, rather than combats, racial tensions.
What card is the Carmel schools and community playing when they attempt to coverup deviante sexual conduct on Carmel school buses? i hope someone goes to jail over that incident.
In more than a few IPS high schools, white students are the minority. Yes, they are picked on occasionally. I do not know if that is racially motivated, is considered using the race card, etc. It is what it is, and it's not always nice.
I dont see race that big of an issue with my students. Overall, IPS is now 23% White and 16% Hispanic. My students have all gone to integrated schools since kg and race problems are few. Most fights tend to be Black on Black. If any group faces discrimination as a group, I would say that it is our Hispanic students. I agree that violence in IPS is not race related but it is out of control and being ignored by Eugene White.
Granted it was several years ago, but I taught at a school located in a historically Black neighborhood that had seen a recent influx of people of Hispanic heritage. There were several scary incidents that took place where large groups Hispanic students would tangle with large groups of Black students. Luckily, we were always able to diffuse the situation before any violence took place.
While race might not be a "big issue" in many IPS schools, it is an issue that should not be ignored in ANY school. Race should be openly discussed and not considered a delicate subject. Talking openly about a subject generally leads to positive attitude adjustments and helps combat the ignorance of SOME.
I'm a white parent in a mixed neighborhood with children who go to IPS. Adults are fixated with race FAR more than the kids today are. None of the kids in my neighborhood EVER talked about race until they went to school. They didn't even know that some people think about skin color differently than they think about eye color or hair color. They didn't use words like black or white or brown to identify people. The adults taught them when they went to school though. I agree it shouldn't be a secret, but we also shouldn't be cursing these kids with our generations' screwed-up perspectives on race. Our generation tends to see things as very racist. We are very aware of examples that fit our racial stereotypes (either positive or negative). These kids don't think that way. Not even the bullies. It honestly gives me great hope for the future. Unfortunately, many teachers and parents still DO think that way, and they teach kids to think that way. So it'll probably be another generation or two before someone can view violence or bullying or poverty without framing it as being motivated or caused by racism.
Here's a quote from the Ben Davis article. "McDermott-Lang said at no time were weapons confiscated and the district does not believe the fights are the result of gang activity.
"We know that the incident between the two young men in the bathroom involved two young men of different races, but we are not hearing that this is a gang problem," she said."
Obviously the blogmaster is not only a gossip-monger but a racist as well. (And don't tell me not to come here if I dislike the blogmaster, there are a few legitimate teachers, parents, and citizens of Indy who do contribute to discussions despite the blogmaster's efforts to keep this blog a source of petty gossip and personal insults.)
I like the blog of the parent a couple of posts above. Today's young people do not look at race like today's adults do. The youth are much more accepting and less judgemental. That is even true with the issue of sexual orientation. Today's high school students are much more accepting there also. Someone, somewhere is doing something right to have a young generation that is so accepting and nonjudgemental.
Looks like Mary Louise Bewley is back on IPS-BS. Mrs. Bewley, you can't defend Gene White without getting blood on your hands. Do you want the blood of a child on your hands???
Who doesn't want to talk about John Marshall? The title of the discussion is called "Racial Tension." So the discussion has been mainly about -- brace yourself for this -- racial tension. If you have something to say about John Marshall, nobody's stopping you.
I don't see it either. There is only one post mentioning White on this whole page, and it is negative. I don't see anything here that could even remotely be interpreted as defending him. I think some people just really dislike it when we have real discussions here.
IPS is as bad or worse than other school systems. It is full of gang/racial violence and Dr. White does not want it known or reported in the form of gang activity. The gang violence is dominated by Black and Hispanic-thus creating the racial tension.
Oh please. IPS is the most transparent district to notify parents and media when a serious safety issue is involved. If you are an IPS parent and employee living in Indianapolis/Marion County, you know what the challenges are regarding educating urban children.
This is what happens when the Carmelites feel threatened.
Here's a proposal; since you're not an IPS taxpayer to begin with, how about leaving and finding another job? Since none of you want to stay late after school (fear of the neighborhoods), perhaps an urban environment is not the best placement for you?
Why should any educators want to stay late in dangerous neighborhoods?
Many of the good people who (unfortunately) have to live in those neighborhoods shutter themselves up after dark and are reluctant to go out themselves.
Where does it say that public school teachers should be literally willing to put their lives on the line for their jobs? They have children and families of their own who need them. They didn't choose a career in law enforcement and they aren't armed with guns and body shields.
Also, would it help the cause of IPS to have potential gang violence done to a teacher(s) on the front page of the paper and on TV news?
IPS is not a transparent district. It is too bad many gang issues are overlooked or written off as bully issues to cover up for gang activity. Remember the legal ramifications for gang related activities are more severe(thus drawing media attention to the district).Remember gang activity is not only in the urban environment. IPS administrators seem to tolerate the violence within the schools. If a student is mean and hurts others, education needs to take place in another place. Urban kids deserve the best environment for learning.
Inside an IPS locker room...look at the racial stuff...white kid gets hit in back by black kid...posted by YouTube user 'MrDMorris38' who seems to spend a lot of time filming with his cell phone inside Marshall.....
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/profile?user=MrDmorris38#p/u/5/sl8Kn945Qi4
Look at BD's test scores. Gangs are not their only problem.
ReplyDeleteWhy doesn't the prosecutor investigate Marshall? It is obvious that Eugene White and the IPS administration are unwilling to address the problems.
ReplyDeleteIt is obvious this blog is maintained by people who have no clue on what is, and is not, addressed via the many remedies "real" IPS staff have.
ReplyDeletePoseurs. Sad and pitiful.
Above poster, do you not think racial tensions need to be addressed?
ReplyDeleteRacial tensions will continue until people look at problem students as problem students and not a representative of their race. (The same thing goes for other generalizations -- culture, socioeconomic status, etc.) The fact that you see a black kid hitting a white kid shows your own bias. Most of us who have been at IPS for awhile wouldn't have worded it that way because we think differently. My best students, funniest students, angriest students, most sensitive students, and kindest students are all statistically likely to be nonwhite. Now if you want to address gangs, I'm all for that. But gangs have nothing to do with race. It has more to do with poverty and self preservation in hostile urban environments. We see more gang members who are racial minorities because the poorest members of our city are minorities. Back when the poorest members of cities were Italian and Irish, gang members were white. In the west, Native Americans are the disproportionately "criminal" race.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post. As a fellow IPS teacher, I feel exactly the same way.
ReplyDeleteThis is an example of bullying, not racial tension. Sometimes bullying happens with kids of the same race (like the incident in Carmel) sometimes, inter-racially. Playing the race card unnecessarily perpetuates, rather than combats, racial tensions.
ReplyDeleteWhat card is the Carmel schools and community playing when they attempt to coverup deviante sexual conduct on Carmel school buses? i hope someone goes to jail over that incident.
ReplyDeleteThe change in venue to Hendricks county should prove to be very interesting for the Carmel crowd.
ReplyDeleteIf you were a white student attending IPS..you might view things a little differently.
ReplyDeleteIn more than a few IPS high schools, white students are the minority. Yes, they are picked on occasionally. I do not know if that is racially motivated, is considered using the race card, etc. It is what it is, and it's not always nice.
ReplyDeleteBut black students are bullied too. And most white students are NOT picked on. YOU are adding the issue of race as the motivator, not the students.
ReplyDeleteI dont see race that big of an issue with my students. Overall, IPS is now 23% White and 16% Hispanic. My students have all gone to integrated schools since kg and race problems are few. Most fights tend to be Black on Black. If any group faces discrimination as a group, I would say that it is our Hispanic students. I agree that violence in IPS is not race related but it is out of control and being ignored by Eugene White.
ReplyDeleteGranted it was several years ago, but I taught at a school located in a historically Black neighborhood that had seen a recent influx of people of Hispanic heritage. There were several scary incidents that took place where large groups Hispanic students would tangle with large groups of Black students. Luckily, we were always able to diffuse the situation before any violence took place.
ReplyDeleteWhile race might not be a "big issue" in many IPS schools, it is an issue that should not be ignored in ANY school. Race should be openly discussed and not considered a delicate subject. Talking openly about a subject generally leads to positive attitude adjustments and helps combat the ignorance of SOME.
I'm a white parent in a mixed neighborhood with children who go to IPS. Adults are fixated with race FAR more than the kids today are. None of the kids in my neighborhood EVER talked about race until they went to school. They didn't even know that some people think about skin color differently than they think about eye color or hair color. They didn't use words like black or white or brown to identify people. The adults taught them when they went to school though. I agree it shouldn't be a secret, but we also shouldn't be cursing these kids with our generations' screwed-up perspectives on race. Our generation tends to see things as very racist. We are very aware of examples that fit our racial stereotypes (either positive or negative). These kids don't think that way. Not even the bullies. It honestly gives me great hope for the future. Unfortunately, many teachers and parents still DO think that way, and they teach kids to think that way. So it'll probably be another generation or two before someone can view violence or bullying or poverty without framing it as being motivated or caused by racism.
ReplyDeleteWhat is going on at Marshall?
ReplyDeleteTo parent above, good blog, I agree that the kids really don't have the hangups the adults seem to have.
ReplyDeleteHere's a quote from the Ben Davis article. "McDermott-Lang said at no time were weapons confiscated and the district does not believe the fights are the result of gang activity.
ReplyDelete"We know that the incident between the two young men in the bathroom involved two young men of different races, but we are not hearing that this is a gang problem," she said."
Obviously the blogmaster is not only a gossip-monger but a racist as well. (And don't tell me not to come here if I dislike the blogmaster, there are a few legitimate teachers, parents, and citizens of Indy who do contribute to discussions despite the blogmaster's efforts to keep this blog a source of petty gossip and personal insults.)
I like the blog of the parent a couple of posts above. Today's young people do not look at race like today's adults do. The youth are much more accepting and less judgemental. That is even true with the issue of sexual orientation. Today's high school students are much more accepting there also. Someone, somewhere is doing something right to have a young generation that is so accepting and nonjudgemental.
ReplyDeleteYou just don't want to talk about John Marshall.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Mary Louise Bewley is back on IPS-BS. Mrs. Bewley, you can't defend Gene White without getting blood on your hands. Do you want the blood of a child on your hands???
ReplyDeleteWho doesn't want to talk about John Marshall? The title of the discussion is called "Racial Tension." So the discussion has been mainly about -- brace yourself for this -- racial tension. If you have something to say about John Marshall, nobody's stopping you.
ReplyDeleteWho defended Gene White? What are you talking about? I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone. Are you reading the same discussion I am?
ReplyDeleteI don't see it either. There is only one post mentioning White on this whole page, and it is negative. I don't see anything here that could even remotely be interpreted as defending him. I think some people just really dislike it when we have real discussions here.
ReplyDeleteIPS is as bad or worse than other school systems. It is full of gang/racial violence and Dr. White does not want it known or reported in the form of gang activity. The gang violence is dominated by Black and Hispanic-thus creating the racial tension.
ReplyDeleteOh please. IPS is the most transparent district to notify parents and media when a serious safety issue is involved. If you are an IPS parent and employee living in Indianapolis/Marion County, you know what the challenges are regarding educating urban children.
ReplyDeleteThis is what happens when the Carmelites feel threatened.
Here's a proposal; since you're not an IPS taxpayer to begin with, how about leaving and finding another job? Since none of you want to stay late after school (fear of the neighborhoods), perhaps an urban environment is not the best placement for you?
Why should any educators want to stay late in dangerous neighborhoods?
ReplyDeleteMany of the good people who (unfortunately) have to live in those neighborhoods shutter themselves up after dark and are reluctant to go out themselves.
Where does it say that public school teachers should be literally willing to put their lives on the line for their jobs? They have children and families of their own who need them. They didn't choose a career in law enforcement and they aren't armed with guns and body shields.
Also, would it help the cause of IPS to have potential gang violence done to a teacher(s) on the front page of the paper and on TV news?
I am not a teacher nor an IPS employee.
IPS is not a transparent district. It is too bad many gang issues are overlooked or written off as bully issues to cover up for gang activity. Remember the legal ramifications for gang related activities are more severe(thus drawing media attention to the district).Remember gang activity is not only in the urban environment. IPS administrators seem to tolerate the violence within the schools. If a student is mean and hurts others, education needs to take place in another place. Urban kids deserve the best environment for learning.
ReplyDelete