Upper Dublin Schools Accused of Discrimination

I have to post articles like this because I don’t understand them. I went to Upper Dublin (#27 out of 100 top high schools in PA) which is the only reason I’m even posting this. The facts?!?

• In a complaint to the U.S. Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, a group called Concerned African American Parents (CAAP) alleges that black students comprised 7.3 percent of Upper Dublin’s 4,232 students last year but received 45 percent of the suspensions.
• Filed for the parents by the Public Interest Law Center, the complaint also says that not one black student was in the gifted program in the district’s four elementary schools and middle school.
• Lawson said the group wants the district to eliminate the lowest of its three tracks, which has a disproportionate number of students of color and where “unfortunately, not a lot of learning goes on.” Without that bottom track, students would be integrated into higher-level courses, Lawson said.

Questioning the Facts?

7% receive 45% of suspensions. Isn’t the better question whether the 45% that were suspended deserved of the suspensions?  Are they saying that white students are not getting suspended for the same acts?  If you have evidence of this, you can make this kind of point.  If you don’t, you have nothing.  You can’t just throw out some percentage and claim there is a problem.  If students act poorly, they get suspended with an unbiased opinion towards race.  THAT’S THE WAY IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE.

There are no gifted black students in elementary school?  If you have a child that you think is gifted, and they test into the gifted program, are you saying that Upper Dublin is specifically not allowing these types of students if they are black?  That would be discrimination.  I have a hard time believe that’s what is happening.  Once again, produce the results.

Eliminate track 3?  I don’t care if you call it track 2.1, there is a reason why a student is placed in a certain level.  This isn’t a perfect world.  Not every child is of equal intelligence.  Students learn at different rates.  I’m sure studies have been done that backs up the learning process of learning with like minded peers.  The problem isn’t with classes being called track 3.

Arguments can be made that the teachers are not fully equipped to handle track 3 students. That’s an actual argument. An argument saying that track 3 students should be lumped in with track 2 students is a good way of saying that our children would be better suited for track 2. Let’s experiment then.  Move all the curriculum in track 3 classes to track 2.  You think putting track 3 students with track 2 students is magically going to turn them into better students?  More than likely they’ll feel even further behind and act even worse!

This thinking just riles me up because although it is done with good intention, it isn’t focusing on the proper ways of getting results. I get that parents have talked to teachers and board members and nothing is happening in improving the behavior of their children.  Maybe the only way to get their attention is by suing.  It doesn’t feel right though to point out discrimination when it’s most likely a deeper problem.  Like, hmmm, maybe you could spend more time raising your child appropriately?  Oh shit, let the fireworks begin.