“Courageous Conversation” on Diversity

Television programming isn’t exactly something I enjoy, so the amount of time I spend aimlessly gawking at the propaganda machine is limited.  However, the perpetual frigid weather of late found me with remote in hand searching for the local forecast. As fate would have it, I tuned in just in time to view KOLR’s “Courageous Conversations: Schools Foster Diversity Engagement.”  From what I gathered, the premise behind this “courageous conversation” was the excitement over the recently increased amount of “diversity” (i.e. fewer White students) within the Springfield, MO public school system.  As Lawrence Anderson, Springfield’s “Public Schools Manager of Diversity and Inclusion” says:

There are statistical trends showing our students of color are slightly increasing year after year. We are almost at a percent increasing students of color since last year.”  Anderson goes on to say, “We are at about 20 percent but nationally, things tell you that will continue to change. When I was looking and applied for the job it was at around 16 percent and that was only about three years ago.

The article makes comparisons with other public school systems in the geographic region, like Tulsa and Des Moines:

While the percentage of students who are not White continues to grow, data still shows that number is smaller than in similar cities.

Anderson goes on to say that in those cities “probably more than 50% are students of color.”  He adds that in Springfield, “diversity is emerging more rapidly at the lower grade levels.”

Neither Mr. Anderson nor the reporter added any input regarding the test scores or academic achievements of those school systems, or how years of increased “diversity” may or may not have changed the standards of education within those school districts.  As parents, and even more so as citizens of the United States, how has our mindset enabled us to accept that a lower percentage of White students correlates into a higher level of education, or even a better learning experience?  With Americans abstractly walking under a banner of equality, how does happiness at more of one demographic group and less of another translate into anything other than bigotry against Whites?  Why are White students and their successes and/or failures any less important than those of non-White students?  But, the article does ask the redundant fifty-year-old question:

A lot of research has shown there is [sic] achievement gaps between students who are African-American and Hispanic compared to their counterparts. So how do you close that gap to where those students are learning every bit as well as the others?

The idea of flooding “African-American and Hispanic” students into predominately White schools does not magically produce smarter “African-American and Hispanic” students, or better test scores.  This experiment has failed time-and-time again, and research is conclusive. One example (of many) is the NY Times “Black-White Test Score Gap”:

AFRICAN AMERICANS currently score lower than European Americans on vocabulary, reading, and mathematics tests, as well as on tests that claim to measure scholastic aptitude and intelligence. This gap appears before children enter kindergarten … and it persists into adulthood. It has narrowed since 1970, but the typical American black still scores below 75 percent of American whites on most standardized tests. On some tests the typical American black scores below more than 85 percent of whites?”

“It is true that the gap shrinks only a little when black and white children attend the same schools. It is also true that the gap shrinks only a little when black and white families have the same amount of schooling, the same income, and the same wealth.

The above was written in 1998; however, despite some closing of the gap during the Bush years, since 2008, the gap shows signs of widening. Apparently, the election of Barack Obama as role model to African Americans has not had a positive effect on African-American achievement.

It is presumed on my part (perhaps unfairly), that Springfield’s “Manager of Diversity and Inclusion” is fully aware of the above data, and knows that the evidence clearly shows that “gap” doesn’t narrow with increased “diversity.”  They say insanity is defined as repeating the same thing over-and-over again and expecting different results. If my presumption is accurate, the adage regarding insanity could be inserted into the equation on Mr. Anderson’s behalf.  Or, maybe Mr. Anderson is well aware of the data, and simply holds the view that a decreased percentage of White students is “particularly exciting” — an intrinsic good, if you will.

Wes Pratt, the “Missouri State Equity and Compliance Director” (another fancy title and position for the enforcement of a lower White student percentage — likely at Missouri taxpayer’s expense) states that, “Our schools need to understand diversity and the value of diversity,” but fails to offer an explanation on what exactly “diversity” is, and/or how it is of value.

Now, mind you, I’ve never claimed to be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but from my summation, “diversity” just means fewer White people, and one being a paid advocate for a lower demographic percentage of White people is basically a paid discriminator (the “R-word” could supplant “discriminator,” but it’s not my intent to judge one’s character).  It appears as if the job descriptions of these two positions are primarily to make their respected school systems less White.

The “courageous conversation” goes on to inform the reader/viewer that the Springfield district has partnered with the NAACP and Missouri State, “for a college conference that students of color can attend to get information on learning opportunities and even financial aid.”  Does the Springfield school district have any conferences set up for students not “of color”?  Does the NAACP or MSU have anything in the works for White students, who due to any number of admissible circumstances could benefit from a similar conference?  Or are they just expected to brave the elements on their own because they’re White?  Could one imagine the uproar if the above quote read: “for a college conference that White students can attend to get information on learning opportunities and even financial aid.”

As an American citizen, I am appalled (as should be the reader) at the blatant anti-White discrimination that is being publicly exhibited by Springfield’s local media and educational systems.  During this “courageous conversation” the concern was exclusively about “students of color,” while in contrast, students not “of color” were excluded from any representation.  Ironically, KOLR’s “conversation” presents a narrative that White students should “value” their demographic decline within the Springfield public school system – and not only should they value it, they should be excited about it (even if it comes with discriminatory sacrifices).

But we may be sure that Anderson and Pratt are being very courageous in putting out their politically correct views on these issues. Just imagine the hostility they will face, the pressure to recant their views, the threats to their livelihood, etc. These are truly brave men.

The fact is that discriminating against Whites and eagerly greeting their demographic decline is the easy thing to do these days. It’s the road to a secure, well-paid job and public accolades as an upstanding, morally righteous citizen.