Wed, 19 Oct 1994 11:48:09 -0700 for <socgrad@ucsd.edu>
	sendmail 4.1/UCSB-2.1-sun
	Wed, 19 Oct 94 11:48:05 PDT for socgrad@ucsd.edu
From: velasco@alishaw.ucsb.edu (Steve Velasco)
Subject: Re: school colors
To: chiquita@psc.lsa.umich.edu (Chiquita Collins)
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 94 11:48:01 PDT
> 
> "Can we all just get along?"--Rodney King
> 

Yes, I said I was naive...But where will your "insight" take us? 

> If only it was that easy.  The Latino instructor felt that the school 
> newspaper should incorporate articles written by students who reflect the 
> racial composition of the school.  I agree with him.  In my high 
> school, individuals who were interested in working for the school newspaper 
> signed up for the class (print shop) and were English majors.  
> Berkely High did not explain what the process was for joining the school's 
> newspaper.  

I also agree that a _student_ newspaper should reflect the student body.  
I wasn't really refering to this incident when I made my comment about the 
Latino teacher.  It just seemed _to me_ that he had a genuine distaste 
for white people and anglo culture in general, at least according to a few 
of the remarks he made, and the reported conversation he had with the white
buzz-cut student.  We should discourage this lack of respect for others.
Would you agree?

> 
> There was more in this documentary that you may have missed.  The issue of 
> class (tracking) tracting was addressed.  Classes are separated by level of 
> skill.  A.P. classes are taught in most schools, however, Berkely High's 
> general classes were segregated by race.  Not all white students take A.P. 
> courses, yet (interesting) the general classes were 85% non-white.  One 
> instructor taught a "heterogeneous" class, which integrates various skill 
> levels of students.  White students in this class complained that the 
> instructor lost focus on teaching the subject matter when most of her 
> time was spent on "controlling disruptive students".  
> 

Yes, these are legitimate concerns that can and should be addresed.  But
again, I don't think belittling white folk is the answer.  That is the
point I am trying to make.  Even in my naivite, I can see that there is still
a legacy of racism, and prejudice in this country which I myself have
experienced/experience.  However, I see a dominant culture that is at 
least trying to right past wrongs.  Perhaps this is too long in coming, 
I don't know.  Let me just say that replacing one form of racism with 
another is not the answer.  Respect for each other can and should be a 
guiding principle in formulating answers to these complex, and not 
entirely resolved issues.

--steven velasco
  uc santa barbara

LONG LIVE ARETHA!!!