The people who make their living trying to solve educational problems often discuss the "school to prison" pipeline. This expression refers to the tendency of some of our youth to go directly from our educational institutions to prison.
They ponder and pontificate about why this is the case. They do studies, control for every conceivable factor, and still don't know what the heck is going on. Seriously, they don't. That is why it is not wise to depend on bureaucrats to solve our problems. Once, while walking in the hallway of a school administration building where I was attending a teacher workshop, I overheard a group of schoool administrators discussing the racial discrepancy in discipline referrals. This gap existed even after accounting for the all-important "socioeconomic level." (Well what do you know? Money can't buy ya love!)These poor bureaucrats were flummoxed, completely puzzled. Forgive them Father, they don't know what the heck they are doing.
My modest observation on the subject is this: After four hundred years of slavery--and the North had it too into the 19th ccwntury--we all, and I mean our whole rainbow creole nation, interact with each other, get sarcastic and lord it over each other like we are still 'way down by the Suwannee River. (Come to think of it, this dilemma could also help explain so many people popping a gasket and shooting up malls and movie theatres.) Quite simply, if our schools are run like prisons, if our students are taught to follow rules rather than to make wise decisions, to numb themselves and disengage rather than to positively connect, then we are just going with the school-to-prison flow.
There are many well-intentioned, dedicated, self-sacrificing professionals in our schools-including bewildered bureaucrats-- and I do not set out to demoralize them. In fairness to them, many people, also due to our nation's history, are psychologically challenged by legitimate obligations and necessary procedures. (Been there, done that, grown beyond it.) But the institutional climate in most of our schools needs a lot of repair.
My suggestions for the basis of a solution are contained in the 9 Principles. Teachers and students, let's share and discuss your insights on the school-to-prison pipeline and ideas for solutions.
They ponder and pontificate about why this is the case. They do studies, control for every conceivable factor, and still don't know what the heck is going on. Seriously, they don't. That is why it is not wise to depend on bureaucrats to solve our problems. Once, while walking in the hallway of a school administration building where I was attending a teacher workshop, I overheard a group of schoool administrators discussing the racial discrepancy in discipline referrals. This gap existed even after accounting for the all-important "socioeconomic level." (Well what do you know? Money can't buy ya love!)These poor bureaucrats were flummoxed, completely puzzled. Forgive them Father, they don't know what the heck they are doing.
My modest observation on the subject is this: After four hundred years of slavery--and the North had it too into the 19th ccwntury--we all, and I mean our whole rainbow creole nation, interact with each other, get sarcastic and lord it over each other like we are still 'way down by the Suwannee River. (Come to think of it, this dilemma could also help explain so many people popping a gasket and shooting up malls and movie theatres.) Quite simply, if our schools are run like prisons, if our students are taught to follow rules rather than to make wise decisions, to numb themselves and disengage rather than to positively connect, then we are just going with the school-to-prison flow.
There are many well-intentioned, dedicated, self-sacrificing professionals in our schools-including bewildered bureaucrats-- and I do not set out to demoralize them. In fairness to them, many people, also due to our nation's history, are psychologically challenged by legitimate obligations and necessary procedures. (Been there, done that, grown beyond it.) But the institutional climate in most of our schools needs a lot of repair.
My suggestions for the basis of a solution are contained in the 9 Principles. Teachers and students, let's share and discuss your insights on the school-to-prison pipeline and ideas for solutions.