Minnesota schools seize on
momentum to tackle racism,
achievement gaps in education

Conqueroring Achievement Gaps NEVER means putting extra effort into the success of the lowest achievers. That's too difficult as those people need to make the same commitment the highest achievers do, but WON'T. So the alternative is to deny opportunities for achievement from the children who WANT to excel. Achievement Gap solved.

Sorry Minnesota but the "gap" starts at home. Throwing more money at the gap won't close it; however, changing the attitudes of parents and students toward the value of an education might start to close it.

What reckoning with what racism?? These people up North are still living in la la land of Left Wing Fantasy. Hopefully Nov 3 will open their eyes.

The achievement gap is almost entirely self-inflicted, at least 95%. Achievement gaps are mostly related to two things. First is native intelligence, which can't be changed no matter how many stupid Dem programs they create. Second is the effort put into learning by the student and the parents. THIS is basically cultural. The sad part is that the black inner city culture of today actively devalues education, calls it "acting white", and revels in ignorance, failure and non-achievement. Asian culture greatly values education, as does most white culture, so those groups do much better on average than cultures who devalue education. THAT is the biggest issue in the "achievement gap". Millions and millions of very average IQ people who have valued education, worked hard, struggled and made the effort and have would up with good education results, and good lives because they WORKED at it, even if they might not have been blessed with a particularly high IQ. A lazy person with a 120 IQ is likely to do more poorly in life than a hard working person with a 95 IQ. Over a broad range of native intelligence, effort and commitment count for much more than raw IQ for educational and life success.

Adding staff and approving policies. Ooooh, be still my beating heart. How about putting more teachers in classrooms?

Parents have to be a part of the education process and maybe the other races don't feel that way, with exceptions of course. So the kids you mention who are falling behind, need to look to their parents. Throwing money at it doesn't work if an education is not important to a family.

To be honest 63% proficiency isn't anything to brag about, white or black. So is the solution bringing the numbers for minorities up, or to bring the numbers for whites down, or just quit testing altogether?

I worked with blacks all my life. When I was at a WIC office, we were talking about pre-schools and such available for children. She told me a lot of black mothers purposely don't try to educate their children, help them learn to count or say their ABC's, because when the kid gets to kindergarten they are diagnosed learning disabled and mom gets an SSI check on top of everything else. Sure enough, I was interviewing a black mother who's little girl was sitting on her lap and she pointed to a letter and asked her mom what that was. Mom said "you don't need to know that." So some of this lagging behind among black children is on purpose.

There is racism, up to people being killed solely because of their skin color. There is no systemic racism, no matter how often the tell this lie. There is not one single example where 'the system' is racist.

Nice try, Minnesota, but, the lack of achievement is due to a major breakdown in the family unit where there are no longer any values or expectations. Too many kids are born into this world to unwed mothers. Way too many divorces and kids living in the basement bedroom of their divorced mother's condo. Way too many pre-occupied parents who hand their kids that free iphone to keep them occupied with violent video games and sexting. Way too many kids who rely on social media in order to be socially relevant. And way way too much useless prattle from the dims and msm claiming racism is rampant. It is all made up. Every bit of it.

Maybe the kids at the bottom of the gap should try “acting white” for a change.

There’s also a “studying” gap, a “showing up for class” gap, and a “not-getting-pregnant” gap.

can't get to the article

These school districts are pimping our children.

Here's my ("non-professional) usual prescription, or, assignment, based on common sense empirical observations (and based on what our early schooling worked): 1) schools must be SAFE for teachers (strong punishment for anyone touching/assaulting or swearing at); and for children 2) schools must be clean and bright (you don't need a multi-million dollar building) 3) children must be able to get to and from school safely. You can't learn if there's a real threat of danger in school or traveling back and forth. Over and above, keep the curriculum to the subjects which will enable children to build intellectual development, and learn technical skills which for some children is the key for successful and self-sufficient lives. This really will transform their lives and the communities' overall health, and will benefit our entire country. Simple and cost-effective. (Oh, and it would be really great to end teacher's unions. We are here for them. They are there for the children.)

You're black, you pass, welcome to Harvard. Your student loan will be .... You're Black and Somalian !!! Welcome to Harvard graduate school. Your student loan will be ...

White leftist "educators" trying to solve a problem without acknowledging the root cause. to them the solutions is always money and self flagellation.

I taught in a school with an almost entirely minority population for about five years in the early 2000s.Very poor neighborhood. About 45% black, 45% Hispanic. A few white kids. About three Asian kids schoolwide. First and second grades. That is basically 6- and 7-year-olds. I'm speaking here about the black kids. The vast majority were living in all kinds of less than ideal circumstances. Drug-using and sometimes addicted parents, parents and/or siblings in gangs, prostitution, parents in jail and more were common. Nevertheless, the vast majority of my black kids wanted to learn and applied themselves. As with any group, they varied in their gifts in terms of "smarts" and all the other forms of intelligence and other talents. I remember one particularly smart girl named Kianna. Hmm. I wonder how she's doing today in her mid-20s. A handful of these very young children were already quite significantly emotionally disturbed. These poor kids were victims of their piss-poor parents. 😕😥😥😡 Unfortunately some of these abused and neglected children spread their own victimization to their classmates by being frequently very disruptive. Obviously, this cost their peers a lot of educational time. (And I will admit cost this former teacher a lot of frustration, some loss of patience, and ultimately enough discouragement to leave the profession. Well, that plus endless stupid bureaucracy.) I wish there were a better short-term answer. But the only solution I can see is for schools to get serious about separating out these very disruptive students (who, remember are victims of their parents) from the children who are ready and willing to learn. The long-term solution is a teturn to God and two-parent families.

the functional vocabulary in a black ghetto household is approximately 300-350 words. Verbs are most often omitted. Slang words/expressions are remarkably important, moreso than in the national culture. Objects are more important than non-athletic achievements. Middle school girls giving birth are less likely to spend time reading to the baby. any child coming out of that pre-school environment will have a hard time achieving in school. How do we break that cycle? I don't know.

Prediction: Much spending of money;much wringing of hands; much blame being projected; no positive, verifiable changes resulting.

Back in the 1950s the question was "Why can't Johnny Read?". The dollars flowed, and they've continued to flow to solve every conceivable "question" raised by the mal-education of children by the "EXPERTS". When does the message sink in? This all has nothing, zip, zero to do with education, and all to do with more money? Government is largely a scam...it really is that simple. Your good cause is someone's racket.

Schools have no business "tackling" racism. If they did , they should tackle anti-Euro-American racism in the form of refusing to expel bullies and disruptors from government schools.