March 11, 2019

"Their message is simple — destructive but simple: Madison schools have a racial achievement gap because Bernie Sanders-loving Madison hates black children."

"[School Board candidates Ali] Muldrow & [Ananda] Mirilli peddled their bilious message during a candidate forum Saturday (03-10-19) at Badger Rock middle school. The event was sponsored by the Freedom Inc. Youth Squad — the same outfit coordinating disruption at the Madison Board of Education these last two years. (On October 29 and February 25.) Their top of the page goal is getting rid of Cops in Schools; their bottom line replaces classroom discipline with race shaming."

Writes David Blaska, another school board candidate, who participated in the forum, and has the video of the entire event. Here's what his opponent, Muldrow, said about him:
“My opponent would like to do all kinds of things to black students: punish them, humiliate them, hurt them, silence them, suspend them, expel them— pretty much anything but teach them. That is theme in Madison: how we blame black children, how we hurt black children, how we get rid of black children, how we do not listen to black children. A lot of people are afraid to have a real conversations about race. We are a society that has always thought black children are unfit for education.”
Blaska transcribes his answer:
“Ali, I’m sure you can spell, here’s a word for you: ‘hyperbole.’ This idea that I want black children to fail? How does that help David Blaska? How does that help anyone? I want everyone in town to have a good job, a nice green lawn, kids they can be proud of — healthy, high achievers in sports and academics, that contribute to the community, kids that I would be proud to know. Why would I want anyone to fail? That is such an irresponsible charge. What Ali and Ananda are saying is so destructive, so bad because it is why we have a racial achievement gap in the first place. Because your overwhelming message is: ‘son, daughter, you are a victim — a victim and you can’t succeed in this system until we reform it somehow and in some way by electing Ali Muldrow.’ That kid is going to fail because a victim has no control, no agency, they can’t say ‘we build, we create our own future.’ You’re in middle school — 11, 12, 13 years old. You got your whole life ahead of you. You got something called education and that is the greatest tool of all. And yes, if you need a little help, if you got to work a little harder, we will help you. Listen to your teacher, quit making excuses, quit screwing up because no positive behavior coach in the world is going to help you because they have already been thrown under the bus by this school district, by this school board because [of the philosophy] ‘you are a victim and you’re never going to succeed.’ I’m tired of it.”

140 comments:

Stephen Taylor said...

David Blaska is a prophet without honor in his own land.

CJinPA said...

As a former school board member, I salute this man for saying what I held off saying until my last board meeting.

mccullough said...

He’s right. Handing kids crutches doesn’t work.

Maybe the Left can shame whites into doing worse on tests to close the achievement gap. Then the Left can scapegoat The Asians.

Friendo said...

Blaska's response is true and excellent. Well done.

walter said...

"A lot of people are afraid to have a real conversations about race."
Well..yes...but..

Fernandinande said...

Madison schools have a racial achievement gap

All schools with races have racial achievement gaps.

Kevin said...

Socialism is a zero-sum game. How are those kids going to learn when white privilege is sucking all the knowledge out of the room?

Nonapod said...

Freedom Inc. Youth Squad has a certain paramilitary ring to it. Or it's a good name for an anarcho-punk band.

n.n said...

Blaska sees people, not diversity. He wants to take affirmative action to help children left behind, not to discriminate against other children.

the Left can scapegoat The Asians

Asian privilege. Also, light-Black privilege, Jew privilege, and a diverse progression.

Fernandinande said...

Victimization Whack-a-Mole

'Black kids must be with white kids'...but
'Black kids must be with black kids'

'White teachers must teach black students'...but
'Black teachers must teach black students'

'Force teachers to be accountable'...but
'Forcing teachers to be accountable is racist'

'Allow black kids to leave failing schools'...but
'Don't allow white kids to leave failing schools'

'Imposing white standards is racist'...but
'Not imposing white standards is racist'

Ken B said...

This, together with abortion, is at the heart of why American politics is so dysfunctional.

stlcdr said...

Abuse your opponent using (black) kids as pawns in your political games.

Sounds like a good way to solve problems. Carry on.

roesch/voltaire said...

I am voting for Blaska to get some balance and hope the hyperbole on both sides will lessen.

gg6 said...

Bravo for Blaska! I have no doubt he will NOT be an invited speaker at the upcoming Dem-Lib-Socialist convention in WI.

Lucid-Ideas said...

The only people truly not wanting to have a conversation about race as well as not accepting the eventual conclusions about said conversation are black people.

Thomas Sowell said something similar almost 20 years ago. But hey, he's an uncle Tom right?

So much for the conversation....

Curious George said...

Dave's great. But nothing will change. With him on the school board or without. As a matter of fact, it will just get worse. Enjoy the suck.

Michael K said...

Brown vs Board of Education 65 years later.

Otto said...

Ann you reap (Ann is a racist) what you sow ( women are victims).

Mike Sylwester said...

When I was going to elementary school, we did not have positive behavior coaches.

MadisonMan said...

I am voting for Blaska to get some balance and hope the hyperbole on both sides will lessen.

Same. A vote for anyone else is a vote for just another similar voice in the chorus. That is not helpful.

The Bergall said...

This is more prevalent than one thinks. My cousin teaches 6th grade and the stories she relates would make your head spin...........

Jersey Fled said...

Name one city in America where there is not a Black achievement gap.

Mike Sylwester said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
PM said...

"This town is populated with nothing but a bunch of fat, ugly, useless, alcoholic losers who will never amount to anything. A lot of people are afraid to have a real conversation about our citizenry."

Meeting halfway 2.0.

Mike Sylwester said...

Does each student have a positive behavior coach?

If not, then how does a particular student get assigned to a positive behavior coach?

Does a particular student's behavior cause such an assignment?

Are positive behavior coaches generally racists?

If they are generally racists, then were they already racists before they were hired -- or did they become racists after they had worked for a while as positive behavior coaches?

Jersey Fled said...

And it's all the fault of racist white people.

Skippy Tisdale said...

Oh, blow it out your ass, Ali.

Jaq said...

We had a “board of education” It was a paddle in the vice principle’s office.

DanTheMan said...

Conversation???

What kind of conversation starts with "You are a horrible monster!"

rcocean said...

That answer will get him nowhere.

Hunter said...

You know what might help with this? Giving the students vouchers so they can go attend a different school that treats them better.

rcocean said...

Hey, Black folks: I'm a white man and I'm telling this for your own good.

Has worked...never.

Jersey Fled said...

I've written this before here.

I taught for eight years at a predominantly Black urban university. There was a massive difference between my immigrant African students and my African American ones. My immigrant African students almost without exception came to class prepared and on time, neatly dressed, and ready to learn. My African American students, less so.

The difference was that my immigrant students didn't know that they were victims.

DanTheMan said...

You can't have a conversation, and a meeting of the minds, with no common ground.
I suspect what will be required, and eventually provided, is a confession of Great Crimes, to be followed by a show trial, and then an un-personing.

It's how we do it now.

traditionalguy said...

Free speech that expresses hope and faith in all people is a White Man's trick. Resentment can be expressed every which way, but hope and faith is forbidden speech.

buwaya said...

Will not change.
One rational person on a school board changes nothing.
The people must change, all of them, or enough anyway to dominate the others, and they won’t.
The reasons for this go right up to the peaks, the directional center, where values and purposes are defined, for your educational system, the top universities.
Which are both hopelessly corrupt and untouchable.

Tommy Duncan said...

Blogger roesch/voltaire said...

"I am voting for Blaska to get some balance and hope the hyperbole on both sides will lessen."

Both sides? In Madison there are only variations of extreme progressive liberalism. The leftists are fighting among themselves. Blaska offers a new way.

AlbertAnonymous said...

“A lot of people are afraid to have a real conversations about race.”

I hear this a lot. We need to have a conversation about race. But it’s always a lecture not a conversation. Your white privileged self can’t understand apparently. And if there ever is anything approaching a “conversation” then it becomes “no, we need a real conversation”. Again, apparently because we disagree we must be wrong, or unreal, or incapable of seeing the light. Probably because of this nonsense about “privilege”...

Correlation vs. Causation. Oh there’s a racial “gap” or some kind of statistical difference. Must be racism... because whitey.

Rick said...

MadisonMan said... [hush]​[hide comment]
A vote for anyone else is a vote for just another similar voice in the chorus. That is not helpful.


If I were a Madison resident I would not vote for Blaska. He won't be able to prevent any of the left's policies so his only contribution will be to allow the left to blame the consequences of the left's governance on non-leftists. This is much like having a Republican Governor or Illinois, California, or Oregon. The only outcome of a non-left token is to give them cover to continue their mismanagement.

Instead let the residents discover the outcomes of their preferences just like Venezuelans are. A few high profile failures where the left gets their complete wishlist is the only way to stop the decline. Many Democrats understand this which is why they support incrementalism as the best way to blame others for their policies giving them the chance to keep them in place forever.

Rick said...

“A lot of people are afraid to have a real conversations about race.”

No one is afraid of a conversation about race. Everyone understands it is a complete and total waste of time since those who control the institutions are only interested in calling those they disagree with racist.

Mike Sylwester said...

How does that trouble-making girl behave at home?

Is she a well-behaved, reasonable, obedient daughter to her parents?

Does she get along normally with her siblings?

If she is a trouble-maker at home too, then maybe her parents need coaches.

langford peel said...

Only Dr Doolittle can talk to the monkeys.

There is no answer. Except separate and equal.

CJinPA said...

If I were a Madison resident I would not vote for Blaska. He won't be able to prevent any of the left's policies so his only contribution will be to allow the left to blame the consequences of the left's governance on non-leftists.

I disagree. This is surrender. Even if you can't win, the act of fighting is beneficial in the battle of ideas.

wildswan said...

Young reformers from the black community are blaming the white community at large and a reformer from within the white community for Tony Ever's behavior education of teachers over the last ten years. For ten years Evers educated teachers into his plan. Evers plan is not the Behavior Education plan for students as written. It is a certain way to implement that plan. In Madison a teacher knows that escalating a student to higher levels of intervention will adversely affect that teacher's career. As a result the higher levels of the Behavior Education Plan effectively do not exist. Effectively in Madison, the Behavior Education plan tries to find out why good kids are behaving badly and help them over a bad time. This is good. But also in Madison, when a student has a set pattern of behaving badly, the Evers Behavior Education plan is to pretend that in this case also a good kid is behaving badly for temporary reasons. This pretense gives the desired statistics showing that the Evers Behavior Education plan works. Bad behavior drops off, statistically. But it is the behavior of the teachers which has been "educated." The behavior expected of teachers is to produce the expected statistics relative to the Behavior Education plan and to ignore the actual statistics on learning to read and do math.

And they have learned to do this. In Madison as in socialist Russia, "We pretend to teach; they pretend to learn."

And within the black community, how is reform of this abuse progressing? Not at all. "We pretend to speak the truth to power but really we just blame whitey. By 'whitey', we don't mean Evers or Soglin, the men who have been in charge or their policies. We mean George Washington, Blaska and any supporters."

cubanbob said...

If having to pass the GED were a requirement to obtain welfare, a considerable amount of the education problem would be ameliorated.

jaydub said...

When I was in elementary school we had a positive behavior coach who was also the principal, Ms Bryce. I witnessed Ms Bryce pick up an unruly boy by his hair and carry him down the hall to her office were she positived the hell out of his behavior. For some reason she didn't have too many problems with unruly boys.

Rick said...

This is surrender.

Untrue. When we defeated the Japanese did we attack every island they held? No. Our strategy was to island-hop taking the strategic islands but leaving those which could not be taken except at high cost alone.

By leaving examples of the left's mismanagement [Madison, Illinois, California] we are helping people understand the functional difference between leftist governance and better governance. This is a long term strategy to help win more completely.

Mike Sylwester said...

It's not only at middle schools that racial achievement gaps are blamed on racism.

The achievement gaps at high schools and at colleges are likewise blamed on racism.

It won't matter, however, if these schools change all their buildings' names, remove all the plaques and statues, and forbid all costumes at parties. Even after all such steps are taken, the achievement gaps will remain.

Let's just stop sorting academic achievement by race.

=====

The Government refuses to inform the public about criminal statistics in relationship to immigration status. The public is limited to just guessing about that.

The Government can just as easily refuse to inform the public about academic statistics in relationship to race. The public can be limited to just guessing about that too.

rehajm said...

By leaving examples of the left's mismanagement [Madison, Illinois, California] we are helping people understand the functional difference between leftist governance and better governance. This is a long term strategy to help win more completely.

This is where I was going. Blaska might like the fight but it might be better to abandon so it rots through quicker or take your fight to a higher court.

To the problem one guy opposing the problem looks like a vessel for blame.

Yancey Ward said...

End social promotion and expel the children or segregate those that can't behave in the classroom. I would also end mandatory attendance. Children who have parents that truly want their children to be educated will ensure attendance without the legal requirement, and those that don't give a shit won't have children that are amenable to education anyway.

This unwillingness to triage the system methodically will continue to condemn children who could be educated to a poor education.

As for Blaska- I couldn't give a shit at this point- his stance is too little, too late, and if he loses, he fucking deserves it.

roesch/voltaire said...

I wonder what is meant by a "real" conversation about race? I have been part of discussions among various people of color who have been open about their feelings and experiences. By listening, I have learned a lot about the "other" that goes beyond concluding that separate and equal are the only choice.

mccullough said...

Rick,

Interesting point. My advice is don’t vote in these school board elections and don’t pay attention. These people only want an audience. Don’t give it to them. And don’t send your kids to shit schools. Obama didn’t. He gave every liberal cover for private school. Black People with money don’t send their kids to shit schools either.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

Vouchers and parent choice.

Leftwing Teachers unions HATE that.

mccullough said...

Miscegenation is the answer. We should give tax credits for it. No more white or black or Asian or whatever. We’ll all be mutts. Oppressor and oppressed.

Then we can attack China for bring racist.

Shouting Thomas said...

Every Democratic peddles this BS that white people cause the problems of black people.

No decent, moral human should ever vote for a Democrat for this reason alone.

CJinPA said...

By leaving examples of the left's mismanagement [Madison, Illinois, California] we are helping people understand the functional difference between leftist governance and better governance. This is a long term strategy to help win more completely.

When has that ever worked in American governance? How do you know when to stop retreating and fight? How many cities do we have to flee from?

Mike Sylwester said...

wildswan at 11:49 AM
... the Behavior Education Plan for students as written. It is a certain way to implement that plan. In Madison a teacher knows that escalating a student to higher levels of intervention will adversely affect that teacher's career. As a result the higher levels of the Behavior Education Plan effectively do not exist. Effectively in Madison, the Behavior Education plan tries to find out why good kids are behaving badly and help them over a bad time.

Such a Plan seems to be reasonable and should be effective.

However, such a Plan will not be enforced, because of the racial statistics.

Instead of this Plan, any classroom can be disrupted constantly and endlessly by a very few trouble-makers.

cubanbob said...

Jersey Fled said...
I've written this before here.

I taught for eight years at a predominantly Black urban university. There was a massive difference between my immigrant African students and my African American ones. My immigrant African students almost without exception came to class prepared and on time, neatly dressed, and ready to learn. My African American students, less so. "

You hit the nail on the head. The issue isn't race, its culture.

Yancey Ward said...

I went to school, K-12, in an extremely poor Appalachian school district in Eastern Kentucky. However, the children with whom I went to school came largely from 2 parent households (>90% in the 1970s and the first half of the 1980s)- most were well behaved in the classroom, and those that weren't were expelled, were allowed to quit, or segregated into special education classes.

Achilles said...

roesch/voltaire said...
I wonder what is meant by a "real" conversation about race?

A real discussion about race starts with:

Who faces more discrimination Asians or black people?

The answer is not even subjective. It is objectively Asian people.

Who pushes “Black Culture” in the US? Rich white people.

Why are black people listening to the rappers and race hustlers who made deals with rich white people?

Why are rich white progs forcing black people into their shitty inner city schools and killing off all of the school choice programs that let them escape those crappy schools?

We can’t have real discussions about race because the uniparty Democrats and Republicans need voters.

Shouting Thomas said...

Nobody’s forcing black kids into shitty inner city schools.

Inner city schools are shitty because black kids attend them.

The black kids cause the shiftiness.

Until the left stops scapegoating whites for black failure, nothing will change.

Mike Sylwester said...

Yancey Ward at 12:00 noon
As for Blaska- I couldn't give a shit at this point- his stance is too little, too late, and if he loses, he fucking deserves it.

Yancey, calm down!

Fernandinande said...

This issue isn't culture, it's DNA.

"Around two-thirds of individual differences in school achievement are explained by differences in children's DNA"

daskol said...

That was a classic mau-mauing, but Blaska is no mere flak catcher.

gspencer said...

Doesn't matter where in the country the achievement rankings always fall into this predicable pattern,

Asians/White
Hispanics
Blacks

It's not just a Madison, Milwaukee thing.

Anonymous said...

DanTheMan said, "What kind of conversation starts with 'You are a horrible monster!'" Any conversation that ascribes agency and personal responsibility to those high on the "intersectionality" scale starts that way. Any such conversation.

buwaya said...

" By listening, I have learned a lot about the "other" that goes beyond concluding that separate and equal are the only choice."

R/V,

What, exactly, have you learned?

Rick said...

How many cities do we have to flee from?

We're not exactly fleeing, the left already controls every meaningful institution in Madison. Because they internalize politics [the personal is political, By Any Means Necessary, etc] leftists often control institutions even where they are significantly outnumbered. But in a location they outnumber their opponents 5 to 1 in population and 50 to one in the institutions what effect do you think one guy is going to have?

How do you know when to stop retreating and fight?

We fight where we have a chance to win. There will never be a time that isn't somewhere.

Dude1394 said...

Welcome to being a ******* Republican dude. Please explain why you are so racist and want black children to die.

Virgil Hilts said...

I have read before (have no idea if its true, but it makes sense and in my opinion is not racist) that a potential reason for why blacks do so poorly (relatively) in Wisconsin is that in the 1960s or 1970s Wisconsin adopted some of the most lucrative welfare policies of any state in the country. If you were a white or black family that loved welfare, loved feeding off the public tit, generation after generation, Wisconsin was the place to go and those types of people (white and black) went there. It made itself a magnet for welfare queens and lazy people. The underachievers in WI are the grandchildren or even great grandchildren of people who moved to Wisconsin because they love being dependent on the state.

Yancey Ward said...

"Yancey, calm down!"

I put the Dirty Dancing dvd on. That usually works.

Bay Area Guy said...

Why is liberal Madison so racist?

Shouting Thomas said...

Black parents make black kids unfit for education.

Not Sure said...

"Freedom, Inc." sounds suspiciously capitalist. Are we sure this isn't a false flag operation by the Kochs to make the case for school vouchers?

CJinPA said...

Rick said...

I know we are talking about Madison here, but my comment about fleeing is about the trend of the last 50 years, non-progressives fleeing cities and leaving them to leftists.

I disagree that you only fight where you a chance to win. If the Left used that strategy, they wouldn't be as dominant as they are.

It's personal preference, obviously. If I decided I couldn't fight, I would leave.

Bill Peschel said...

Remember when black leaders urged students to get an education, to get into college, to become professionals.

Back in the days of segregation.

Because black professionals found jobs serving black communities.

Because of segregation.

Then liberals destroyed segregation, destroying black businesses, and liberals destroyed black neighborhoods in the name of "urban renewal."

This is what we have now.

Thanks, liberals.

(Note: The above was hyperbole, and is not meant as an endorsement of segregation.)

daskol said...

If it's not an endorsement of segregation, it sounds at least like a mild defense of it. If the point is otherwise, it's not clear: lots of things besides desegregation have happened since the days of segregation.

n.n said...

Character development begins at home, develops in public institutions and spaces (e.g. school, internet, television), and ends at home.

Rick said...

If the Left used that strategy, they wouldn't be as dominant as they are.

The left has a completely different strategy because they have different weapons. If Blaska had ten thousand acolytes willing to become teachers so they could put a nice face on non-leftism in the classroom you might have a chance. Of course it took the left about 40 years to build that. Do you have that dedication?

Virgil Hilts said...

Good, I was not making that stuff up. Google- Wisconsin Welfare Magnet 1970s-and you can see the discussion.

traditionalguy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
JohnAnnArbor said...

Dude's got guts.

The opponent is truly evil to talk like that. It's scary that the transparently racist assumptions she makes have any audience at all.

LA_Bob said...

Jersey Fled said...

"I've written this before here..."


Back in the mid-80's, I worked with a black woman who had vacationed in the Caribbean. She had tried the "sistuh" approach with some of the native black employees, and she was surprised when they were not "impressed".

A man at the same company told me the Caribbean blacks often looked down on American blacks, because the Caribbean blacks ran their own countries and had little sympathy for the "victim" mentality.

traditionalguy said...

Speaking of slave culture being different from African culture, the American raised slave is taught to be member of a socialist enslavement community. One that promises to take care of all the slave's needs so long as they are fake submissive and show up for work. But these slaves soon learn they win by going about the work as slow as possible, to trade less work for the same amount of free supply. It's a race to the bottom.

The non-socialists raised in Africa saw the Colonial Master's developed ways and decided to worship Education thinking it could make themselves into the masters.

n.n said...

Remember when black leaders urged students to get an education, to get into college, to become professionals.

There was not a morbid, rabid obsession with color, no dreams of redistributive and retributive change, but rather an organic cleansing of diversity that breeds adversity, and a path that passed through assimilation and integration.

daskol said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Not Sure said...

To expand on Bill Peschel @12:51, I have heard from a retired black public school teacher that one adverse effect of school desegregation was that white teachers were less able to discipline black students than black teachers were, because the Jim Crow era made blacks (rightly) suspicious of white teachers motivations.

I think a large part of the benefit of charter schools is the higher behavioral standard that can be enforced.

Fernandinande said...

My immigrant African students almost without exception came to class prepared and on time, neatly dressed, and ready to learn. My African American students, less so.

The difference was that my immigrant students didn't know that they were victims.


That's your incorrect assumption.

"All conscientiousness facets were influenced by genes (broad sense heritabilities ranging 0.18-0.49) and unique environment, but common environment [=culture] was judged unimportant."

daskol said...

The most despicable aspect of Mayor DeBlasio's program, in my opinion biased as parent to school-age kids, is his opposition and subterfuge of the school choice movement in NYC. I don't know much about the situation in Madison, but opposition to charters and vouchers in NYC consigns kids who'd have a shot at a good education to sad institutions with little opportunity for the education and care of promising and well behaved students.

Michael K said...

There was a massive difference between my immigrant African students and my African American ones. My immigrant African students almost without exception came to class prepared and on time, neatly dressed, and ready to learn. My African American students, less so.

This was my experience with black medical students. Most were foreign born because even getting into medical school requires ability and discipline, even with affirmative action.

In the 15 years I taught medical students, I had two American blacks. One flunked out and the other I thought was schizophrenic for a while. It just turned out he was from Oakland and had black panther parents. He had never talked to a white adult.

The kids from other countries did fine even though several were poor and several were from Caribbean countries that had a history of slavery.

JPS said...

Jersey Fled, 11:16:

"The difference was that my immigrant students didn't know that they were victims."

I may have written this here before, but a few years ago I taught a course in a (STEM) subject that's sort of infamously tough. In a class of over 100, about half of my high-A-students were Nigerian-Americans. (Which meant roughly all my Nigerian-American students were clustered in the high-A's.)

I've thought about this little statistical anomaly. I would speculate that their parents instilled in them the ethos that a) I am damn lucky to be here; b) you are damn lucky to be here; c) use this chance and do your best, always.

And I think if I wanted blacks to not succeed, I would teach them, Forget it, you have never had a fair shake and you don't now. Whole system's rigged against you.

CJinPA said...

Of course it took the left about 40 years to build that. Do you have that dedication?

If we started 20 years ago we'd be half way there, my friend. I served two terms on a school board. I know all about the advantages the Left has. If I lived in Madison, I would support the fighters or I'd move. There is no evidence that "let folks see how bad left-wing governance looks like" has ever moved the needle.

n.n said...

If Blaska had ten thousand acolytes willing to become teachers so they could put a nice face on non-leftism in the classroom you might have a chance. Of course it took the left about 40 years to build that. Do you have that dedication?

That, and a progressive degradation and replacement of institutions, philosophy, history, culture, and climate, which are mutually reinforcing.

William said...

To my mind Blaska presents a persuasive and convincing argument. I wonder if he convinced anyone in the minority community of the soundness of his position. I think that's quite possible, but I'm not so sure if such a person would be willing to speak out in Blaska's favor....,.Not so long ago, white politicians running for office down south would take competitively anti black stances. Those days are over. Perhaps some black person will speak to the validity of Blaska's position. It could happen. Tides change.

buwaya said...

" It could happen. Tides change."

"a progressive degradation and replacement of institutions, philosophy, history, culture, and climate, which are mutually reinforcing."

Tides are changing indeed, all strongly the wrong way. You can tell what the future holds by the nature of the students in your elite educational institutions. They are the leading edge of every cascade, their rise in the ranks of the hierarchy is inevitable, and they will create the culture of every other institution downstream. The predictions one can draw from that are not hopeful.

The nature of these people is why I an pessimistic about all of you.

Tommy Duncan said...

If anyone wonders what is next for the Madison schools, a visit to Milwaukee is in order. Milwaukee has the same history of Democrat/Socialist leadership and policies. Having grown up in southern Wisconsin I'd say Milwaukee is about 10 years ahead of Madison on the slippery slope.

Michael K said...

In a class of over 100, about half of my high-A-students were Nigerian-Americans.

When I was still examining military recruits, I got a guy from Nigeria applying to the Army. I asked him if he was an Ibo (Igbo now) and he smiled and agreed he was. They were the losing side in Biafra and have an increased ability with math and science. Many are"Quants" on Wall Street. This guy was applying as an EM even though he had a BS in mechanical Engineering and an MS in Industrial Engineering. He was applying to a program that would provide citizenship.

Probably your students were predominantly Ibo.

Mattman26 said...

Blaska for President!

Dave Begley said...

"We are a society that has always thought black children are unfit for education.”

So, what does that say about the Obamas?

Tommy Duncan said...

Last year my granddaughter was assaulted by a student of color in her public high school. My son simply moved her to a Catholic high school. My granddaughter's problem was solved. The public high school still has the same problems and the same troublemakers.

Historically, many good parents have moved their children out of the declining public schools. They have jobs and lives that leave little time for battling with liberal school boards and out-of-control students and their parents.

rhhardin said...

Think of it as a good character gap. There is no study that finds a genetic limit to good character in blacks.

So much up-side.

gahrie said...

"We are a society that has always thought black children are unfit for education.”

What does the term "acting White" mean? Who invented it and why?
Hint: It wasn't White racists.

gahrie said...

And I think if I wanted blacks to not succeed, I would teach them, Forget it, you have never had a fair shake and you don't now. Whole system's rigged against you.

And then accuse them of "acting White" if they were successful in school anyway.

Achilles said...

Shouting Thomas said...
Nobody’s forcing black kids into shitty inner city schools.

Inner city schools are shitty because black kids attend them.

The black kids cause the shiftiness.

Until the left stops scapegoating whites for black failure, nothing will change.



You are focusing on the wrong thing and your racism will not solve any problems. Black people are not all the same.

Grow up.

Black immigrants do just fine.

Black people who live in the victim culture do not.

Who is pushing victim culture? You need to go after the culture and the people pushing it. Not black people as a whole.

Shouting Thomas said...

Telling blacks their problems are caused by something caused racism in whites is the problem, Achilles.

Stop doing it. Stop doing the idiot bit.

That’s a first step.

Stop the bullshit.

Blacks are responsible for their own problems. Whites aren’t casting a spell upon them.

Rick said...

What does the term "acting White" mean? Who invented it and why?
Hint: It wasn't White racists.


Maybe it was. Bill Ayers et al pushed separatism because black militancy helped radical politics.

Mike Sylwester said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rick said...

There is no evidence that "let folks see how bad left-wing governance looks like" has ever moved the needle.

We've never been this far left in America but several European countries have moved back right after seeing the damage leftists wrought. The UK finally abandoned the public unions. Sweden and particularly Denmark have abandoned their government uber alles mentality.

Amusingly our own leftists cite the abandoned Scandinvian model as their panacea. They don't even understand their own standards.

Mike Sylwester said...

Here is how it works with government statistics about criminals and immigration status.

* The government refuses to publish such statistics.

* Everyone has to guess about the situation.

* Liberals publish studies -- without government statistics -- proving that immigrants commit fewer crimes.

---------

This system could work the same way in regard to educational achievement and races.

* The government could refuse to publish such statistics.

* Everyone would have to guess about the situation.

* Liberals could publish studies -- without government statistics -- proving that all races have similar academic achievement.

------

We all live in an fact-free intellectual haze in regard to criminals and immigration status.

We all could live in a similar fact-free intellectual haze in regard to races and academic achievement.

CJinPA said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Browndog said...

Stop the bullshit.

OK.

American Blacks on whole, as a culture, refuse to assimilate. Let's start there.

CJinPA said...

We've never been this far left in America but several European countries have moved back right after seeing the damage leftists wrought. The UK finally abandoned the public unions. Sweden and particularly Denmark have abandoned their government uber alles mentality.

Many U.S. cities have been left-wing failures for years, and this approached has never worked, and by the time it might work, it will be too late to change.

Scandinavian countries haven't abandoned the Left. Though it is funny to see American leftists use them as examples of socialism working there. Socialism works in Scandinavia for the same reason most things work in those countries, because they're filled with Scandinavians.

Michael said...

Let us search for schools where blacks out perform whites. Are there any? If so why so. If not why not. Never seen this discussed.

Michael K said...

People who LEGALLY immigrate here for educational opportunities are people who already believe they will benefit from, and value, the education.

FIFY

RobinGoodfellow said...

Hunter said...
You know what might help with this? Giving the students vouchers so they can go attend a different school that treats them better.


That’s just crazy talk!

Keep talking like that and people will begin to think you are more interested in the welfare of the students than the power of the teachers’ unions.

tcrosse said...

Socialism works in Scandinavia for the same reason most things work in those countries, because they're filled with Scandinavians.

Even though they lack Diversity?

CJinPA said...

Even though they lack Diversity?

They are about to find out if socialism and multiculturalism works together.

Rick said...

Many U.S. cities have been left-wing failures for years, and this approached has never worked, and by the time it might work, it will be too late to change.

Probably some states too. Luckily we have others.

Scandinavian countries haven't abandoned the Left.

It depends on what you mean. Scandinavian countries do not share the American left's belief government should make all relevant business decisions through "regulation". They abandoned that model in the 70s and 80s. Now they have relatively free markets.

JPS said...

Michael K:

"They [lbo or lgbo] were the losing side in Biafra and have an increased ability with math and science....Probably your students were predominantly Ibo."

You are at a level of detail I wasn't even aware of, but that's very interesting - thanks.

Gahrie, 1:44: Yes, sadly.

Tommy Duncan said...

In the news:

"The government of Finland collapsed Friday due to the rising cost of universal health care and the prime minister’s failure to enact reforms to the system."

JPS said...

Tommy Duncan,

They must have done it badly. If only they'd had our Democrats to run it.

Scott M said...

This, together with abortion, is at the heart of why American politics is so dysfunctional.

I believe this wholeheartedly.

As a dabbler in fiction writing, I've often wondered if I could go back in time to the Founding, or even earlier to the early years of the slave trade in North America, whether or not I could convince enough people in the South just how badly this was going to end up for everyone. My not-well-thought-out conclusion is that without significant technological proof of my claims. It's an amusing mental exercise; what news do I show, what video, what interviews, what history, etc, etc. Sure, I've got to get them over the initial technological shock, but the Founders were made of stern stuff and most of them quite intelligent.

In a well-crafted narrative, there's no way I'm able to convince people to outlaw slavery before the birth of America. Either vested interests have me killed back then, or I get back and everything's much, much worse, a la A Sound Of Thunder.

Fen said...

"This is surrender. Even if you can't win, the act of fighting is beneficial in the battle of ideas."

And it keeps you in top shape. People who develop a habit of surrender often find that when they finally decide to make a stand, they have forgotten how to.

Scott said...

Rick,

You suggest that if we let the situation get bad enough in these leftist-run cities/states, that the examples set will finally convince the rest of us to pull back from the brink. You ignore the simple fact that "Being a lefty means never having to say you're sorry" (or even admit that you are mistaken). We are watching Venezuela, formerly one of the richest nations in Latin America, reduced to starving in the darkness as they spiral into oblivion. The idiots on the Left are STILL making excuses for them. California, literally The Golden State, is sinking into a mire of bankruptcy, decay, and dissolution, and I am quite sure that our resident idiots here (Inga comes immediately to mind, but I have no doubt we will have others...) will be around shortly to defend their sterling record of achievement and to offer excuses for their failings.

The Left will NEVER accept responsibility for their failures, NEVER admit to inadequacy, and NEVER concede anything that doesn't advance their preferred narrative. These folks control the media, education, most entertainment, etc., so don't expect anyone not solidly committed to the Right to even find out about, much less believe an alternative narrative (i.e. "the truth"). The level of historical illiteracy in our society (a direct result of the modern education establishment and its preferences) would be risible if it weren't so depressing, which explains why this sort of drivel continues to have credibility.

No, while I applaud your prudent recommendations, the only way to fight back is to defeat these people, tear up their poisonous ideology, and destroy it root and branch, preferably with the heads of their leadership mounted upon pikes for decades to come as an example remind us of what they represent.

Then nuke it from orbit, just to be sure....

FullMoon said...


Blogger Michael said...

Let us search for schools where blacks out perform whites. Are there any? If so why so. If not why not. Never seen this discussed.

I have seen it in a documentary. Not sure which one, maybe "Waiting for Superman" or "The Lottery".

Black Charter school that believes in discipline and excellence. No troublemakers or slackers allowed. Pics on the walls of colleges and successful black people. Business people and leaders. No Al Sharpton or Snoop Dog or athletes.

Fen said...

"In a well-crafted narrative, there's no way I'm able to convince people to outlaw slavery before the birth of America."

Yup. It would be like someone complaining that animal rights didn't make it into any draft of the Constitution.

"What a strange person!"

Cultures evolve. I'm so tired of lazy Leftists judging the past by today's standards. Especially as they don't even possess the intellectual integrity to abide by their own more modern standards.


Yesterday a Leftist told me that racist remarks directed at whites isn't real racism if you are "secure in your whiteness". It's the same "it's not racism if a minority says it" nonsense. For people claiming to care about racism, they sure haven't thought this through. Making it likely they don't really believe in civil rights.

Rick said...

You ignore the simple fact that "Being a lefty means never having to say you're sorry"

I don't ignore it, I grant it its proper weighting. We don't need the left to admit to its failings. We need everyone else to recognize their failings and reject them. The fat left is no more than about 10-15% of the country. They are nowhere near a majority. The people we need to win over are mostly apolitical who tend to vote Democrat because they believe the Dem mythology. As these apolitical people see the outcomes of leftist policies they will turn away from them. The best ammunition to drive that recognition is to let a few jurisdictions implement the leftist utopia unopposed.

the only way to fight back is to defeat these people, tear up their poisonous ideology, and destroy it root and branch,

Which I support. But in part because of their media and academia control no theoretical criticism will have much impact. They will always deny and those institutions will support even the most blatant lies. People have to see the final outcome of the left's choices like Venezuelans are now experiencing. Sure some tiny fraction will continue to blame the right but the best defense to that is better governance where the right controls the outcomes.

Oso Negro said...

@Fernandistein - you can go a lot further with below average IQ and a positive attitude than you can with a below average IQ alone.

Fen said...

"You suggest that if we let the situation get bad enough in these leftist-run cities/states, that the examples set will finally convince the rest of us to pull back from the brink."

Instead, all we've done is incubated a bunch of rats. As in California today, once the rats have completely fouled their own nest they "flee" to surrounding states like Washington and Nevada to begin sinking even more ships.

After the libtard grows into Full Marxism, extermination followed by 12 months of bait traps is the only solution left to you.

Too harsh? I know a guy who chose to trap and release, believing it more humane than extermination. His little girl is finishing up the last of her rabies shots this month. He still hears her screams in his sleep.

Fen said...

"The fat left is no more than about 10-15% of the country. They are nowhere near a majority"

I used to likewise believe their lack of majority was handicapping. I was wrong. History says it's the peaceful majority that is irrelevant. That 10-15% has routinely hopped into a nation's driver seat and run the country off a cliff

The peaceful majority is irrelevant

https://youtu.be/YnOF7y-KuHE

rcocean said...

Black children will continue to suffer until the black community changes. They are responsible. All this white paternalism is useless. Finger-wagging by the Great Paleface gets nowhere. The same is true of liberals/Leftists. They will NEVER change unless forced to by reality. They will continue to clap for Comrade Stalin until they get hauled off to Gulag.

Look at Detroit. Black people control it. Are they unhappy? It doesn't appear so.

Rick said...

I used to likewise believe their lack of majority was handicapping.

I don't believe their lack of majority makes them weak. Institutional control and activism are both force multipliers. A relative handful of people created the campus Title IX inquisition system. Note how the campus nuttiness has moved into the general culture recently:

James Damore / Google
Kevin Williamson / The Atlantic
AOC's entire candidacy.
The Kavanaugh nomination
There's a local middle school who won't play another school in sports because they claim their LGBT parents would be scared to go on a Christian campus
Covington kids
Various other attacks using MAGA hats as justification

This is not by accident.

But the key is that most people don't really support these things. Most people are not willing to trade failing schools for race preferences a handful of racial equity jobs. Most people aren't willing to trade vastly higher taxes for worse services so education bureaucrats and property tax assessors can retire on 200k pensions.

But most people who vote Dem don't understand that is what they are voting for. That's what needs to become clear.

Milwaukie guy said...

I blame all this on the fucking Democrats. The Democrat Party is the party of slavery, sedition, segregation and national socialism. Notedly, they have fucked black people their entire history from Jacobin Jefferson to the Democrat urban machines and their government unions today.

Black kids are trapped in shitty schools because the Democrats won't let them out. The Democrat teachers unions, professional associations and non-profit foundations won't let the kids out of the government school system no matter how much things get fucked up.

Fuck the Democrats. I hate them. It's too bad Republicans are stupid.

Cornelius Gotchberg said...

All this talk about Blaska; it's his opponent Muldrow that has the ANSWER!

Where does she sends HER precious little bundles of joy?

I swear, Lefties (most, not all) absolutely MUST be thoroughly convinced that their idiot base is comprised of flaccidly enfeebled, bespawling imbeciles; one thing upon which I will unequivocally agree.

Anywho; get your keesters to a polling place on April 2nd, and urge others to do so as well.

Safe Schools = Safe Community Vote David Blaska for School Board!!!!!!!!!!

The Gotch

DanTheMan said...

>>Please explain why you are so racist and want black children to die.

I think you mean "Please confess, beg for forgiveness which you will never get, and become an outcast."

This is called "A conversation about race."

Tommy Duncan said...

Cornelius Gotchberg said...

"All this talk about Blaska; it's his opponent Muldrow that has the ANSWER!

Where does she sends HER precious little bundles of joy?"


OK, I give up. Where?

Cornelius Gotchberg said...

"OK, I give up. Where?"

We live in an era where "I Don't Know" is a stupid, lazy, or both, answer.

But The Gotch plays 1st Bite Free, so here's what you're after: Isthmus Montessori Academy, which is the kind of place that MTI HATES with a passion.

Guess why? For THAT, you're on your own!

The Gotch

Michael K said...

"They [lbo or lgbo] were the losing side in Biafra and have an increased ability with math and science....Probably your students were predominantly Ibo."

You are at a level of detail I wasn't even aware of, but that's very interesting - thanks.


He told me that, if he wanted to go to college, he had a choice of engineering or optometry. That was what the government was willing to provide.

A bit more on Ibo (Igbo now) and math.

It is certain that Chike Obi, even in death, remains the first to bag a PhD in Mathematics. This he achieved in 1950 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge Massachusetts, US. However, the Onitsha man spent more time outside the ivory tower in the first Republic. That paved way for Adegoke Olubunmo, from Orin-Ekiti, whose doctorate was obtained in 1955, to emerge in 1964 , as the first Professor of Mathematics. In terms of popularity, he would not tower above some of his colleagues because he was neither a politician nor a vice chancellor.

Tom Grey said...

Blacks who embrace and emphasize their "victimhood", won't have much success in gaining self-respect, self-confidence, or normal middle-class skills and accomplishments.

Blacks who want a better future for black children need to look at the history of Dem failure in inner city schools, and inner city culture -- Dem dominated culture.

Those who want different results from what they've been getting for 40 years should vote for a different party. That's why democracy is better than dictators, and how gov't gets better -- the other side wins.

Scott said...

Rick,

The problem with allowing some pestholes of leftism to stand as examples is that the media, the academy, etc. simply ignore them, or deflect the blame elsewhere, so they are never really useful as examples. The manifest failures of Democratic-run major cities (NY, Chicago, etc.) are simply blamed on evil GOP types in higher levels of govt (state, federal) who don't give them enough money because racism. These clowns are masters at deflection, and with a populace that depends upon them for information, there is very little chance that the examples we ever be observed or noted. In point of fact you concede this in your very next paragraph, where you point out the practical difficulties in eradicating these ideologies.