Sunday, November 22, 2009

I am a Man! Black Teacher's Ownage of Young Ign't High School Student in Chicago



I am a man! Yes I am!

We need more teachers like Brother Charlie.

For a moment, I thought Charlie was going to tell this young ign't he was all balls and no shaft (extra credit to those of you who get the reference). Seriously, listen to the boy's response to Mr. Charlie, and how said teen conceptualizes being a "man." Is it any surprise that our communities are in disarray? Provocative question: Who is more to blame? The absent fathers or the mothers who raise these baby boy, cornerboy, soon to be fodder for the prison industrial complex, pants sagging, cum droppers?

What precipitated this mentoring session you may ask? Said man-child was texting in class and thus distracted from the lesson at hand. I know Charlie--in real life, not Internet life--and he is cool people who is hustling hard for the people here in Chicago. I have had drinks with him, argued over the merits of Cornel West's turn as public intellectual, and how best to reach the young Lost Ones. I was also present at a wedding where Mr. Charlie served as the justice of the peace. Trust me, his words were priceless.

Should we do a featured interview with Brother Charlie? What do you my respectable negro friends and allies think of his approach to the mentoring of young negro boys?

26 comments:

NightFall914 said...

I'd love to see that interview.

These kids need the toughest or tough love. No punches pulled.

Some Lady said...

Considering that many of our young black boys don't have any positive role models i their lives, I think it's a great and much needed thing for him to mentor them. And mentor them with 'in your face' words that they need to hear. Finally we see someone who is doing more than complaining about black boys not hving good role models...

Cobb said...

The answer to this question has been the same answer it has always been since 1066 AD. Send that boy to the Army. In highschool the teacher can't hit. I'd be laughing at him too.

Now you know the feebs will squeal when we go back to Joe Clark. But where do you think Joe learned?

It will be amusing to see how many respectable negroes will stand behind the reinstatement of the draft when all these basketcases demonstrate their lack of potential.

Kit (Keep It Trill) said...

Chauncey, Unless this was an unusual type group therapy and session, I have to disagree with applauding the teacher's technique. The reason: Being put on full blast in a classroom is more likely to get the student to hate you and everything you represent, and maybe even assaulted, sued, or fired.

There's also something about that boy that makes me wonder if he's at the low end of normal intelligence range, in other words, not retarded but too dull of mind to get insight from one session like that.

On the other hand, smart kids in the class will get the teacher's point, and that will be valuable. Doubt that that kid will; he's a lost cause.

And you asked, "Who is more to blame? The absent fathers or the mothers who raise these baby boy, cornerboy, soon to be fodder for the prison industrial complex, pants sagging, cum droppers?"

I think that question let's the racist system off the hook. There haven't been enough jobs around for black men since slavery ended. We've been living through our own Great Depression for over a century, and for us it's non-stop. Whites without h.s. diplomas still get hired and many do quite well by working class standards and some enter the middle class as owners of blue collar businesses, all because they got a chance. We don't get as many of those w/o that sheet of paper, and even then face discrimination.

We don't import drugs or guns into our community on a large scale either, nor own planes and boats to get them there. A disproportionate number of alcohol ads are directed at the black community. We also don't own the privatized prison complexes that makes more money on the stock market for beds filled up.

I'm tired of the let's blame the parents. Let's blame racism and the ugly side of capitalism first, then look at the family dynamics, and not assume that every kid who behaves like this comes from a single parent low or no income household. He might just be dumb, or damned hopeless after figuring out what the real deal is if you're Black in America.

Otherwise, I'd be interested in your interviewing your friend.

gordon gartrelle said...

That is some grade-A sonning.

I'm with Kit: this kid seems kinda slow motion, but you can tell he's embarrassed and trying to save face.

chaunceydevega said...

@Night--I am gonna make the interview happen.

@Kera and @Cobb--Those were the good old days, no? Young miscreants and wayward souls would go down south and come back with a new "sister" or "niece" and the boys would be given the option of joining the service. What ever happened to the power of shame?

@Kitt--I hear you. I am sympathetic. But, my heart tells me that even in the darkest days of Jim Crow and over white supremacy folks had pride, self respect, and decency. Sure, there were knuckleheads. But, in this day and age my heart tells me that this is a self-perpetuating system where many black folk so internalized white supremacy that White folks don't need racism anymore. We do a good enough job of keeping ourselves down. Moreover, folks can be poor, structurally disadvantaged and the like but that not need to equal a poverty of values, morals, and belief--exactly what many of these inner city Hobbesian states of nature now evidence in abundance.

@Gordon. You used to take it to the ign'ts. Now you have gone soft. So sad.

cd

Constructive Feedback said...

[quote]Is it any surprise that our communities are in disarray? Provocative question: Who is more to blame? The absent fathers or the mothers who raise these baby boy, cornerboy, soon to be fodder for the prison industrial complex, pants sagging, cum droppers?[/quote]

My Friend Chauncey - I read this post just after I read the post on your wonderful blog regarding Sarah Palin.

For me as an observer and critic of the Black establishment - IT IS CLEAR who should be held accountable for the situation at hand in too many Black communities: THE FORCES WHO SHOULD BE FOCUSED UPON BUILDING UP OUR "COMMUNITY CULTURAL CONSCIOUSNESS AND COMPETENCE" but who instead invest a disproportionate amount of their time upon the "American Political Domain" where Sarah Palin and other "evil" people who bother them so reside.

Chauncey UNTIL you and others have a greater amount of "gut curdling hatred" for IGNORANCE and UN-PURPOSE within our communities as you do against your ideological and political adversaries THIS IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE.

WHY SHOULDN'T I call out the incumbent force of POWER within our community? THEY lead us along with the notion that if we followed them - this situation would be addressed.

Don't you see Chanucey - I am ultimately calling for a TRANSPARENT overlay force that checks all who purport to operate in the Black community's interests - making them PROVE that they are actually delivering upon our own PERMANENT INTERESTS.

Today we have mere POPULARITY as the determining force. We are supposed to make use of the Portraits of Black Politicians hanging on the wall" as EVIDENCE of our racial advancement. Yet YOU - out of your own mouth - admitted what is really the case in too many of our community.

Are YOU willing to subvert your agenda to a transparent and organically focused structure that has our permanent interests placed above our political preferences Chauncey?

chaunceydevega said...

@Constructive.

1. I propose that I agree to some of your points if you are willing to at least concede that the Palin's of the world are a threat to your agenda of black empowerment because the know nothing/right wing populism which she represents is not good for America generally, and especially for the black community and people of color, the poor, and working class more generally.

2. I suggest this because so many black conservatives are apologists for white racism and do not want to engage it, or in the worst case make excuses for it. The republicans, and the far Right to which they are increasingly grounded would love nothing more than to see people like you and me, i.e. black people disappear from America. These folks are eliminationists whose grandparents were hanging black people for sport: don't ever forget that fact.

Oblivious (or maybe they do in fact know?) to who they are in league with, these same black conservatives are quick to jump on black folk and our shortcomings. I am equal opportunity with my criticism and take on the Left and the Right, can you and and your brethren do the same Constructive?

I understand the Booker T, separate as the fingers on a hand analogy to which you are beholden. That is fine. Now, we still need to engage the political atmosphere--poisoned and influenced by white supremacy--in which your black nationalist (?) agenda lives.

chauncey devega

Melissa said...

Hey - I just stumbled on your blog today, while I was googling something about Tim Wise. And it is amazing! Thank you!

I'm just a white girl and I guess I'm mainly here to listen and learn. This post caught my eye as I am a teacher at the beginning of my career. This is a lot heavier a dose of "tough love" as you would see from most white teachers I think, but it gets the point across. It makes me think of some Lisa Delpit articles I read in school, about how we as white teachers tend to use excessively indirect and "soft" language (normative in middle class white communities) which ends up disempowering black students who are often used to direct/forceful communication. Reading that felt like a curtain being drawn away from my eyes.

The youtube clip provides good perspective.

chaunceydevega said...

@Melissa,

Thanks for joining in. One thought though, you aren't "just" anything--you are a full human being with lots to offer to this conversation. How do you think race plays into teaching? Do students respond to you differently as a white female educator? We here lots about "young black boys needing strong black male rolemodels" in school. Is this true?

chauncey devega

Constructive Feedback said...

MELISSA:

If you really want to help Black students as a teacher who is White - DUMP ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM TIM WISE and instead see Black people as FULLY EQUAL HUMAN BEINGS and not as "Damaged Goods".

Tim Wise sees his job as going to White America and telling them about the damage that they have done to our Black people.

In his world there is little that BLACK PEOPLE need to do in order to address the key problems that plague our community. Instead it is a derivative of what White folks must do.

MAINTAIN YOUR STANDARDS of what you believe a child needs to receive a quality education and express it EQUALLY upon these same children.

They will learn to respect you and each party will benefit from the dialogue of understanding.

Constructive Feedback said...

[quote]1. I propose that I agree to some of your points if you are willing to at least concede that the Palin's of the world are a threat to your agenda of black empowerment
[/quote]

NO DEAL Chauncey. My views are put forth based upon my extensive analysis of the PREVAILING ORDER that is in dominate control of the Black community. THERE IS NO CONDITION that I am willing to make with you.

INSTEAD the true condition that you should be focused upon is "IF YOU remain in your entrenched condition"......our community will continue to suffer.

[quote]because the know nothing/right wing populism which she represents is not good for America generally, and especially for the black community and people of color, the poor, and working class more generally.[/quote]

I am not here to obfuscate over to Sarah Palin. Instead I am here to put the CULTURE OF THIS AND OTHER SCHOOLS ON TRIAL.

I struggle to understand why YOU are not as concerned with the "Enlightened" leadership of Chicago and other cities that have done such a bang up job of assaulting every Black Community interest that we know of.

[quote]
2. I suggest this because so many black conservatives are apologists for white racism and do not want to engage it, or in the worst case make excuses for it.[/quote]

Chauncey - I am far more concerned with the people who promote BLACK INFERIORITY in their key policy pronouncements. Sadly many Black people are willing to play the part AS LONG AS their inferiority is done as part of a transaction in which they receive something in the end.

[quote]
The republicans, and the far Right to which they are increasingly grounded would love nothing more than to see people like you and me, i.e. black people disappear from America.[/quote]

Wow Chauncey - I think that you want me to be moved by this point.
Do you ever wonder why even the most liberal White community is sensitive to the "racial tipping point" despite their "love" for Black folks?

[quote}
These folks are eliminationists whose grandparents were hanging black people for sport: don't ever forget that fact.
[/quote]

And what should I say of the Street Pirates who are killing us at a far greater pace today?

This Black woman was shot 17 times:
http://www.viddler.com/explore/ConstructiveFee/videos/1146/

chaunceydevega said...

Again Brother Constructive, you won't condemn any conservatives--even the most clearly bigoted, hostile, and opposed to your agenda. It won't hurt, you can do it! We can have a support group of ex black conservatives work with you to get you over the hump. Remember, admitting you have a problem is the first step to overcoming it!

You can do it! Just say it with me, Glenn Beck is a histrionic racist xenophobe white nationalist. hell, how about naming Pat Buchanan as one? Can you at least concede that point?

I believe in you Constructive I really do!

chauncey d

Melissa said...

I hear what you are saying Constructive Feedback. Don't worry, I am all about high standards.

It does seem damaging if Tim Wise really does believe that the solution is for white people to solve the problems of the black community. That's not my goal. I am listening, though - thanks for your comments.

@Chauncey Devega Thanks for inviting me to join the conversation :-) I'm not sure if I'm equipped to provide pithy answers to your questions, but I'm glad you asked them. Short version:

"Young black boys needing strong black male rolemodels in school" - yes, true I think. In both the urban schools I've taught at (elementary level), if you look at the professional hierarchy from lunch aide up to superintendent, it basically gets whiter and more male as you climb the ladder, with women of color serving in the least prestigious positions and white men at the top (and black men hardly represented if at all). The kids are very aware of who is in charge of who, but the adults NEVER talk to the kids about it and they are left to draw their own conclusions. I think, on one hand that people of color are just plain better equipped to talk to kids candidly about race and help kids process the experiences they are going through and the understandings they are forming about race. Also, in order to drive home what schools are saying to kids about multiculturalism, they need to make good by actually hiring black leaders as teachers, principals and so forth. Finally, of course all kids want to feel there is a teacher who they can relate to and who really understands them. So - yes.

I'll leave the rest for now (too long).

Pandora Bunny said...

I am of course in agreement that the Black community needs strong black male role models.

I also agree with some of Constructive Feedback's points. Brother Chauncey, the community needs more direct involvement from men like you. Some of the best rolemodels available are sequestered in academia willing to only look and criticize the situation but not willing to engage with the community. Sometimes it feels/seems as if they hate the very communities they are trying to uplift. Even some of the "strong" rolemodels are less than steller. I've seen more than one "strong black male rolemodel" engaging in the same behavior that they rail against. [Some may argue that personal lives should be considered independent from public lives- but if you want to be a true rolemodel then you should live by the standards you preach.] Where I have trouble is- are subpar male rolemodels better than no rolemodels? Especially if they are perpetuating the irresponsible behavior they should be trying to end.

chaunceydevega said...

@Melissa

Tim Wise is good white people who holds their behinds to the fire.

@Pandora

I appreciate the sentiment. What do you suggest? I know folks who have reached out only to have had very negative experiences, i.e. being judged as not be "legitimate" or "real" or "authentic" thus the experience is not fulfilling for any folks involved? Gordon has done some stuff with the people and is always encouraging me, but I am unsure/somewhat interested in reaching out on the ground.

Playing devil's advocate, what of folk who say they are in the struggle by writing, research, and commenting on the black freedom struggle and that is their chosen domain of battle? Are they copping out or is it not an either or situation?

Pandora Bunny said...

But don't you see? Part of the struggle is dispelling the notion that to be "authentic" you have to be a ghetto thug. Of course it's not going to be easy but these kids need help with breaking that notion otherwise the cycle will continue.

It can't be either/or because that creates a disconnect between the educated & the uneducated. Theory & research is all fine and well but if you aren't engaging with those you write about then what's the point? If you are engaged enough to write about it then you are conscious of the need for change- why let others fight on the ground when you may be better equipped to do so? It may be a slight exaggeration, but I might argue that by simply writing about the struggle you are still labeling your own people as "the Other"- a people/ situation to distance yourself from except in the purely academic sense.

Constructive Feedback said...

Pandora Bunny:

(As if you are surprised but) I get into many verbal spats with those who consider themselves Black "Public Intellectuals" who have the exclusive best interests of the Black community in mind.

The thing that kills me about them, however, is that when I get close to picking apart their elitist "Talented Tenth" bigotry against their own people - they frequently assault me. I am a Black man with a college degree, more than a decade of professional experience and am a resident father. When they try to pull out their own academic pedigree as a means of silencing me as a threat - I immediate get curious about IF they'll ever see an uneducated Black male who they PURPORT to bestow benefit upon as their EQUAL.

The truth is that many of them are seeking to LEAD a movement of people that FOLLOW them. They need to be insuring that strength and academic accomplishment is constructed at the PERIPHERY of our communities and that a SYSTEM by which the best ideas can be promoted and democratically implemented amongst the masses.

Constructive Feedback said...

[quoute]Again Brother Constructive, you won't condemn any conservatives--even the most clearly bigoted, hostile, and opposed to your agenda.[/quote]

* Bigoted
* Hostile
* Opposed To My Agenda

You see Chauncey - I can articulate my AGENDA (permanent interests)

* Safe Streets
* Quality Education
* Thriving Local Economies
* Healthy Lifestyles

The key issue that I have with you is that YOU confuse a force that refuses to GIVE BLACK PEOPLE ANYTHING with them standing OPPOSED to my interests.

I would prefer people who DO NOT VIOLATE MY LEGAL RIGHTS and who don't give me a dime of their money - expecting ME to order myself to my full potential because they see me as a fully capable human being who is a THREAT to them IF I ever discover myself

AS COMPARED

a force who SEES ME AS INFERIOR and that I would STARVE if they did not feed me my every meal. As they change my "foraging habits" I learn dependency upon them while never setting out to develop the raw HUMAN RESOURCES that I have in close proximity.

* Show me how these forces that you speak of are KILLING BLACK FOLKS

* Show me how they are running our schools in 2009 and failing us

* Show me how they are zapping financial resources from our community and causing our business centers to close down

* Show me how they are adding infectious substances to our blood as body fluids are exchange between those who were previously not infected and those who are.

You see Chauncey you have an ACTIVIST track when we need a HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT REGIME within our community.

More destructive than the forces who have moved out of our communities to be by their selves are those who are WITHIN who are assaulting us or making political promises in exchange for our votes that have not come true.

chaunceydevega said...

@Constructive.

You prove my point, and the myopia of those you are in league with.

It isn't either or Constructive, but you want to deal with binaries...and notice you still don't condemn your enemies from within and without. You best take care of both best you be blindsided.

Go and watch Good Times and Sanford and Son and have a good laugh Brother Constructive on this holiday.

And I will continue to see you as a brother even if you seem to have distanced yourself from us.

cd

RiPPa said...

Loved the video, and I understand the mindset of the young man in question to be emblematic of a larger societal problem. Of course we lean hard on the Black community as constituents of said community - it's to be expected. However, we must realize that this blatant disrespect is not exclusive to our collective.

Nice exchange with Constructive Feedback there Chauncey. Don't give up on him like I refuse to.

Melissa said...

hehe, Thanks Chauncey. I friended him on Facebook a long time ago cause he came across as pretty great to my naive little self. Above comments made me worried that maybe he was all wrong after all and I'd been blindsided. And if Tim Wise isn't an anti-racist, it makes it feel like no white person can be an anti-racist - a pretty desperate situation for one who aspires to be.

But now I sort of feel like I can keep reading his books, which is a relief because I have the "Confessions of a privileged son" one on my Amazon wish list. Bullet dodged.

A. Malone (axjam73) said...

It is apparent that the teacher, Charlie, is passionate about saving the black male youth. I think an interview would be an excellent chance to get his point of view in a less agitated state.

Anonymous said...

I'd like to respond to the poster that stated as you moved up into administration in education, it became more male and more white. After seven years working in education in Philadelphia, I was part of a very small non-black minority. I have never had a white male principal, but got to know many black female administrators and one black male administrator.

Marlow said...

This is heroic teaching. I am an educator of 20 years, and I can't tell you how easy it is NOT to do what this guy did.

Telling the truth is hard, risky, and makes you unpopular. That's why it has to be done. And you have to say it so that it is heard and understood.

Marlow

Ax said...

I've been following the link-chain through your blog, and I see this video no longer exists anymore... :/ I don't suppose it is posted elsewhere...?