Dr. Jeffery Robinson

Summary of research For  National Council on Educating the Black Child Convention held April 2011

“Rebound in the face of Reform”

By

Jeffery D. Robinson, Ph.D.

This scholarship seeks to properly contextualize the educational situation facing African American children in the American educational system.  Additionally, this presentation will speak to those counter ideological and political forces that continue to hinder adequate/sufficient educational achievement for Black/children of color across the nation.  The intent and origin of these ideologies that condone the continued disenfranchisement and subjugation of Black children will be critically analyzed, identified, and implicated as the root causes of problems within the U.S. educational system. These infrequently identified problems have far-reaching ramifications that require identification as the cause of the very problems they seek to “reform”. To be sure Detroit in just the last decade has become the poster child for educational failure juxtaposed, within a system dominated by politics and antiquated social policies that have become the very definition of “savage and unequal” under the law.  Paraphrasing a recent report by Council Of Great City Schools, the educational situation that faces Black children, males specifically has gone ignored for the last 20 years by every major urban school district in the United States.  The unanswered question remains why?

Critical examination of those conditions, coupled with the devastating long-term negative effects of a failing educational system, can be termed a travesty of justice, at least, and a crime against humanity, at worst.

In this paper the following questions will be addressed:

1) What are the factors hinder Black/ children of color in American school today? Have there ever been any significant educational reforms implemented to increase the quality of education received by Black children in public schools?

2) Who are the key figures or organizations that promote inadequate and insufficient educational reform in the major urban school districts of the United States?

3) What radical action is necessary to eliminate the educational disenfranchisement experienced by Black children in the United States? Where do we go from here?

In an effort to create a new educational paradigm by which to implement and effectuate lasting educational reform in the United States, this research will examine the Detroit Public School System as the basis and description of an educational emergency that has national implications.  This scholarship will concentrate on the socioeconomic (i.e. employment, poverty, and achievement rates) as well as the political climate of city, state, and federal levels that affect educational achievement in Detroit and other public school systems across the country. This research will contribute to the developing field of Critical Race Theory in Education, and further understanding about the two primary forces contributing to Black educational disenfranchisement: 1) structural or institutional racism, the concrete laws, policies, and institutions that legislate educational inequality and 2) symbolic racism, the invisible forces of White supremacist ideology that justifies the unjust distribution of educational opportunity.  Ultimately, this scholarship seeks to construct a new vision for progressive educational institutions, which would lead to the assertion of Black agency and educational independence to empower and develop Black children while posing the question; how can Black children Rebound in the face of Reform?

The city of Detroit is once again in a period that can be described as ordinary time.  Ordinary because things continue to happen in Detroit and very few of its citizens say anything.   Its elected representatives continue to introduce and or not support legislative measures that address or improve the quality of life in Detroit.  On one end of the spectrum we had a mayor cheating on his wife and the city, an illiterate sexually predator for school board president, and everything else that could possibly fall between.   The average worker is catching hell and everyone one else is doing well, well from the perspective of not being forced into retirement by state, or bankruptcy because the rug of self-sufficiency has been pulled from under them in some other way.  While some may be asking themselves when it will end, the answer is simple it wont.  It won’t as long as citizens continue to sanction the situation in Detroit with their silence.

A large majority of the problems that plague Detroit have occurred while Detroit was watching and or not paying attention.  For the most part the Kwame Kilpartick saga was ignored, once we got control of our school board back in 2006 it was allowed to operate with impunity and disregard for the interest of our children and now the district is under emergency financial management, and at the end of the day our children CANT READ!  A new city council was elected and the only difference is water (of all things) is more expensive, if your house is robbed the police aren’t coming, (cause there aren’t enough of them) and if that same house catches on fire count on it burning down (because there aren’t any firemen). We have refused to force the state legislature and Governor Grandholm to respect and act in the interest of Detroit instead of that of others.  To sum it all up, some of us go to churches every Sunday and pay our money, while at the same time allowing our ministers not to pay attention to the social issues that are destroying our communities.

In many respect we have sanctioned the destruction of our futures and worst of all that of our children and future generation.  The solution is not new but continues to be ignored, Detroit citizens have to become more politically, socially, and spiritually involved in the issue of our time.  We cannot continue to allow Detroit and its future to be subjected to educational experiments and political whims by those who will not share in our fate.  As we deliberate the direction of our destiny, we must remember that the only way evil is allowed to prevail is when good people, good Detroit people remain silent.

Ok this one takes the cake!  Someone tell me how the Michigan Attorney General (Mike Cox) will ask for an injunction on the injunction of the ruling of Circuit Court Judge Wendy Baxter?  Judge Baxter simply interpreted the law as it was written, so what will Cox do ask the Michigan Appeals Court to now say she read the law wrong?  Will the appeals court re-read the law and find where the law say’s Bobb does have academic powers and Judge Baxter missed that?  I think not!  I was concerned about Cox drinking tea, but now I see he is straight up drinking booze!  He must be high on something if he thinks there is any real justice for the children of DPS in the actions he’s taking!  Detroiter’s would do well to REMEMBER THESE THINGS when his name appears on the governors ballot in November.

I hope Detroit sees the mastery and deception in the situation that is now unfolding in the courts. The Michigan Legislature refused to “GROW A PAIR” and make plain the law they filled with ambiguity in the first place! Once again Detroiter has been pitted against Detroiter, parent on parent, student on student, and now Michigan Attorney General on Detroit Judge all over a system that belongs to US Detroit! Not to mention while the counter interest of those completely unconcerned about the welfare of our children are being satisfied in the backdrop.  Nothing so bad has happened in Detroit that its citizens don’t deserve due process and judicial respect!  It appears that once again the courts will decide a matter that should have been decided by the citizens and the legislative process !  While well intentioned, the courts sometimes lack the enthusiasm and intentionality that representative government can provide.  We can sometimes be so focused on what people are saying we forget to look at what they are doing.  God be with us all.

Wondering why “Other People” are willing to throw out the rule when the interest of Black people are at stake?  Reading the papers today, it seems they are promoting the thought that “Yeah we know Bobb isn’t following the law but. There cant be a Butt, laws are meant to be adhered to or changed if they aren’t in the publics best interest they can’t simply be ignored as Bobb has done.The people of Detroit have a right to be concerned with the process its educational system is being subjected too and stop the process if necessary!  The injunction is not “Blocking any essential change” nor does it suggest that change isn’t needed, it simply means the change is being implemented WRONG!  Detroit continue to receive passionate DISRESPECT and there don’t seem to be many people who have a problem with that? Remember “its not what you do, its how you do it” Somebody help me understand this mess!

http://www.detnews.com/article/20100422/METRO01/4220386/1409/Court-halts-Bobb-s-Detroit-Schools-plans

As I tour the nations capital this week I am taking a hard look at the level of hypocrisy that has fueled this nations development.  I’ve read the U.S. Constitution and considered the intent of the founding fathers and then remembered the saying that “the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.  The only option left to Black people today is to challenge the intentions and realistically evaluate the outcomes of the democratic idealism in which we exist. As we examine the realities of health care and battle for the continued existence of  public education, the slightly paraphrased words of W.E.B Dubois ring ever so clear in contemporary America the problem in the 21st century is and will continue to be the color line.  The issues faced in the United States must be resolved within the context they were created.  Only when there is truthfulness about the actions of this country that has inform and motivated the actions of certain individuals can any real progress in education, health care, race relations or otherwise be made. Where do you stand? Make a statement about your view of  U.S. Democracy.  Remember the fight to save Malcolm X Academy and restore the integrity of public education.

Now is the time to come together and live out some of what I know you were taught when you were students at MXA.  You are now faced with the challenge of giving back to those who follow in your foot steps by making sure Malcolm X Academy is there for other young men and women who will definitely need to learn who they are in the context of the 21st century.  Put self aside, and look to a future that is bigger than you. Do not let Malcolm X Academy and its legacy down because you are that legacy!