Race, Courage, and The Future of Lakewood

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Sean Wheeler
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Location: Mars Ave

Race, Courage, and The Future of Lakewood

Postby Sean Wheeler » Fri May 11, 2007 11:17 pm

I've not really been a part of many discussions on this board, but I feel morally compelled to address an issue that seems to be at the root of many discussions in Lakewood these days. In the interest of full disclosure, I am an employee of Lakewood City Schools and am currently teaching English at the high school. I am a firm believer in living where I teach and I think that I have a unique opportunity to see the confluence that occurs between the community's perception and the opportunities I am afforded as a front line observer of Lakewood's so-called "changes". My pedagogy is deeply rooted in student-based learning that rigorously examines the student's role as a community member.

One example of such a lesson is available in this forum under the Education heading and is entitled "Walk Across Lakewood". This lesson asked students to challenge their perceptions of our city by simply hitting the streets and observing their environment. I think most will find the student responses to be both insightful and enlightening. I asked the students to step away from their usual teenage angst (aka. "This city sucks") and actually check out their surroundings. I supplemented this exercise with Thoreau's "Walking" and Emerson's "The American Scholar". The students came away with a desire to consistently challenge their assumptions and seek understanding through actual experience.

Here are a few statements that need our consideration in a like manner.

1. The phrase "Lakewood is changing" is coded language for "Black people now live here."

2. The words "thug", "ghetto", and "hood" are all coded language for perceived negative influences of Black Culture.

3. White flight is a real threat based on the perceptions of those people using the coded phrases in 1 and 2. As mentioned in "The Tipping Point", once the African-American community represents 19% of the total population, the white majority tends to abandon a city at an exponential rate. The current rate in Lakewood is about 6%.

Perhaps it is time that we begin to have an honest and open dialogue about race in this city. Let's be honest. It is at the root of the issue. I am not saying that Lakewood is full of racists. I am, however, saying that much of the discussion of race in Lakewood is coded and not out in the open. I think that we need to start an inter-racial dialogue on this issue and that this dialogue should take the form of an examination of the way that race IS a key component of people's perception of our city.

I propose that we take a hard look at race in Lakewood. I'd love our community to be out in front of this issue. I've read alot about legislating change, but not enough about actually finding out why we have a tendency to equate blackness with decline.

In speaking with my African-American students, they all tell me that they moved here because their parents want them to get a better education. So how are they fairing in Lakewood? Not too well. I challenge you all to look at the racial achievement gap on the latest round of Ohio Graduation Test Scores (go to the ODE website). We have African-American students routinely scoring 20% to 30% behind their white peers in nearly every category. Does anyone smell a disconnect between parent goals and student achievement? I do. And I think it's time that we begin a discussion with these parents. These parents have made a deliberate choice with the best interest of their children at heart. We need to ally ourselves with these parents and work to begin confronting the obvious racial factors/perceptions that cause these students to score at the rate they do. It can't be that the students do not have the ability. It might, however, be a result of students who do not feel that they are accepted in Lakewood.

We do not know what we do not know. This is a phrase I use all the time in the classroom. Let's begin to seriously examine ways in which we can begin bridging the racial divide in this city as opposed to constantly decrying the "invasion" of well-meaning parents whose kids simply do not yet buy in to our hopes and aspirations for ALL of Lakewood's students.

Let's have the courage to have these conversations.


Kenneth Warren
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Postby Kenneth Warren » Sat May 12, 2007 1:17 am

Sean:

Your point is timely.

I have such conversations with parents from time to time.

In doing so I believe two points of practice must be held firmly in mind:

1. Focus on chaotic, destructive and dysfunction behavior.

2. Don’t conflate words in the code for chaotic, destructive and dysfunction behavior - thug, ghetto and hood - with Black culture.

There's no rational ground for a chaos-maker to claim for the Black race his own destructive and dysfunction behavior, which deviates from the norms and rules of the school, the library or the community.

I say feature behavior, rules and structure so that “we can begin bridging the racial divide.â€Â


Mark Crnolatas
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...

Postby Mark Crnolatas » Sat May 12, 2007 2:17 am

Sean,

First, as I have family that are teachers in other states, I salute you for doing what you are doing. You have one of the toughest jobs in the country.

Do you have any suggestions or thoughts regarding the solution, if that is a correct word to use?

Mark Allan Crnolatas


Stan Austin
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Postby Stan Austin » Sat May 12, 2007 2:33 am

Sean--- An excellent and timely post.

First, let me compliment again, you and Gail for your excellent project last year. It not only educated your students but it also had the effect of crossing generational lines when certain LHS alumni engaged with the students on the Deck. In other words, it kept us, hip!

I am getting early reports back from candidates who've begun their door to door campaigning. A common reaction from residents is "Lakewood is changing." I believe this means not only race, but culture (Arab) and class. When I personally ran for office in Lakewood 35 years ago those comments started to surface. When I campaigned for other candidates in the 1980's those comments were more common.

Both you and Ken Warren in his response bring up two very important points. From the perspective of the new parents, Lakewood is viewed as a step up, something to which they aspire, and a community which they hope will offer the advantages that their kids need to achieve their version of the American Dream. These are exactly the same aspirations that motivated the Poles and Slovaks in Birdtown and the Irish to settle in Lakewood generations ago.

However, from the perspective of those who have been in Lakewood the entry or knocking on the door of these strivers is seen as a threat and confirmation of decline.

I think that you, Sean, see the "strivers" or aspires, while Ken is cautioning against the baggage of the culture which sometimes accompanies the new arrivals.

I think as a first step that this type of open dialog is essential. "Way back then" we sort of kept it under the rug. I would point out that in the recent Issue 4 campaign that people in the literature included blacks and Arabs. This is a first in Lakewood politics and, I believe, a healthy recognition of our diversity.

How we proceed from here, I'm not sure. We three are all involved with the public in one way or another and as such have a duty to pursue this.

Let's see how the discussion on the Deck proceeds and maybe others will jump in with ideas so that this inevitable churn can be melded to Lakewood's advantage.

Stan Austin


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Jim O'Bryan
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Re: Race, Courage, and The Future of Lakewood

Postby Jim O'Bryan » Sat May 12, 2007 6:31 am

Sean

Great post, glad to see you back.

Do not forget the term "Old Lakewood."

This will be an interesting time in Lakewood, but Ken Warren has laid out some important issues.

The focus should always be on behavior.

.


Jim O'Bryan
Lakewood Resident

"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg

"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
Rick Uldricks

Re: Race, Courage, and The Future of Lakewood

Postby Rick Uldricks » Sat May 12, 2007 6:42 am

Sean Wheeler wrote:Here are a few statements that need our consideration in a like manner.

1. The phrase "Lakewood is changing" is coded language for "Black people now live here."

2. The words "thug", "ghetto", and "hood" are all coded language for perceived negative influences of Black Culture.


Great post, Sean. You bring up some excellent points.

Here's another phrase I hear often -- and not just in Lakewood. When the question is asked, "Where do you live?" the reply often is, "I stay in Lakewood (or Cleveland, or Berea, etc.)"

The fact that the word "stay" is used, rather than "live" is important. Could it be that it's just not "cool" to have an allegiance to your community just as I've heard that it's not cool to be doing well in school?


Kenneth Warren
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Postby Kenneth Warren » Sat May 12, 2007 8:24 am

Mr. Uldricks:

Your hearing the use of the term “stayâ€Â


Sean Wheeler
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Postby Sean Wheeler » Sat May 12, 2007 8:37 am

Several staff at the high school are embarking on a summer reading program as a means to prepare for roles as facilitators of the discussions that I mentioned in my previous post. We are using the framework laid out in Glenn Singleton's book, "Courageous Conversations". I am impressed that the high school's new curriculum principal, Jerry Lanning, has ordered copies of this book and that the school system as a whole is engaging in this kind of forward thinking. Joe Lobozzo, a history teacher at the school, is already conducting these conversations with an incredible, and racially mixed, group of students every Thursday.

The best part of Singleton's book is that it lays out a set of ground rules for these conversations. Here they are:

1. Commit to staying engaged. Nothing can happen otherwise.
2. Speak the truth as you see it. Keep it localized to your viewpoints and experiences.
3. Expect to experience discomfort.
4. Get used to non-closure. No one conversation is going to fix anything.

With these ground rules in place, and when they are adhered to, a real exploration of this topic can begin. While behavior change is the tangible result of this exploration, I believe the key lies in changing our perceptions of one another. All behavior stems from thought (well, I guess my experiences as a h.s. teacher run contrary to that statement sometimes :-).

Do I have the answer? No. But I think we can be smart about this. We have to start with the basic assumption that our problem in Lakewood IS about race and we need to tackle it from that angle. If we then agree that racial prejudice is an inherited problem that is based on years and years of misinformation and maltreatment, we can begin entering into conversations that bridge this gap and will have the outcome that ALL residents of Lakewood desire.

If anyone would like to get together to specifically discuss this issue, I'd love to get a group of us together to see if we can build some momentum in this town. I'd love to see a community effort that works in conjunction with the work we are already beginning at the high school. Tom Bullock knocked on my door the other day and we started kicking this idea around and it seems promising. I'm free evenings after 8:00 (kids put to bed) except when there is a Cavs game or Lost is on.

Keep the conversation going,

sean.
[/list]


Sean Wheeler
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Location: Mars Ave

Postby Sean Wheeler » Sat May 12, 2007 8:39 am

as for the "stay" vs. "live" thing...

this is exactly what I'm talking about. Here is something that we do not know. Are we asking those who actually use the phrase what the difference is? or are we just kicking it around within our own loop, and NOT finding out what it is that we do not know?


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Jim O'Bryan
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Postby Jim O'Bryan » Sat May 12, 2007 8:46 am

Sean Wheeler wrote:If we then agree that racial prejudice is an inherited problem that is based on years and years of misinformation and maltreatment, we can begin entering into conversations that bridge this gap and will have the outcome that ALL residents of Lakewood desire.

If anyone would like to get together to specifically discuss this issue, I'd love to get a group of us together to see if we can build some momentum in this town. I'd love to see a community effort that works in conjunction with the work we are already beginning at the high school. Tom Bullock knocked on my door the other day and we started kicking this idea around and it seems promising. I'm free evenings after 8:00 (kids put to bed) except when there is a Cavs game or Lost is on.

Keep the conversation going,

sean.
[/list]



Sean

While I agree race is the hot button topic, the truth is it is a behavior problem not a race problem.

Thug mentality, Ken nab a guy in a big red pickup that stops on Lakewood Ave. open his doors and entertains the neighbors with boom. White.

Two kids breaking into garages, white.

Graffiti - mostly white from the ones i speak with.

While in "Old Lakewood" race was issue number one, I think behavior is the issue.

The Lakewood Observer would love to sponsor and assist in these conversations. Drinks and snacks on us. Let me know when you can fit it in, then let's get this conversation going.

.


Jim O'Bryan
Lakewood Resident

"The very act of observing disturbs the system."
Werner Heisenberg

"If anything I've said seems useful to you, I'm glad.
If not, don't worry. Just forget about it."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
Dee Martinez
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Postby Dee Martinez » Sat May 12, 2007 9:09 am

The word dialog implies a two-way conversation. Much of what passes for "racial dialog" involves Black people accusing Whites of racism, Whites first denying it, then apologizing for it, and finally, Whites moving away.
I agree that we need to open the channels of communication but there are greivances on BOTH sides and to ignore that makes "dialog" a useless exercise that's doomed to fail.
I have a minority surname by a now-defunct marriage. People seem disappointed that I don't have an accent, didn't do a quincenera for my daughter and can't make a tortilla to save my soul. Ive experienced the patronizing first-hand. particularly on the phone ("are you a US citizen?")

I would ask Black youths about the "live/stay" question. I would also ask them if they understant that things like stopping your car in the middle of the street to talk to your chums drives White people crazy.


If were going to have a dialog make it an honest one on both sides.


Sean Wheeler
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Postby Sean Wheeler » Sat May 12, 2007 10:18 am

Dee,

The pattern suggested in your post is exactly what I DON'T want. This is why I am suggesting a different way of discussing this. I encourage you to revisit my most recent post and to furthermore look into the work that Glen Singleton is doing. My experience with these conversations has been very different from what you anticipate in your post.

Secondly, I don't see it as BOTH sides having problems, as you suggest. We all have the same problem. The inherited institution of racial division in America. This problem is ours to deal with, though no one on this planet had any part in the deliberate racial path that America has embarked upon since its foundation. We need to have the courage to confront our inheritance and examine this issue for what it is.

As for the morons stopping their car in the street, I'm sure that you would be hard pressed to find any rational adult, of any race, that would suggest that this behavior is ok. Let's begin with building an alliance between the adults in our community.

sean.


Kenneth Warren
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Postby Kenneth Warren » Sat May 12, 2007 10:21 am

Sean:

Now that you have cited Singleton’s work, I can see why you ascribe such import to the race factor.

There are many critical questions to be raised about the dominant premise of “institutionalized racismâ€Â


Sean Wheeler
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Postby Sean Wheeler » Sat May 12, 2007 11:50 am

LHS is examining the application of Singleton's framework to our discussion of race. One of the central issues, as you point out Ken, is the concept of institutional racism. This form of racism is neither overt or personal. However, the effects of institutional racism can be felt by all Americans.

As concerns Lakewood, and specifically the high school, I would like to participate in a discussion concerning the possible link between student "buy-in" and institutional racial structures. For instance, I frequently think about what is "white" about the way I teach. As a member of the dominant culture, and an enforcer of those norms dictated by my culture, I need to examine the ways in which my teaching falls within the confines of "whiteness". This includes acceptable volume levels in the hallway, appropriate physical proximity, and even the dress code. I am not saying that I teach in a racist way, but I need to examine my majority beliefs. Thoreau tells us that any time we find ourselves in the majority, it is the most important time to examine where we stand.

I tend to believe, as does Singleton, that the racial achievement gap (38% of af-ams at lhs passed the Science OGT. This is lower than the scores of our Spec. Ed students!) is NOT a result of an ability deficiency. I think it has alot to do with students who do not want to participate in a system in which they are not valued. We need to examine the ways in which we alienate these students. This includes an investigation into the institutionalized practices of our education system, and an open discussion that places value on discovering obstacles to student achievement.

I cannot speak for the translation of these discussions into educational practice at LHS because we haven't crossed that bridge yet. Ideally, I would like to produce the results that the "Courageous Conversations" program has produced. I know that the Middletown Public School System in Ohio has gone through this program and they have seen noticable results. Perhaps we can talk with members of that community for some insight.

For myself, I stress the importance of inquiry in the classroom. Instead of glazing over race as an issue, I encourage the students to confront it. This means that they begin to struggle with this achievement gap themselves. I challenge my students to buck this trend and engage in our classroom work. We talk about the statistics and our need to be outliers. The key is to increase our rigor, as opposed to lowering our standards. We examine the notion that academic achievement is considered "white". We look at Jonathan Ogbu's take on "acting white" and the dangers that are inherent in such a philosphy.

Man, I can't wait to get together and talk about this with all of you. This is beyond where I thought this would go. Thank you all for the level of discussion and the willingness to engage in provocative conversation without resorting to means that are below us all. I do not propose to have the answers. In fact, I have way more questions than answers on this topic. But it does me some good to see that we are willing to knock these ideas about. Keep it up.

Sean.


Dee Martinez
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Postby Dee Martinez » Sat May 12, 2007 12:26 pm

I appreciate your desire to bring this into the open, but I already see hints that the "dialog" you refer to will be same-old same-old.

I would like to participate in a discussion concerning the possible link between student "buy-in" and institutional racial structures. For instance, I frequently think about what is "white" about the way I teach. As a member of the dominant culture, and an enforcer of those norms dictated by my culture, I need to examine the ways in which my teaching falls within the confines of "whiteness". This includes acceptable volume levels in the hallway, appropriate physical proximity, and even the dress code. I am not saying that I teach in a racist way, but I need to examine my majority beliefs. Thoreau tells us that any time we find ourselves in the majority, it is the most important time to examine where we stand.


You're already apologizing for your teaching style. Are you saying you should teach White students one way and Black students another? Can you understand how the parent of either color might find this either misguided or condescending? If I move to an all white community I wont have to worry about my children's teachers being worried about their "whiteness"


I tend to believe, as does Singleton, that the racial achievement gap (38% of af-ams at lhs passed the Science OGT. This is lower than the scores of our Spec. Ed students!) is NOT a result of an ability deficiency. I think it has alot to do with students who do not want to participate in a system in which they are not valued. We need to examine the ways in which we alienate these students


Again do the students share NO responsibility for getting the work done and learning? Heaven forbid I would quote George W Bush but this comment really does come dangerously close to defining the "soft bigotry of low expectations"

I think we as White Americans realize our responsibility to try to build bridges to ethnic communities other than our own. What then is the expectation of those other communities in the process?
Last edited by Dee Martinez on Sat May 12, 2007 12:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.



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