Comments

1. FEB wrote:

   “Whites Not Immune to Racial Hostility” - May 20, 2007

   On the surface, this article seems fair-minded in its approach to adolescent misbehavior, race, and double standards. But closer scrutiny reveals conservative bias, evasion, and misleading conclusions.

   The suggestion that Brentwood tolerated bad behavior because the students are black, and that vulgarities are a “normal” part of African-American family life, is at best grossly over simplistic and at worst racist.

   Public schools are often hampered in their effort to curb disruptive students. Parental unwillingness to confront their children’s bad behavior, and the lack of political will from state officials, are significant factors in the malfunction of many American schools, not just those with a large African-American population.

   The inconvenient truth is that vulgarities, abusive behavior, and lack of respect for authority, are more attributable to social economic conditions, rather than race. There is a correlation between maladjusted children, parental low education, and the hardships that force both parents to work long hours. Whites are not exempt from having their fair share of maladjusted children who readily spew off racist epithets; and yet, nobody insinuates that this sort of behavior is characteristically white, certainly not the author.

   Race is a relevant factor in this story, but not quite in the way Kathleen Parker would have us believe. Her narrative is one that excludes residential segregation, racial profiling, lack of opportunities, and other forms of institutional racism directed at blacks. Instead, Parker prefers the neo-conservative mantras of “blacks are hypocritical reverse racists, and let’s bring back corporal punishment in the schools.”

   Nobody condones the profanity and physical aggression endured by Elizabeth Kandrac. I also believe these kids doled out similar abuse to other teachers. But without knowing how her colleagues dealt with discipline problems, or hearing the school’s side of the story, I find it hard to take this editorial at face value.

   Neo-conservative white columnists the likes of Kathleen Parker have made a name for themselves by bashing blacks and presenting themselves as champions of disenfranchised whites.

   This article is just another one-sided babble from another know-it-all mealymouthed pundit of the right. It should have been critically examined by Racialicious and then exposed it for what it really is… a red herring for rallying the conservative base.

   Posted 21 May 2007 at 10:02 am ¶

2. s wrote:

   I am confused on the whole Hawaiian Private school deal. If the trust was set aside by a HAWAIIAN woman to cater to a PRIVATE HAWAIIAN school to ensure the betterment of HAWAIIAN people, how can anyone who is non-Hawaiian sue? It sounds like it was set up so Hawaiian people wouldn’t end up like some Native Indians: with white people coming in, taking over, and putting them at a disadvantage in life.
   It doesn’t sound like their “exclusion” was hate motivated, but as security measure for their people.

   Posted 21 May 2007 at 9:00 pm ¶

3. Mike wrote:

   “s”:

   You are right that the school is private–but if a white school made it a point to deny all black applicants based on their being black, there would be an uproar as well.

   Posted 21 May 2007 at 9:39 pm ¶

4. Brad wrote:

   Whites not immune To racial Hostility:

   I’m not shocked by this. I was on the recieving end of this kind anger and hate. I still haven’t forgotten it. There are schools out there who will not stand up to this kind of hatred. I can only assume why. But this kind of crap happens alot more than people think. I wish people would not make excuses for crap like this and stand up for what is right.

   Posted 21 May 2007 at 10:13 pm ¶

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