Trevor Phillips stuff
Discussion
In light of the previous posting on this...
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EDUCATION: HIP HOP, DO STOP
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Now here's an idea you wouldn't expect to see discussed outside the Combat 18 guestbook.
Trevor Phillips, head of the Commission for Racial Equality, this week suggested that underachieving black boys could be taught in separate classes. It's something that's been tried in the US recently, although of course they did have a rather more bold
experiment with racial segregation a few decades back.
Even more controversially, Phillips also suggested black fathers not living with their sons should be denied access to them if they refused to attend parents' evenings. We haven't heard of a more dodgy attempt at social engineering since Genesis of the
Daleks.
Unsurprisingly, Phillips' idea went down like the proverbial cup of cold sick. The Department for Education and Science in particular was quick to respond, saying that the idea would have 'negative effects' and risked 'stigmatising' black pupils. And
for once we agree with the government.
It's extremely hard to think of any real benefit of separating pupils on the basis of race. If pupils need remedial teaching, then so be it: employ more teachers. But separating them on the basis of skin colour? What are you doing except for putting black
under-achievers together into one big under-achieving class? Wouldn't they benefit from being in classes with mixed ability? And what about white under-achievers?
Some (black) pundits defended the idea on the vague grounds that the problem of black males failing in the education system is a serious one, and thus needs radical solutions. But it just seemed to be a roundabout way of saying 'Some black pupils don't want to learn.'
This is familiar territory and the reasons for black academic failure are well-rehearsed: the black population is (on average) less well-off, which correlates with lower academic achievement,
there are few black academic role models, teachers unconsciously encourage black kids to fail, etc.
But this week commentators kept coming up with an increasingly popular explanation: that many black boys live a culture that is anti-education.
Of course, there have always been people, of every skin colour, who harbour an irrational hatred of education. They're the sort of ignoramuses who say 'You won't learn nuffink from them books',
and irresponsibly pass the attitude on to their children.
But the 'anti-education' culture is rather different. It could also be called 'street culture', the incessant barrage of rap, hip-hop and UK garage that portrays 'the street' as an inherently desirable place to be, what with the joys of crime, bling and macho posturing. Frankly we're amazed by the enduring popularity of 'the street', considering it's the place where you're most likely to meets t
ts like P Diddy. Or, more likely, MC Tunes. This is the rhyme that bites! Oh be quiet.
It's almost hard to believe popular entertainment could have a direct influence on something as tangible as passing your exams, but increasingly it seems black people are pointing the finger at street culture. As one black American academic puts it, 'We have
internalised our own oppression', ie. urban culture is
encouraging our young people to fail.
This is uncomfortable for liberal types like us, who
instinctively deny a link between entertainment and people's behaviour. But when criticism of street culture is coming from black people and not white racists who think every black kid in trainers and a hoodie is an armed gang member, you have to think
again.
The excesses of rap are well known and somewhat hilarious, as any Nelly video proves. But we didn't realise it could make you fail your GCSEs.
www.thefridayproject.co.uk
---------------------------------------
EDUCATION: HIP HOP, DO STOP
=
Now here's an idea you wouldn't expect to see discussed outside the Combat 18 guestbook.
Trevor Phillips, head of the Commission for Racial Equality, this week suggested that underachieving black boys could be taught in separate classes. It's something that's been tried in the US recently, although of course they did have a rather more bold
experiment with racial segregation a few decades back.
Even more controversially, Phillips also suggested black fathers not living with their sons should be denied access to them if they refused to attend parents' evenings. We haven't heard of a more dodgy attempt at social engineering since Genesis of the
Daleks.
Unsurprisingly, Phillips' idea went down like the proverbial cup of cold sick. The Department for Education and Science in particular was quick to respond, saying that the idea would have 'negative effects' and risked 'stigmatising' black pupils. And
for once we agree with the government.
It's extremely hard to think of any real benefit of separating pupils on the basis of race. If pupils need remedial teaching, then so be it: employ more teachers. But separating them on the basis of skin colour? What are you doing except for putting black
under-achievers together into one big under-achieving class? Wouldn't they benefit from being in classes with mixed ability? And what about white under-achievers?
Some (black) pundits defended the idea on the vague grounds that the problem of black males failing in the education system is a serious one, and thus needs radical solutions. But it just seemed to be a roundabout way of saying 'Some black pupils don't want to learn.'
This is familiar territory and the reasons for black academic failure are well-rehearsed: the black population is (on average) less well-off, which correlates with lower academic achievement,
there are few black academic role models, teachers unconsciously encourage black kids to fail, etc.
But this week commentators kept coming up with an increasingly popular explanation: that many black boys live a culture that is anti-education.
Of course, there have always been people, of every skin colour, who harbour an irrational hatred of education. They're the sort of ignoramuses who say 'You won't learn nuffink from them books',
and irresponsibly pass the attitude on to their children.
But the 'anti-education' culture is rather different. It could also be called 'street culture', the incessant barrage of rap, hip-hop and UK garage that portrays 'the street' as an inherently desirable place to be, what with the joys of crime, bling and macho posturing. Frankly we're amazed by the enduring popularity of 'the street', considering it's the place where you're most likely to meets t
ts like P Diddy. Or, more likely, MC Tunes. This is the rhyme that bites! Oh be quiet. It's almost hard to believe popular entertainment could have a direct influence on something as tangible as passing your exams, but increasingly it seems black people are pointing the finger at street culture. As one black American academic puts it, 'We have
internalised our own oppression', ie. urban culture is
encouraging our young people to fail.
This is uncomfortable for liberal types like us, who
instinctively deny a link between entertainment and people's behaviour. But when criticism of street culture is coming from black people and not white racists who think every black kid in trainers and a hoodie is an armed gang member, you have to think
again.
The excesses of rap are well known and somewhat hilarious, as any Nelly video proves. But we didn't realise it could make you fail your GCSEs.
www.thefridayproject.co.uk
the friday project said:
But the 'anti-education' culture is rather different. It could also be called 'street culture', the incessant barrage of rap, hip-hop and UK garage that portrays 'the street' as an inherently desirable place to be, what with the joys of crime, bling and macho posturing.
I have noticed this recently, it is spreading beyond being defined by a racial stereotype now with the increasing number of white and asian youths who are getting into the whole culture. It fosters the belief that you don't have to bother working for a living because anything you want can (and should) be taken. It objectifies other people as no more than accesories or inconveniences to your chosen way of living.
In no way is this a dig at the genre of music, some of which I love, more the army of the brain-dead who interpret it as a way of life. Thing is, kids have been doing this with music ever since mods and rockers went to the seaside to have fights. The difference with this is type of criminality and laziness it encourages as well as the splintering of social groups into "gangs" rather than a community of kids who are all into the same thing.
I suppose the best thing about it is that it is a trend and will be gone in time.
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