Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / June 29, 1978, edition 1 / Page 2
Part of The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
editorials <l comnon Competency Test Reveal Needs By Hoyle H. Martin Sr. Post Editorial Writer A year ago we noted in this column that some knowledgeable observers believe that the quality of public education has declined consider ably. Some teachers and some parents are said to be apathetic and “social promotion” has dampened the motivation of too many youth to learn. A partial result of this, we concluded, was that many teachers don’t teach and many students don’t learn. Such charges have for too long been ignored by school boards and administrators as well as teachers and parents. These groups have been largely pre-occupied with re sisting school desegregation or sacrificing the quest for quality education by being intimidated by undisciplined youth or sharing in popularity contests. The end result of this deplorable condition is seen in part in a U.S. Department of Commerce report titled, “Social Indicators. 1976.” 2he report notes that while most Ameri cans under 40 years of age have received more formal education than their parents or grandparents, their level of achievement as measu red by test scores is not keeping up with their risine asDirations. The report states, for example, that 20 percent of the American people are seriously limited in the ability to function at everyday tasks. The Post does not claim to have any easy solutions or magic formu las for resolving what appears to be a series of complex problems. However, it appears to us that a basic overall problem is in a break down in the parent-teacher and parent-school relationship. An example of this breakdown is seen in the manner in which some school systems have allegedly re sponded to the disturbing fact that in *977 the average American school child spent 400 more hours watching television that he did hours in school. School administrators have report edly responded to this by starting required basic reading and month competency testing programs as a Failure By Choice? me uuove eauonai on me relati vely low scores made by black youth on the local school system’s trial competency tests should raise some serious questions as to the reasons why. One consideration as to “why” relates to how youth respond to what is expected of them. Another relates to the examples set by the adults in the young person’s family or neigh borhood. Psychologist have said that people often do just what is expected of them and no more. Thus, if school teachers and administrators or parents expect little of students for r*— 1 condition for promotion, we believe that the California “Proposition 13” tax revolt that calls for greater competency in the public sector generally may be another reason for the testing programs. Whatever the reason, competency tests and their results have revealed nation-wide some glaring problems with the quality of public education. For example, of the black Charlotte Mecklenburg llth graders who took the trial competency tests in March, 44.2 percent made scores below 70 percent in reading and 85.5 percent made scores below 70 percent in math. For the state as a whole blacks did no better and there is evidence that they do twice poorly as did whites on these tests. If we accept the traditional Ameri can belief that education can help to eliminate differences among people and guarantee equal access to high er education and equal employment opportunities, then something must be done to enable or motivate hlaek youth to improve their educational achievement levels. ThP fVkof f/vimU minded disciplined school leader ship, committed to using national standardized tests to measure stu dent programs and progress, is a necessary first step. A second part of this leadership would be to require that teachers clearly state in. writing before each class preciselv what the day’s objective of the Claris is and assign at least three home work projects weekly. Parents should visit the schools to co,nfer with teachers frequently, pick-up report cards, insist that their child ren complete homework assignment and promote by example high educational values. Finally, we must install in the minds of black youth the pursuit of excellence. This means t.hat in spite of racism, sexism or other road bloc^to the better life, black youth must have a will to succeed acade mically, economica!’ily and politi cally if they are to have hope for the future. We can, in the final analysis, only be equal if we are individually and collectively in pursuit of excellence. reasons of race or family income, they’ll get kittle on test scores or anything el'ase. Furthermore, a recnet study shows tha t for every 14 whites who accept educational opportunities paid for by their employer, only one black accepts such opportunities;— Do such factors convenience many youth to not make the effort to succeed, to not be willing to pay the price* of success? Do we often choose to fail rather than pay the price - study, work, create - to succeed. Ask yourself this question about yourself, “do you choose to fail? 1 I s_ BLACK COMMUNITIES ' • THAT CARE ABOUT THE BLACK FUTURE, SHOULD HELP IMPOSE ORDER WHERE NEEDED. Stop Fear And Trembling In The Streets ! l He Black Church And The NAACP oy ucujdinm U. rlOOKS Special to the Post As the oldest, continuing Black institution, the church has been the most sustaining source of inspiration for America’s largest minority population. During the dark est days of slavery, the Black Church provided spiritual strength as well as social development. It protected as well as res cused the victims of slavery and human oppression from depraved marauders. It led in economic development through property ownership as \.cll as in providing school ing lor large numbers of Blacks. The common bonds between the nation's principal civil -rights organization and the dent. Consequently, the NAACP, since its founding in 1909, has worked very closely with the Black Church. Such an umbilical relationship was natural since Blacks, as a strongly religious people, re presented the indispensable linlraan The NAACP, as a conse quence, for several years had an active church department. Through this program, the church provided the NAACP with inestimable support dur ing some of the bitterest phases of the civil rights struggle up through the six ties. —1 To expand on this earlier beginning, the NAACP Department of the Religious Affairs has been reesta blished. The Rev. J.C. Hope, ,'astor of the First Baptist Church of Macon, Ga., and president of the NAACP State Conference of Branches, has been appointed director. To the realization that this Benjamin L. Hooks ...NAACP Executive Director programmatic expansion is timely, our membership has voiced a loud chorus of ' Ainens. Rare in America's ■history have out* spiritual foundations been under such sustained attacks. Since the end ol i he Second World War, our va.uc system has not only been challenged, but it has been considerably trans muted A primary reason, of course, has been the inability of our government and institu tions to fulfill the dreams and hopes of millions of down trodden Americans. Other reasons include such crimes as the sordid Water gate affair that led to the resignation of a President and thi imprisonment of many members of his Administra tion: Continually, we learn about the illegal activities of the Federal Bureau of Investi gation, which spearheaded the destruction of lives and insti tutions. The other institutional lead er of clandestine operations, the Central Intelligence agency, has been equally guilty of murder or ferment ing murder and the destruct ion of duly constituted govern ments abroad. As the two principal institu tions which have survived the destructive forces of recent years, the NAACP and the Black .Church must therefore lead a crusade of moral weakening in this land. The pillars of this drive must be in strenghtening of the al. economic and political nc of America's poor. ■ it the NAACP National ..oudership Summit Confer ence in Chicago in April, the Keligious Affairs panel re commended that the church ' M ould be involved in all Human endeavors, that tend to do with how, where, why, when and if men lived both in the here and the hereafter.” 'rhus, the church must take a sm>ng position on affirrhatlve action programs as well as lead public demonstrations to dramatize the critical extent of unemployment among Black youths. The example of the Rev. Leon Sullivan of Philadelphia in establishing a nationwide network of Opportunities In dustrialization Centers to pro vide job training should be followed. In education and international affairs, econo mic development and com munication, health and social welfare, the Black Church nuld be partners with the 'ACP, working for the free '•oin and betterment -for our people. Bus Schedule Revised The Saturday in-bouna ' vhedule of the Route 2 - Ashley Park-Independence .boulevard bus timetable has >een re* ed to show that the end of the route no longer lei nates at Dresden Drive West and Woodland Drive THE CHARLOTTE POST “THE PEOPLES NEWSPAPER’’ Established 1918 Published Every Thursday By The Charlotte Post Publishing Co., Inc. 1524 West Blvd.-Charlotte, N.C. 28208 Telephones (704) 376-04%, 376-0497 Circulation, 9,915 60 YEARS OF’ CONTINUOUS SERVICE Bill Johnson.Editor-Publisher Bernard Reeves..' General Manager Hoyle H. Martin Sr.Executive Editor Julius Watson.Circulation Director Albert Campbell...Advertising Director Second Class Postage No. 965500 Paid At Charlotte, N.C. under the Act of March 3,1878 Member National Newspaper Publishers Association North Carolina Black Publishers Association Deadline for all news copy and photos is 5 p m. Monday. All photos and copy submitted becomes the property of the POST, and will not be returned. National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc. 45 W 5th Suite 1403 2400 S. Michigan Ave. New York, N.Y. 10036 Chicago, 111. 60616 ’ (212 ) 489-1220 Calumet 5-0200 By Vernon E.' Jordan Jr.assssa I TO BE— EQUAL u • The Truiumph Of Selfishness The so-called “tax revolt” spearheaded by the action of California voters in voting for the infamous Proposition 13, a massive reduction in local property taxes, represents the triumph of the politics of selfishness. - It refletets the growing tendency of middle . class voters to favor personal gain over the public good. If this trend continues, effective government could be severely hampered and the fragile ties that bind a pluralistic nation weakened. C rtrwwl f/\ ilo AooAnfinlc tVin f o w _1a represents a shell game, in which middle class voters fall for meat-axe slashes in taxes that benefit the rich while saving a few pennies for themselves, if that, and reducing the public services that benefit the poor. In California, for example, the bulk of tax savings will go to businesses, large agricultural enterprises, and rich homeowners. Middle class property owners will soon finfthat their savings on the property tax will be offset by substitute taxes in the form of user fees for public services. They’ll pay more in federal taxes since their property tax deductions will be lower. The’ll also find themselves hurt by a reduction in public services. Their kids’ schools will lose teachers and books, their garbage will be picked up less often, and there will be fewer firemen to respond to emergencies. Why thent did they vote for something so potentially destructive? Part of the reason lies in the peculiarities of the California situation - a real estate boom that has sent housing prices skyrocketing and an assessment policy that put property taxes on the same escalator. That legitimate gripe doesn’t exist everywhere else, so there is hope to excessive California reaction won’t be duplicated elsewhere. But in fact there is a nationwide trend. Some states have similar tax limitation drives. Twenty-three state legislatures have passed a call for a constitutional amendment to ban federal budget deficits. A .. J * « m m . m _ « - rum apmeitas puuucai leaders are scrambling toeetaboardthe anti-tax baqdwaflda. They are A abdioatin^SZfS responsibitipr^RfTleadership, M which is to govern effectively and to educate the m public to the fact that taxes pay for the services ^ the public demands. Poll after poll showk^ftiblic expectations of government is high. People want better schools, a strong defense force, better roads and transit, and even health insurance programs. If the tax revolt gathers strength those things will be out of reach of government’s ability to provide them. But you can bet that the tax breaks and hidden and overt subsidies that benefit rich people or favored special interests will remain intact. N . But talking of the tax revolt in terms of its" s a impact on government revenues and services v only obscures what may be the real meaning_of this negative movement. For the tax revolt amounts to a major escalation of the war between the classes. America’s dirty little secret, carefully hidden from view and denied by almost all, is that we have a class system. There are people on top who call the shots, there are people in the middle who identify their own interests with the powerful, and there are people on the bottom, effectively excluded from America’s riches. Overhaul School System By Gerald O. Johnson I am a strong believer in education. A good education can take you a long way in life. But there is nothing more discou raging or more disappointing than the type of educational system we have now. The current system has many downfalls, including not pro viding an education for the mass of students. There are many reasons for our educa tional system being in such a shamble I would like to highlight a few of the pro blems There is a lack of apprecia tion for an education. Most people view an education as a means to an end and not as an *nd In Itoelf. Students are misguided into believing that an education is the key to success Consequently they pursue an education with the objective of getting a degree or diploma and they are not concerned with learning If it were true that an education was the key to success then every educated person would be employed This is clearly not the case An education should be vievdfcd as an enriching and broadening experience of the mind. Just to know facta, ideas, and opinions on varied topics makes it easier to deal with everyday situations. A good education will enhance your chances for good employ ment but does not guarantee employment. The forced education of the masses has a direct affect on educational appreciation, also. It is stupid, expensive, and ineffective to feel that every child under IS years of age has to be educated. This forced education creates the crime problems currently existing in our systems and it forces institutions to be more than inade baby sitting facili ties. me mere laci mai eouca tion is legislatively reqiured of all its constituents is proof that we lack an appreciation for it. It is impossible to educate anyone who is forced to receive it. Any proposal offered that would suggest that we not educate everyone would be met with the imme diate reply "What would we do with all of those kid8',’, Education never is the point Another problem with the system is it’s isolation from the real world Though educa tion is suppose to be the hub of ^OwaMJahnso!^^" the rest of our society there are no direct lines of commun ication to or from the system. Businesses are not knowledge able of what's going on in the OZ>h/wUc an/i ui/iO.UAMn 11_ . '-Tv-inn/m nini vis^rvrntM ntm can teachers prepare you for a society that they have no experience in. Of course, this apples to high schools and post secondary schools This problem is euily recti liable simply by allowing all students to participate in "Co programs and intern ships This is simply giving students the opportunity to work in meaningful jobs iuring certain months of the r'ear This experience will give the student the opportu nity to see his class work being applied. Thus he wiU appreci ate the fact that education is a useful and worthwhile tool. Moreover, teachers should be requried to get outside work experience in their field of expertise. This will make for a better teacher because the course won’t be so book oriented. Finally, people working in areas other than education should be required to teach periodically This type of exchange program will improve test day education 100 percent and make it a meaningful experience for all involved. Furthermore the society as a whole is involved with the educational process. School systems lack adequ ate counseling procedures Never have I seen so many mis informed students in all my life. The few students in that endeavor to abuse educa tion for career opportunities are misled into career object ives The single motivating factor is money. For instance. I've been teacing mathema tics and computer science for the last four years. Students come to me saying that they want to pursue a career in data processing because that's where the money is. Unfortunately, the student has no idea what data processing is about nor does he know what he is all about. He has been misled to pursue a career for money instead of on ability. It is without a doubt that any field you can master will reward you financially, but more importantly it will fulfill you Hence, it is the school system that is responsible for finding out a student's ability and interst Without these two inputs it is impossible to coun sel a student effectively. The process of obtaining this information is both tedious and time consuming, but it is mandatory Each student should be requried to visit the couoiKllogcenter periodically. for talks, testing, and evalua tions. Moat importantly school systems lack competency based measures to insure per formance at the adminstra tive and teaching positions • Unlike a business that is measured by profitability, educational systems seem to be intangible as far at evalua tion is concerned. New programs are imple mented on a trial and error basis with students serving as guinea pigs. No one seems to have a hold on the situation. The students are now required to take competency base test but the personnel of the system are not. Though a student's learning inability can be for many reasons, one of the reasons should be incorporated to evaluate teachers on classroom effecti veness and knowledge of sub ject matter, I think it is appalling to have teachers, that hate kids, but this case does arise frequently. Nothing is being done to correct the inadequacies of the system. The recent war path that parents went on only brought about cursory results U is past time for some serious JOfiEtMUi.totakejilace with the system. "
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 29, 1978, edition 1
2
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75