Black Parents Should Boycott Schools

[Kafi Payne]

I have two sons and I am deeply concerned about their well-being. I try to buy organic food for them to eat. I make sure my older son wears his helmet and pads when he rides his scooter. I hold his hand when he crosses the street. Why in the world should I send him to a school (public, private, parochial, whatever!) that has never served black boys? I am an educator and am committed to improving the education system for all children but in the meantime, I think that as black parents, we should boycott schools until they start serving our children! I'm not radical (for the most part) but very few schools are serving our children and why should they? We're the foolish ones for keeping our children in a system that at best they get through and make it to college and at worst kills them slowly. I don't know how I'll do it but I plan on homeschooling my children (while still working full time). Am I the only one frustrated?

[missscorpio1029]

No you are not. I have considered homeschooling my children as well because the school system is a big big joke. I took my girls out of high school because of the violence and I would rather be locked up if they told me that I would have to send them back. I put my oldest daughter in a college where she got her highschool degree and an associates. My second daughter is starting this fall. My son is in highschool now and the moment it gets too hectic in there I am pulling him out.

You are so right schools are not set for blacks even stated by the media. I had a working mother that took her daughter out and sent her to a home school. I am thinking of a way as well cause I can do a better job.

[Kafi Payne]

What if Black folks boycotted schools like we boycotted buses? What if we all just took our child out of schools--public, private, and otherwise and homeschooled our children collectively. Families, churches, Black fraternities/sororities, community members . . . we could all work together to support each other as we maintained our jobs (the reality of our lives) but it has got to be better than what's going on in schools (even the "good" ones)

[missscorpio1029]

U know we could do a lot together and I believe that we can even turn around our communities if we began to work together to do something about our current situations.
We have got to start depending on ourselves cause america isnt going to....but how?

[Kafi Payne]

I don't know anything about organizing but I wonder if we started with the Montgomery bus boycotts as a model and intentionally designed a way to support parents in need of childcare (very different from education!) as well as meeting the educational needs of black children.

[missscorpio1029]

hummmm in thought because we would really have to rally this thought and I have a friend that is good with putting things together, I am going to run this thought by her, but there has to be a theme, and a plan behind it all.

[missscorpio1029]

what about a charater school for blacks. Have you read the books on law of attraction? I know you are saying well what does that have to do with it? well I am going to email you an explain.

[Chandra]

This is the EXACT reason why I became a member of BMC in the first place: Likeminded moms who aren't afraid to speak their minds. I can't stand public schools and I teach in them. I take the time and give concious energy and effort to control the environment and what my daughters are exposed to and the thought of sending them into a setting where anything goes and who know what could happen frightens me beyond words. Not only do we have to worry about school violence, ineffective teachers, horrible lunches and exposure to things kids don't need to know about, but you have bullies in the administration and teachers who shouldn't be there in the first place! Unfortunately, I am not in a position to homeschool yet. I've been able to locate a black owned Montessori where we live that starts at 18 months and goes to 3rd grade. After that, I don't know what...

[Kafi Payne]

It's not just the public schools either. I know plenty of folks mad at the mistreatment of their children in (expensive!) private schools too.

I'm not even going to blame the schools and the teachers. I know there are some incredible teachers and principals out there that are deeply committed to our children. It's just that from one year to the next, you are essentially gambling with the life of your child because you don't know whose class they'll end up in or even if you diligently seek out the best teachers at your child's school and bring donuts and coffee to the principal so that he/she will respond to you if you have a request and be in the classroom and at the school on a regular basis so that the faculty and staff know that THAT CHILD comes from a good home and has active parents . . . . you can do all of that but I think I will put all of that energy into just teaching them myself. Now, I don't quite know how that will happen but I'm committed to figuring it out.

[missscorpio1029]

You have to pull them out of the current school they are in, they have a package at the school that contains all of. I say jump in and let god handle the rest. You started me talking and organizing and we are going to find a solution to this big problem.

[Pamela Council]

I agree with you on the schooling of our children. I have girls one which graduated from high school this year and as I talked with friends of mine who had boys all of their boys were not accepted to the college they applied to they were told they needed to go to community college and take some classes and then reapply to the school. This was alarming to me. My daughter did get into the school she applied to I also have a junior in high school who is doing well, but I have been also considering homeschooling my youngest daughter who is four. My youngest daughter presently attends my sister childcare center three days a week because I have a full time job as well. And your not the only parent frustrated with the educational system. You can go online also and get information on homeschooling also in my city there is information to connect you with other homeschooling parent in your community and also the guidelines you need to follow as far as the number of hours that have to be done weekly. Also check out your church a number of parents at my church homeschool there children. You can do it.

[Chandra]

There is a lot of information online for those of you interested in homeschooling. www.africanamericanhomeschooling.com, www.naaha.com which is the National African American homeschooling alliance, www.aahnet.com, the African American homeschooling network are just a few. Just Google African American homeschooling and you will be provided with a wealth of information to get you started. I am praying for direction on where to go. My daughters' health requires that both my husband and I work just make it. I am not at all satisfied with the school system where I work and am working towards being able to work at home to be able to provide the education I desire for them to have.

[Mahogany Momma]

Not at all, there are so many frustrated Black Parents demanding better for their children, read my article: Black Parents Regain Control of their Children's Education