Inner City Schools

When reading our blog assignment for this week I thought about my experience with inner city schools last year. I am apart of the greek community here on campus and my sorority had a chance to spend a weekend retreat with inner city school girls in minneapolis. We held a retreat for them, played games, talked about issues and experiences, and basically got to know each girl. I was astonished.

Going into this retreat I had so many formed stereotypes and judgments. I initially thought these girls would want nothing to do with a sorority white college girl like me. I thought they'd all be young african american girls who were poorly educated with little or no manners. Now putting it on paper I feel horrible for making these quick judgments. I think my childhood and upbringing constructed these views of inner city children. I grew up in a predominantly white, middle-upper class community. Education was essential. I think of my town as a bubble. It's very sheltered and children grow up pretty pampered.

I am so happy I got to spend a weekend with the inner city girls. They were spectacular, educated, smart, and witty. They thought the world of us for coming and spending time with them. They were engaged in every activity we had planned, helped us set up and clean up the entire retreat facility, and were extremely polite. It completely flipped my opinions and stereotypes around. It also caused me to realize that I shouldn't judge that quickly.

After reading our assignment and looking back at my experience at the retreat I started researching articles and stories about inner city school districts. I found one about a school in Charlotte, North Carolina. The school is a success story like a lot of inner city schools throughout the United States. Piedmont Open IB Middle School excels in their education and team work. Each teacher specializes in various subjects for example the gym teacher is also the reading teacher. As well as judging the children in inner city schools I also judged the teachers. I thought they'd be the low tier teachers, annoyed, unhelpful, and unapproachable. Teachers at Piedmont are motivated and well-rounded. The school's test scores are wonderful, 90 percent literacy rate.

Another example is the Medgar Evers School in Brooklyn, New York. It is an inner city school that serves around 900 largely poor African American Children. The principal says poverty is not an excuse, lack of resources is not an excuse. If a student does not pass they must attend summer school. The unofficial policy of Medgar Evers is "No excuses." Each student has strived from this encouragement.

Initially I believed every inner city school district contained students who were uneducated, lacked manners, were unhelpful, hated learning, and basically had less of a chance for a future. I thought the teachers didn't really care, were hoping for another job in another district, and had no interest in helping the students. I was so wrong. The students I worked with were splendid and everyone of them has a fantastic future ahead of them. When reading both of the articles the teachers are a huge part of the students success. They are well rounded, well educated, and want to help each student.

When reading Dyer I was surprised at the quote, "This assumption that white people are just people, which is not far off saying that whites are people whereas other colours are something else, is endemic to white culture." I was surprised in that I believe it's very true. I personally never really judge other whites because they are the same race/color as me. Why don't I judge them as much as other races? Why would I assume they are educated and well-rounded unlike my stereotype on inner city school districts? It made me think and I believe I'll go out into the world with a different perspective and hopefully I will not judge a book by it's cover.