Walking in public is inconsiderate.

[noamnety]

This was a new concept to me a few years ago.

A teacher I knew wanted to get a group of 10-20 students to the local library a half mile away from the school. She was trying to arrange for volunteer drivers. I suggested the students walk since they were in high school and could get there on side streets - not even crossing a single street with a stop light. It seemed like less hassle than rounding up drivers, having driver permission slips, copying their insurance info, all the bureaucratic stuff that schools have to deal with.

She wasn't willing to walk the students to the library in a group because the students were mostly black and the neighborhood was mostly white. She didn't think they'd be harassed or in danger or cause problems themselves, but she felt it was inappropriate for the school to inflict that on the residents - inflict having a small group of black students walk on a public sidewalk past their homes.

For community relations, she felt the school was pushing it a little to have so many black kids there and it was certainly better for the residents to not see the students out in public off school grounds. She explained to me several times that it was about consideration for the community members, even though she didn't personally respect their beliefs.

I was appalled. I am still appalled at the thought that black kids would be expected to not walk in public out of consideration for others.

I've been thinking about that lately because of the Muslim Center.

[eleny]

1. good grief

[noamnety]

2. Not sure what that was directed at.

At the teacher thinking that was appropriate in some way?

Or at me for drawing the comparison between that attitude and people who think Muslims should be less visible in public out of consideration for others?

[eleny]

15. Sorry for the delay - I was sad to learn that this situation happened

I agree with you completely.

[noamnety]

17. Ah - thanks!

Sometimes I'm too thick to know if I'm being insulted or not. :D

[rurallib]

3. maybe the school could have warned people on the route

so they could lock their windows and doors and hide in the basement.
yes- good grief.
Oh :sarcasm: for the humor impaired.

[Merlot]

4. But she did personally respect their beliefs -

Did anyone ask the neighborhood how they felt? I'm thinking this was her line of thought because she made SO much effort to not subject the neighborhood to this "inconsiderate" event.

Unless the neighborhood specifically asked the school to keep the kids under wraps, I'd have to say this was an idea born in her mind. I don't see how anyone could come up with this line of pretzel logic unless somehow they believed it themselves.

[BlueJazz]

5. I can understand that line of reasoning....I mean, Good Grief...

..next thing you know, those ...ah..Blacks will want to share our restaurants, movies, water Fountains or even.. (oh my God) Vote.

I would have told the teacher "It's Ok...it's 2010 not 1910"

[MineralMan]

6. How sad that that particular teacher has that particular

attitude. "Inflict that on the residents?" WTF? She should not be teaching those children, if she has that attitude. If I were the principal of that school, I would move her to some other assignment...or worse.

Feh!

[MattBaggins]

7. By few years do you mean 40 or so?

[BeFree]

8. well

Like they do for funerals, get a motorcycle cop to lead and follow.

That way those racists assholes will not pee their pants. They will feel secure.

We must protect even the minorities, whether or not they are assholes.

[uncommon]

9. Just out of curiosity, when was this? And did you report her?

That story is disgusting. I assume since you didn't mention it that she didn't lose her job.

[Xenotime]

11. There are some unsophisticated communities that still hold 'backward' thoughts..

This is not uncommon.

[rbixby]

10. I don't get it...

she didn't respect their beliefs, yet she's respecting their beliefs by not imposing the site of black people on their neighborhoods?


I think I'd be pretty furious in that situation.

[activa8tr]

12. One has to ask how the students get to the school, do that come in

space ships? Beamed down to the schools directly?

Or are they all bussed in?

None of the students walk to school, right past some of these houses?

I hope this teacher is gone soon. She's not teaching by example.

Any group of able-bodied high school students should be able to walk that distance, and SHOULD walk that distance daily.

[montanto]

13. Did the teacher actually say "because they are black?" eom

[unblock]

14. pretty soon we will have separate drinking fountains out of consideration for the bigots.

[Subdivisions]

16. That is appalling and testament to how much work remains to be done. n/t