Vision Circle

if nothing else, Edelman dunked on him from the 3-pt line with these bullet points about how we should approach education:

* investing in early childhood education so that black boys start elementary school prepared;
* reducing class sizes in elementary school so that black boys learn to read by third grade;
* improving the quality of teachers and principals in inner city school districts;
* requiring that all black boys take algebra and other college prep courses rather than being tracked into remedial classes;
* changing school suspension and expulsion policies so that fewer black boys get "pushed out" of school;
* making our middle schools and high schools smaller and more relationship-oriented so fewer black boys drop out;
* having quality after-school programs available so that black boys engage in positive rather than negative behaviors in the critical hours between 3 and 6 p.m.;
* providing young black men with summer jobs and internships to get accustomed to the work world; and
* expanding access for young black men to universities and community colleges.

when's the last time you heard ANY policy wonk, liberal, or pundit address affirmative action that well? these are concrete, realizable objectives that are not obscured by murky references to "diversity". there's no reference to a "culture of poverty", no snide remarks, no attitude - Edelman implicitly argues that black boys and men can do better if the system RECOGNIZES the dangers of being a black man in this country. i LOVE it.

if nothing else, Edelman dunked on him from the 3-pt line with these bullet points about how we should approach education:

* investing in early childhood education so that black boys start elementary school prepared;
* reducing class sizes in elementary school so that black boys learn to read by third grade;
* improving the quality of teachers and principals in inner city school districts;
* requiring that all black boys take algebra and other college prep courses rather than being tracked into remedial classes;
* changing school suspension and expulsion policies so that fewer black boys get "pushed out" of school;
* making our middle schools and high schools smaller and more relationship-oriented so fewer black boys drop out;
* having quality after-school programs available so that black boys engage in positive rather than negative behaviors in the critical hours between 3 and 6 p.m.;
* providing young black men with summer jobs and internships to get accustomed to the work world; and
* expanding access for young black men to universities and community colleges.

when's the last time you heard ANY policy wonk, liberal, or pundit address affirmative action that well? these are concrete, realizable objectives that are not obscured by murky references to "diversity". there's no reference to a "culture of poverty", no snide remarks, no attitude - Edelman implicitly argues that black boys and men can do better if the system RECOGNIZES the dangers of being a black man in this country. i LOVE it.

Episodes like this Slate dialog have been increasing in their frequency and intensity for the past several years. IMO, it's part of an effort to maintain colleges and universities as the cultural respositories of, for and by WASPs.

Here, we find social conservatives (and their various strains, including Federalists and Libertarians) feigning victimhood to justify a place in academia. I'm sure there are those who believe dogma deserves no place in supposedly empirical discource. However, universities are (hypothetically speaking) institutions for intellectual exchange. I believe differentiating voices should be presented for discerning minds to interpret as they wish.

"...However, universities are (hypothetically speaking) institutions for intellectual exchange. I believe differentiating voices should be presented for discerning minds to interpret as they wish. "

It ain't hypothetical. Donna Shalala's U. Miami tried to shut down a true conservative student group, however, on the premise the Republican Student group was sufficient to cover that side of the spectrum - and the conservatives were successful (at last notice) in prevailing. (In case you hadn't noticed, mainstream Republicanism is gradually merging with mainstream Dems.)

After 12 years -- either as student or non-faculty employee -- in a college environment, I disagree with the assessment higher education is particularly diversified culturally, policially or ideologically. Even HBCU's are somewhat guilty of adhering to the same reference points.

I'd also disagree with the contention 'mainstream' Republicans are merging with 'mainstream' Democrats. For sure, their is a very, very large cross-section of the American electorate that is politically moderate/ ideologically neutral. But those (these?) folks identify themselves as mostly 'independents'.

It appears 'mainstream' Republicans, just as with Democrats, are represented by their most active leaders. For the GOP, right-wing philosophy drives the rank and file voters. In contrast, Democrats have abandoned equivalent voices of the Left (see, 'Howard Dean') as part of a misjudged marketing ploy. On many points, Democrats no longer present themselves as a clear, viable alternative.