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Like most white people you are really good at expressing faux outrage. (That's a joke, but I am sure you will be faux outraged by it and call me a racist again.)
There is nothing faux. I think you are an ignorant asshat. You have no clue about either science or social science and you continually misrepresent or misunderstanding Case in point:
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On stereotypes:
Maybe you can read this article from Psychology Today subtitled "Stereotypes are often harmful, but often accurate."
Stereotype Accuracy: A Displeasing Truth
"As Yale psychologist Paul Bloom has noted, 'You don't ask a toddler for directions, you don't ask a very old person to help you move a sofa, and that's because you stereotype.'"
You have completely miscast what this article means. It is not an excuse for racial stereotyping nor is it saying that there is truth to most racial stereotyping. You have a tendency to rephrase things to suit you (like often to most or most to all). It is true that we are biologically programmed to stereotype in a scientific sense. That is, I learn from my experiences. If I touch an object and get a shock, the next time I see a similar object I think it might shock me. And yes, obvious things like an old person isn't the one to ask to move furniture are the types of characterizations we make. That is not the same thing as people in society making claims about people based on race and arguing that they do so because it is true. That is not the case at all. Think about a lot of social stereotypes out there and ask yourself if that is really what you want to argue. There are at least as many stereotypes about minorities being bad parents as Whites.
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On white families advocating to reopen schools against the wishes of minorities:
According to the New York Times article it is stated that even in predominantly black school districts like Oakland (which you may be familiar with) it is the white families pushing for schools to open even though they make up a minority of the district.
Really. Oakland is a predominantly Black school district? Your false assumptions are showing. Hint. Oakland schools are 22.6% Black.
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"In New York City, about 12,000 more white children have returned to classrooms than Black students, though Black children make up a larger share of the overall district. In Oakland, Calif., just about a third of Black parents said they would consider in-person learning, compared with more than half of white families. And Black families in Washington, Nashville, Dallas and other districts also indicated they would keep their children learning at home at higher rates than white families."
(Source: Missing in School Reopening Plans: Black Families' Trust)
[url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/01/us/politics/school-reopening-black-families.html][/url]
By the way, NYC schools are 26% Black. And is anyone asking the Black people to go to in person learning? Apparently not in NY where they specifically chose not to return. As in had a choice. Which is exactly what Bay Area school districts are doing. If anyone is forcing any students back, I vehemently disagree with that.
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In that Twitter thread people commented that it was the same in Georgia and Chicago with a loud of minority of white parents pushing loudly to reopen minority majority school districts.
So it is not true "White parents are arguing for their predominantly White schools to be open" except in the sense that there are more white school districts than minority dominated ones.
1. You missed the word "most" there. Most White parents live in predominantly White school districts so most White parents are advocating for THEIR schools to be opened. The point is your claim that they are cloaking the argument in benefits to minorities is bullshyte. They are mostly not doing that. They want THEIR kids' schools opened. Whether they are advocating over the objections of Black parents is another question. Though if that were the actual question, why isn't that couched as Black parents are advocating to keep schools closed over the objections of White parents. What is going on is parents of all groups are advocating for what they believe is right for their schools.
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Here is a nice opinion piece written by a woman of color who states things much more eloquently than I am able to:
The 'Reopen Schools Now!' Debate Is Rooted In Racism
Here are some snippets:
"Some parents say, "send the kids back now," emphatic that we open schools immediately. Soccer moms suddenly profess concern for inner city kids in one breath, and prospects for college admissions for their own kids in the other, as though the stakes are the same. We see white and affluent parents leveraging the plight of historically underserved children as justification to reopen schools now, while actively excluding the communities they claim to be advocating for from the conversation."
One person's opinion. Frankly, the derisive and dismissive use of the term "soccer moms" gives me some clue as to where the person's perspective is.
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"I imagine that it is true fear for their kids, and a feeling of unaccustomed powerlessness, coupled with the entitlement that comes with access to opportunity. When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression. The sudden recognition by those who have been able to advocate, influence, or buy access to opportunities that they are now in the same boat as everyone else is a terrifying and unwelcome reality."
That is valid if parents are arguing that minority voices shouldn't be heard. It is not valid if they are merely advocating for their children. While I agree with the sentiment generally, it is not valid to apply it every time a White person gives an opinion. The above opinion could be 1. A valid opinion in some cases based on the facts on the ground; or 2. An easy way to dismiss the concerns of those she doesn't agree with; or 3. Both.
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"Third, there are greater fears than missing a season of soccer, or the SATs, or the fun of senior year. Parents claiming to advocate on our behalf are not in solidarity with marginalized people if they feel their fears outweigh ours."
People should not claim to advocate on anyone's behalf. There is no reason why a parent should be in solidarity with any group other than their own kids.
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"Rather than putting their energy and resources into solving the social and educational inequities that they claim to be against, efforts that could make surviving this moment in time more tenable, they demand their right to choice, which just demonstrates they would be content to leave the rest of us behind as long as their needs are being met. "
Social justice is a laudable goal and we should all work for it. The fact that we haven't solved all social justice problems does not mean White parents cannot speak for the benefit of their children.
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"They must recognize that their perception of our reality is inaccurate, and do not have to commit to agreeing, but to listening with the intent to understand. They must seek out voices across demographics and center those voices, not just their own."
Individual parents don't need to seek out anything. In this context, what they need to do is advocate for their child. As should all parents. The school board should make sure that all parents have equal access to the meetings, which includes helping to reach out to those who have a harder time attending the meetings. They should listen to all concerns equally. Beyond that, it is up to the parents who are interested to show up and state their case.
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Now, this is just one woman's opinion, but for some reason she sees the same thing other people of color do.
If you know anything about schools, school districts, and school boards, you know that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Rather than complaining that White people squeak, they should squeak like hell.
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At what point do you want to stop being right and just listen to what people are trying to tell you whether you agree or disagree with it?
You have obfuscated a simple issue with a lot of issues that were irrelevant to my response. It was a very simple and direct point. This statement is bigoted:
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How long do we have to wait before we have the awkward conversation about how eager white people are to get rid of their kids, even if it means they risk getting a deadly infection?
White parents are overwhelmingly advocating for their children's education. They are not trying to get rid of them. They are not risking them getting a deadly infection (58 Covid deaths out of 41M people in the age group. Playing football in non Covid times has an annual death rate per participant that is 7 times higher.)
You cannot stop just saying Gabriel's statement is true. You cloud the situation by throwing a bunch of other instances where you believe White people have transgressed. Irrelevant to the point. That is a bigoted statement designed to dismiss the concerns of White parents because they are White by portraying them as parents that don't give a shyte about their kids.
See, I don't need to listen to a person like that. I don't need to listen to you. Louis Farrakhan often makes some good points about the plight of the Black community. He is also a hateful racist. I don't need to listen to Louis Farrakhan. I can listen to many Black leaders who are not hateful racist and get the same thing. I'll do you the courtesy that I don't feel you deserve:
White parents should not try and speak for anyone but their children. To the extent they try and speak for minority communities, they should leave that to the minority parents to speak for themselves. They definitely shouldn't cloak their concerns for their children in concern for others. We disagree about how often that is happening. I'd guess what we are seeing is more that minority groups are feeling that White concerns are being heard over theirs. That is probably true.
There is a problem that White parents definitely know how to work the system when it comes to schools. I don't know if that is experience or if that is that their concerns are addressed more often. I suspect it is both. I was not familiar with how hard parents lobbied for their kids' interest. I learned quickly. I had to do so 3 times. You better believe I did it hard.
Saying that, If you want to have a discussion about relative power among ethnic and racial groups in the school system, fine. That is a crucially important discussion to have. If you think White people have too much power in that setting fine. I agree. If you think White people should listen to minority groups more, fine. I agree.
You don't start that conversation by portraying White parents as only acting out of the self interest of wanting their kids out of the house to the detriment of their kids' health. You don't continue that conversation by portraying some White couple in a bad light for asking for help with their child during the work day and then ascribing that to all White people. And on a tangent. What the hell makes you think they have a choice to stop work? A job is usually 9-5 no matter where it is. I happen to be lucky enough that while I work from home I could take extended breaks to do something with my kid and work longer hours in the early morning or evenings. Not everyone has the luxury of signing off their job. No, most people working from home cannot sign off at 3:00 on a regular basis and take their kids to go get ice cream. In fact, they may get disciplined at work for doing it. Many employers can actually track if you stop using your computer for long periods. I'm guessing if the person went out of the house and worked a manual labor job from 9-5 and asked the exact same thing, you'd have sympathy and you wouldn't view it as proof their race not giving a shyte about their children.
I'm not having any of these conversations starting on the premise that White people are bad parents. Because if you continue to defend that position, there is no good conversation to be had. Now, if Gabriel wants to say "Okay, I was ticked off and I shouldn't have said that. All our parents are advocating for what they think is best for their child. But I'm frustrated because the voices and concerns of White people are heard over others." Fine. Hug it out and lets have a fruitful conversation. As long as we are on "No. I mean it. White people are asshats." - not having the conversation.
Do you have kids?