Jimmy Chitwood
Hall of Famer
Omaha, Nebraska plan sets up a majority Black school district, a majority White district, and a predominantly Latino district in the city. But it's not segregation...because a black guy suggested it. at least, i guess that's why, 'cause it got approved instead of making national news... link
after you read the article...
additional questions: 1) why is there an afro-american newspaper? 2) what happens when the white school starts getting much higher test scores? 3) is segregation somehow different if it's voluntary? 4) will black people ever be satisfied? 5)WTF is going on with black people?
Omaha plan: Is it segregation?
Afro American Newspaper, James Wright , James Wright, Apr 22, 2006
A controversial plan by a Black state senator to set up a majority Black school district within the city limits of Omaha has been approved by the Nebraska state legislature and signed by its Republican governor. The plan also sets up a majority White district and a predominantly Latino district in the city.
Omaha's school superintendent and the city's two other state senators, each are White, say that the plan legalizes segregation and it should be contested in court.
However, Sen. Ernie Chambers (D-Omaha), the plan's, said that the plan is not segregation, but a way to let Black parents and citizens have a voice in how their children are educated.
"There is no intent to create segregation," said Chambers, who represents a district that is 71 percent Black. "What my plan does is that it makes smaller districts in the city instead of one big district as you have now. It gives control of the schools over to the parents and gives us the right to elect our own school boards. This plan is not exclusionary, but inclusive."
Chambers noted that court-ordered busing was ended years ago and Omaha's school district is segregated now. Many students are not assigned to their local schools and Omaha, like many cities in the country, is segregated by race on the basis of the neighborhood they live in, he said.
"My plan does not mention race," he said. "It's the White people who are talking about segregation, but segregation is already here."
Chambers said Blacks schools are under-funded by the school district and its classroom teacher-students ratios are higher than the White schools. He said his plan would allow the Black school district to tax its residents so they can have better facilities, teachers and administrators, thereby producing higher test scores among students.
"It's like the NFL (National Football League)," he said. "The rich teams have to share revenue with the less profitable teams in order for the teams to have parity. That's what we are talking about here. All of the districts contribute to a common pot and it has to be distributed based on need."
The school district of Omaha is 46 percent White, 31 percent Black, 20 percent Latino and 3 percent Asian/Native American, according to school statistics. The city of Omaha is 78 percent White, 13 percent Black and 7 percent Latino and 2 percent Asian/Native American, according to the 2000 Census Bureau count.
Nebraska has a unicameral legislature, which means that it has one body: the senate. A bill that passes the senate goes to the governor for approval.
The senate passed Chambers' bill, 31 for, 16 against, 1 present and 1 present but not voting.
Before signing the bill on April 14, Gov. Dave Heineman (R) said: "It is clear to me that the motivation behind his proposal is neither segregation nor separation, but instead the goal of improving student achievement and the responsiveness of schools."
Some leaders of Omaha disagree with the legislature's action.
Sen. Pat Bourne (D-Omaha) said after the bill was passed: "We will go down in history as one of the first states in 20 years to set race relations back." Sen. Gwen Howard (D-Omaha) said that "history will not, and should not, judge us kindly."
School Superintendent John Mackriel has gone on record as opposing the Chambers' plan, a school system spokesperson said. Omaha NAACP Chapter President Tommie Wilson said that while her chapter has not taken a position on the Chambers' plan, she said the senator does not speak for the Black community.
"He speaks for Ernie Chambers," she said. "There is definitely something wrong when the legislature agreed to his plan. It's like they were saying 'okay, you take care of your own'. If there is one good thing that comes out of all of this is that people realize that Omaha is racist. Just like with Hurricane Katrina, our school system is making America look at it (racism)."
Wilson said she taught in the Omaha school system for 36 years and said she agreed with Chambers' critics that the plan is segregation.
Both the national office of the NAACP and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund said they are reviewing the plan to see if a court challenge is necessary.
Dr. Ronald Walters, a political scientist at the University of Maryland, said that people should not rush to judgment on Chambers' action.
"This is a complex situation," Walters said. "What Ernie wants is Blacks having control over their own children's education. I agree with his sense of control because we have to look at current public policy.
"Public policy says that Black children are inferior by definition and that is why our children are failing. People should look closely what he wants to do."
Chambers said the plan will go into effect July, 2008 barring a change as a result of a court challenge or the legislature making adjustments.
after you read the article...
additional questions: 1) why is there an afro-american newspaper? 2) what happens when the white school starts getting much higher test scores? 3) is segregation somehow different if it's voluntary? 4) will black people ever be satisfied? 5)WTF is going on with black people?
Omaha plan: Is it segregation?
Afro American Newspaper, James Wright , James Wright, Apr 22, 2006
A controversial plan by a Black state senator to set up a majority Black school district within the city limits of Omaha has been approved by the Nebraska state legislature and signed by its Republican governor. The plan also sets up a majority White district and a predominantly Latino district in the city.
Omaha's school superintendent and the city's two other state senators, each are White, say that the plan legalizes segregation and it should be contested in court.
However, Sen. Ernie Chambers (D-Omaha), the plan's, said that the plan is not segregation, but a way to let Black parents and citizens have a voice in how their children are educated.
"There is no intent to create segregation," said Chambers, who represents a district that is 71 percent Black. "What my plan does is that it makes smaller districts in the city instead of one big district as you have now. It gives control of the schools over to the parents and gives us the right to elect our own school boards. This plan is not exclusionary, but inclusive."
Chambers noted that court-ordered busing was ended years ago and Omaha's school district is segregated now. Many students are not assigned to their local schools and Omaha, like many cities in the country, is segregated by race on the basis of the neighborhood they live in, he said.
"My plan does not mention race," he said. "It's the White people who are talking about segregation, but segregation is already here."
Chambers said Blacks schools are under-funded by the school district and its classroom teacher-students ratios are higher than the White schools. He said his plan would allow the Black school district to tax its residents so they can have better facilities, teachers and administrators, thereby producing higher test scores among students.
"It's like the NFL (National Football League)," he said. "The rich teams have to share revenue with the less profitable teams in order for the teams to have parity. That's what we are talking about here. All of the districts contribute to a common pot and it has to be distributed based on need."
The school district of Omaha is 46 percent White, 31 percent Black, 20 percent Latino and 3 percent Asian/Native American, according to school statistics. The city of Omaha is 78 percent White, 13 percent Black and 7 percent Latino and 2 percent Asian/Native American, according to the 2000 Census Bureau count.
Nebraska has a unicameral legislature, which means that it has one body: the senate. A bill that passes the senate goes to the governor for approval.
The senate passed Chambers' bill, 31 for, 16 against, 1 present and 1 present but not voting.
Before signing the bill on April 14, Gov. Dave Heineman (R) said: "It is clear to me that the motivation behind his proposal is neither segregation nor separation, but instead the goal of improving student achievement and the responsiveness of schools."
Some leaders of Omaha disagree with the legislature's action.
Sen. Pat Bourne (D-Omaha) said after the bill was passed: "We will go down in history as one of the first states in 20 years to set race relations back." Sen. Gwen Howard (D-Omaha) said that "history will not, and should not, judge us kindly."
School Superintendent John Mackriel has gone on record as opposing the Chambers' plan, a school system spokesperson said. Omaha NAACP Chapter President Tommie Wilson said that while her chapter has not taken a position on the Chambers' plan, she said the senator does not speak for the Black community.
"He speaks for Ernie Chambers," she said. "There is definitely something wrong when the legislature agreed to his plan. It's like they were saying 'okay, you take care of your own'. If there is one good thing that comes out of all of this is that people realize that Omaha is racist. Just like with Hurricane Katrina, our school system is making America look at it (racism)."
Wilson said she taught in the Omaha school system for 36 years and said she agreed with Chambers' critics that the plan is segregation.
Both the national office of the NAACP and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund said they are reviewing the plan to see if a court challenge is necessary.
Dr. Ronald Walters, a political scientist at the University of Maryland, said that people should not rush to judgment on Chambers' action.
"This is a complex situation," Walters said. "What Ernie wants is Blacks having control over their own children's education. I agree with his sense of control because we have to look at current public policy.
"Public policy says that Black children are inferior by definition and that is why our children are failing. People should look closely what he wants to do."
Chambers said the plan will go into effect July, 2008 barring a change as a result of a court challenge or the legislature making adjustments.
