To the Editor: ‘Racism’? Puh-lease!
What better way to deflect Rockford’s disgust at LaVonne Sheffield’s finally-published shameful behavior than to attack community leaders and motives? I’m outraged. Why aren’t they?
Because of the draining 11-year lawsuit, basic classes, our Votech Center, and grammar instruction were foolishly eliminated, deemed “racially identifiable.” In 1996, I was ordered to switch out five white honors students with five black regular ones to meet quotas. Any parent would demand honors classes, yet the People Who REALLY Care, this district’s long-suffering teachers, are still blamed when too few black students choose or succeed in them.
Students, no one is holding you back but you. If you want higher grades and test scores, study harder. If you want fewer referrals and suspensions, behave better.
How is it OK to segregate mostly non-black gifted students in one building for five years, yet label decidedly-different college-prep honors classes “discriminatory”? How is it OK to also eliminate valuable electives that mix ages, races and intellects, yet accuse US of racism?
Carolyn Kelley
Rockford
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2 Comments
Your completely wrong about VoTech. The program was killed long before the People Who Care lawsuit and it was killed by the support of local principals in 205. The program itself was used by Winn, Boone and Ogle county students, at their expense, but 205’s leadership and a silent Mayor allowed the death of VoTech and the Tool and Die Association tried to stop this closure, but to no avail. The so-called education crowd killed it.
Great letter Carolyn! I am not the biggest fan of USD 205 teachers because of salary/pension issues, however, I fully agree with you that teachers can’t “make” a student learn who dosen’t want to learn.
This is partially fallout from the misguided efforts of some who demand athletics in order to keep black students in school. Okay, so what are these students doing when their not at practice???? Disrupting their other classes???