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religion-is-a-mental-illness · 3 months

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By: Brandy Shufutinsky

Published: Jan 23, 2024

Until about 160 years ago Black American labor was used to benefit the few, especially a small group of privileged white landowners. Today, we are still being used. Progressive academics, activists, and political leaders are constantly exploiting Black Americans as living, breathing excuses for policies that benefit progressives and their constituents but fail Black people.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has set his sights on eliminating high-achieving magnet schools in the name of equity. Currently, academically gifted students from low socioeconomic backgrounds are able to compete for entrance into high-achieving schools. One need not guess why some Black parents welcome this opportunity for their children. After all, only 17% of Black students are proficient in reading and even fewer (7%) demonstrate proficiency in math. Moreover, in 2022, fewer than 10% of Black third-grade students and just under 11% of low-income third-grade students could read at grade level. These dismal figures entail that a great many talented Black students in Chicago must suffer through classes geared not to them but to their illiterate and innumerate peers. Magnet schools offer these talented students a way out. One would think that policy makers committed to providing access to quality education for all students, not just the ones whose parents were able to send them to private schools, would increase the number of high-achieving schools, rather than eliminate them.

So, why would Mayor Johnson want to eliminate one of the few opportunities for gifted but economically disadvantaged students to access quality education? Well, according to Chicago Public Schools Board CEO, Pedro Martinez, allowing gifted students access to quality education causes “stratification and inequity in Chicago Public Schools.” One has to wonder whether this excuse (as incoherent as it is) is sincere or whether it reflects instead a cynical push to discard selective schools that have proven to be top-tier nationally because these schools compete directly with the union-led public school system.

In Portland, Oregon education leaders are planning to roll out a system of equitable grading that calls for teachers to consider “non-academic factors” when grading student work. Portland Public School Chief Academic Officer Kimberlee Armstrong, a supporter of the policy, argues that in order to address “biases” educators must, wait for it, engage in bias themselves, by “considering the diverse backgrounds and needs of students.” Just how does considering background rather than correct answers and knowledge acquisition reduce bias?

Oregon’s student literacy rates are slightly better than Chicago’s but still fewer than half of students read at grade level, with Black student literacy hovering around 26%. Yet rather than provide students with the necessary resources to achieve basic literacy, Oregon policymakers are simply eliminating any method of measuring student achievement.

We must ask ourselves, who gets lost in educational politicking? Students who desire a quality education are being sacrificed at the altar of progressive policies that do them more harm than good. When I was in the third grade my teacher suggested I be tested for the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program. I was attending an under-resourced, high-poverty school where the majority of students qualified for the free-lunch program, including me. My GATE score allowed me access to all of the resources that I would otherwise have missed because my socioeconomic circumstance did not allow for tutors or extracurricular activities, let alone private school tuition. Fast-forward a few decades and instead of providing support for students who find themselves in a situation similar to mine, policy makers are relegating them to mediocrity.

Who benefits from policies that disenfranchise the most vulnerable students? Many organizations that claim to work to improve student achievement by using equity-based practices have sprouted up over recent years. They offer services to school districts, providing teacher training and curricular materials with a stated goal not of teaching students the knowledge and skills they need to succeed but of “building social justice starting in the classroom.” These organizations are very successful in using our public schools to build their client base and sell their obviously political goals of equity and social justice. When it comes to improving student achievement, however, their results are dismal. Policies that eliminate access to quality education, lower standards and reframe what knowledge is will not help Black students, it will harm them. Politicizing education by lowering expectations is a racist endeavor that denies Black Americans the credit they rightly deserve for overcoming obstacles and reaching the highest levels of success. It’s the bigotry of low expectations.

Brandy Shufutinsky is a social worker, writer, researcher, and advocate. She holds her Doctorate in International and Multicultural Education from the University of San Francisco, her MSW from the University of Southern California, and her MA in International Relations from the University of San Diego. Dr. Shufutinsky has worked towards advancing the rights of victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault through practice, education, and research, and is now focusing her advocacy on developing intercultural and academic opportunities to enhance liberal democratic ideals as the director of education and community engagement with the Jewish Institute for Liberal Values. Follow her on Twitter.

This is what "equity" does. In order to force everybody to have equal outcomes, it has to eliminate the ability for people to overachieve or exceed others. Because that would make people jealous and would be "unfair." It can't make everybody an Elon Musk, but it can make everybody a Joe Schlub. And so "equity" always results in the lowest of the lowest common denominators. When you inevitably use force to ensure that happens, that's how you get Russia and China.

The people activists who are putting in these policies are the exact same people who put in the policies that caused this illiteracy and innumeracy in the first place.

#Brandy Shufutinsky #Brandon Johnson #equity #magnet school #literacy #numeracy #bigotry of low expectations #corruption of education #education #equitable grading #inequity #racial bias #wokeness #woke #wokeism #cult of woke #wokeness as religion #religion is a mental illness

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neonponders · 1 year

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Part 27 for @wrecked-fuse ‘s pocketverse 🍦

Part 26

( pt. 7′s art 🎩 ) ( pt. 9′s art 👀 ) ( pt. 14′s art 💨 ) ( pt. 19′s art 🦇 ) ( pt. 20′s art 🍳)

~ on ao3 ~

• • •

“Since when are you and Eddie Munson friends?”

Steve scratched his patchy stubble. “I wouldn’t say we are, but he’s got little guys too. You saw ‘em.”

“Yeah,” Max answered distractedly, preoccupied with watching the littles riding their bikes through Family Video. “But I figured Dustin finally made you cave for Hellfire.”

Steve opened his mouth, but their heads turned toward the very Eddie Munson in question, wielding the cassette case for Dark Crystal threateningly. “Choose your next words carefully, Harrington. And yes, hi, still here.”

“I see you,” Steve droned from behind the counter. The flood of church-goers had already come and gone from the store, stocking up on their Sunday evening plans and leaving the store mostly devoid of customers; especially since all of Hawkins knew the best movies were gone between Sunday and Tuesday.

Which also meant that they had been given a list of documentaries by the middle and high school faculty to be fulfilled by Monday morning. Robin sat on the confetti-printed carpet with the storage boxes, sorting and piling up the demanded inventory.

Steve finished, “D&D isn’t my thing.”

“And what is your thing?” Eddie challenged, smiling cockily.

“I’m a visual person, not an imagination person,” Steve countered.

Eddie’s smile faded somewhat. “I can’t fault you there, jock star. Even we use figurines and books to help us.”

Steve’s brows furrowed a little, but his, “Thanks,” was sincere. Then he focused on Robin and the littles riding their bikes amongst the piles. “Why doesn’t the school library have these things?”

Robin lifted a video and read aloud, “Childbirth: Richard’s Story. I think some people would burn the school to the ground if they heard about Richard.”

Steve shrugged. “We’ve all seen it. Why is it a surprise?”

Eddie answered, “Because kids are free to rebel before they join the cult comforts of their adult hive minds.”

“Do you always talk like this?”

“I’m not wrong - shit.”

Steve took a deep breath, which paused when headlights refracted off the storefront windows. He squinted in the gloom until he was sure, “Everyone relax, it’s Chris.”

The littles emerged from underneath Robin’s crisscrossed legs - small Eddie on Robin’s shoulder peeked out from underneath her bobbed hair. “Chwissy?”

“Me!” little Chrissy celebrated. “Big me!”

Chrissy stepped into the store and said, “Hey, Steve!” before waving at her parents, who drove away after dropping her off.

Gliding to the floor, small Eddie declared, “Chwissy! Wanna see me wide? I fwy like E.T.!”

Chrissy laughed and sank to the floor, legs bent to the side as she sat next opposite to Robin and watched the littles slalom in figure eights on the carpet. But in the first couple of minutes of arriving, Chrissy couldn’t help but notice little Billy riding a little distantly from the others. Little Eddie used Steve’s bike, since the latter lay within the arms of his otter plushie, watching Billy.

“Are they okay?”

“There was an incident,” Robin filled in. “Billy - like, big Billy - taunted Stevie, which lil B didn’t like. Now they’re both moping.”

Chrissy’s posture wilted empathetically. “Where’s Billy?”

Robin looked up at Max, who took the cue, “He’s at home. Our parents are going out of town for the week, so he has to prove that he’s around.”

Chrissy seemed to understand this since she nodded, but Eddie draped his arms over the shelves as he asked, “And you don’t?”

Chrissy intercepted, “It’s an older sibling thing.”

Eddie slowly picked his jaw up as he nodded, processing. “Baby of the family perks.”

“Except I’m not a baby,” Max said bitterly.

“Oh, you’ll always be the baby,” Eddie taunted, “and Billy will always be your leash.”

Emotion faded from Max’s face as if she might’ve seen a ghost. Still, she fought, “That sounds like hypocritical crap.”

“That’s parenting,” Eddie scoffed indifferently. “My dad told me about it. He was one of seven, and after he left home, he never spoke to his eldest brother again. He always regretted it. He told me it wasn’t even their fault; parents lower the chain of command to the eldest kids, and they hold the leash too tight, but the person on the other end doesn’t feel it. The leash sure does, though. Hence why his trauma led to me being an only child.”

Steve’s eyes wandered, clearly unsure how to moderate the discussion and thankfully didn’t have to. Chrissy offered to Robin, “Do you have siblings?”

“A sister,” Robin shared, “but our age gap is too big. We barely keep track of one another.”

“I’m counting the register,” Steve announced.

Robin glanced back at him and then at her watch. “Sure, I’ll finish early. Hell yeah.”

She set the stack of movies for the schools on the counter and she and Chrissy got the rest back in the boxes before promptly throwing the storage keys at Eddie. “Look like a charmer, Munson. Big and strong.”

He glared at her but couldn’t stop his eyes flicking to Chrissy as he heaved the box up in his arms. Chrissy was busy huddled next to the otter plushie, talking softly to the littles. Billy had dumped his bike to climb into the plushie’s fluff with little Steve. Small Eddie held onto Chrissy’s fingers while he talked animatedly, and little Chrissy sat on the otter’s arm, petting small Billy’s head.

Steve emerged from the break room, having deposited the money bag in the safe, and folded himself onto the floor like Chrissy. “What’re we talkin’ about down here?”

Chrissy lifted her eyes to him. “I’m trying to ask why they’re upset and what would make them feel better.”

Steve didn’t smile so much as press his lips into a sympathetic line. “B didn’t like the joke of Stevie getting hurt. Ever since B took a bite out of Billy, Billy’s been saying he’ll bite back.”

“ ‘S not my fawlt.”

Their eyes sank onto the small voice coming from within the otter fluff. Steve consoled, “I’m not saying it’s anyone’s fault, buddy. I know you were hungry when you did it, but he was trying to keep you from swan diving out of his shirt. And he shouldn’t have taken it so far as to actually scare Stevie. Now we’re all stuck in the middle.”

Small Chrissy reached over the otter’s arms to hold his hands. “You need to be nice, Biwwy. For Stevie and big Biwwy, too. He’s not weally mean. I can tell.”

Small Eddie seconded, “Yeah! Like me! Chwissy sees right thwough me.”

Big Chrissy smiled and tried, “What if Billy were to apologize? Would that help you say sorry too?”

Billy had his face tucked into the otter fur, making his eyes and cheeks look endearingly plump. “He wouldn’t mean it.”

Steve’s eyes felt huge in his own head. “Why do you think so?”

Blue eyes blinked up at him and fake otter fur caught quiet tears. “I wasn’t sowwy when I bit ‘im.”

“You don’t have to apologize for biting him.” All eyes lifted to Chrissy, who elaborated, “You were hungry and frustrated. It makes sense. But you could tell him thank you for making sure you didn’t hurt yourself while you were hungry and reckless.”

Little Chrissy and little Steve raked Billy’s hair off his face, wiping his tears for him. Big Chrissy finished, “I have a feeling you both really like being helpful. Am I right?”

Little Eddie answered, “Biwwy and Stevie made us croissants!”

Chrissy nodded like she had been right about something. “Billy likes helping, too. He acts like he doesn’t, because for some reason boys have a weird idea of what strength looks like. But he does.”

This close to the floor, big Steve noticed Max’s fidgety shuffling, sparing her a glance that made her go still.

Chrissy finished, “If you try to talk to him, I’m sure Billy will reciprocate. He’s that kind of person. He’s not all bad. He just needs to know how he can help.”

Little Billy sniffled and wiped his nose on the otter. “How d’you know he’wll be sowwy? And mean it?”

“Because if he isn’t, then I’ll make him sorry for something,” she smiled with a wink. “But seriously, Billy’s helped me a few times. I’ve got him figured out.”

Steve huffed congenially. “Wish I had him figured out.”

Chrissy inhaled like she might’ve intended to speak, but little Eddie flew up to her eye level and moved a piece of hair that had been hanging over her eyelashes, causing her to blink several times out of rhythm. “Thanks, Eddie.”

Then the larger Eddie said behind them, “Good job, lil dude. We ready to roll?”

Chrissy unfolded herself from the floor with little Eddie and Chrissy in her hands. She answered a chipper, “Yeah.”

Steve picked up the otter over his forearm as he rose to his feet. “What do you two have planned for a Sunday night?”

Eddie countered, “You mind your sleepover and we’ll mind ours.”

Steve started to roll his eyes, but Chrissy brightened, “You’re seeing Billy tonight?”

Robin arrived from the break room, then, slinging her backpack over her shoulder and catching the look Steve gave her. They frowned at each other, eye brows wagging in silent confusion they both failed at communication.

Max scoffed, “Oh, come on. Your littles lick each other. What’s the surprise? Are we going or what?”

Chrissy burst into giggles. “They what?”

Steve dodged, “I gotta lock the doors. Everyone out!”

Chrissy laughed and Eddie smiled as he dropped his jacket onto her shoulders on their way outside. “My van’s heating is out.”

“Thanks,” she said, voice and cheeks warm. Little Chrissy’s excitement over Eddie’s jacket had her nervously lifted a hand to push her hair behind her ear even though it was tied back in a pony tail.

Little Eddie distracted her with, “Chwissy? Can I wide in your hair?”

“Sure. You need to talk up there, though, so I know you’re still there.”

Little Eddie happily sat astride her scrunchie like a saddle. “I’m here! The world is beauwtiful on your head, Chwissy.”

“Tone it down,” big Eddie hissed as he opened the passenger door for them, earning bubbling laughter from both Chrissy and little Eds.

As for Steve’s car, Robin and Max fell into their seats, the latter holding the shoebox bedroom and the former holding the littles and their otter in her lap. Once the engine woke up and Steve got his headlights situated, little Stevie asked, “Are we weally going to Biwwy’s tonight?”

“That’s up to you two,” Steve answered. “We don’t have to, but I’m going to be a selfish asshole and crash there with you, if we go.”

Little Steve laughed and Billy thanked, “I want you therwe, Stevie.”

He let himself smile softly when he glanced at the blond tuft in all the otter’s fur, safely bound in small Steve’s arms. “Have a nap, B. We’re going home first.”

Little Steve looked up at him. “Home? Are we okay?”

“Yeah, we’re okay. But you guys will need an overnight bag...and Stevie, if all else fails, I think I know something that will cheer Honey B up. How’s that sound?”

“Good! Sounds good!”

Steve nodded at the street ahead, but he could feel the silence in the car like a fog. Then simultaneously, Robin and Max said together,

“Do I want to know?”

“Billy and I share a wall.”

Steve grimaced and waved at the air like he were swatting gnats. “It’s not about you! It’s about making a little guy with a big heart feel better. Jesus.”

More silence.

Then Robin asked, “Will you drop me off before you get married or am I handcuffed to this sleepover too?”

Steve didn’t grace that with and answer.

#harringrove #wrecked-fuse #neonponders #pocketverse #pocket!au #like magnets #by the way i have no idea what time of year it is #is it summer? is it spring? is school all year??

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