White Flight/Racism Blue Valley Segregates ESOL students

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 10:30 am

I was reading the KC Star and came across this article that was supposed to be putting a positive light on Blue Valley School Districts knew ESOL program solution, but I noticed some things that were not mentioned in the article.

First of all, the ESOL students will all be forced into only a few schools. You may ask why this is bad, the reason is simple. Blue Valley will have a few primarily minority schools where test scores are lower etc. while the other schools are able to maintain their high scores and mostly white faces. This is absolute bullshit, and segregation at it's worst.

Only a bunch of racist suburbs could come up with an easy way to segregate students like this without looking like racism. Fuck Blue Valley

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... 649331.htm

English language learners could see changes in district

Increasing time with students is part of goal

By JILL SEDERSTROM The Kansas City Star

Blue Valley students learning the English language could be receiving a little extra help.

The school district is proposing to consolidate the English to Speakers of Other Languages program to selected schools throughout Blue Valley.

nota · Post by **nota** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 10:43 am

Anthony wrote: Blue Valley will have a few primarily minority schools where test scores are lower etc. while the other schools are able to maintain their high scores and mostly white faces. This is absolute bullshit, and segregation at it's worst.

How about posting some back up for your wild ass assumption? What schools are going to be used?

Maitre D · Post by **Maitre D** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 10:44 am

Why are these people in Blue Valley anyway? Seriously: non english speakers don't make any money, ergo cannot afford Blue Valley to begin with.

Its just more social tinkering by the Left. Bound to fail.

DanCa · Post by **DanCa** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 11:12 am

pittsburghparoyal wrote:Why are these people in Blue Valley anyway? Seriously: non english speakers don't make any money, ergo cannot afford Blue Valley to begin with.

Its just more social tinkering by the Left. Bound to fail.

I have neighbors who recently bought a condo for $340K and they don't speak English. Their kids do, but the parents don't. My guess is you wouldn't find that many recent, non-Englis-speaking immigrants in the BV area, but I wouldn't go so far to say none. Obviously there are some or they wouldn't have this issue.

And tinkering by the Left? Do you read the news? BV is the district where conservative Christians are trying to ban books. This area is probably one of the most Republican areas in JoCo. If there's any "tinkering" going on, it's by the Right.

Post by **chrizow** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 12:14 pm

christ, PA, did you even read the article?

for one thing, this program helps two hundred students who live in the district. obviously these students' families can "afford" to live in the BV school district. your ignorance is astounding. (1) you assume that people who don't speak English are always poor, which is not always true, and (2) you assume that it is prohibitively expensive to live in an area that feeds into BV schools, which is also not always true. there is more out there than Lionsgate or whatever.

furthermore, this program is merely being expanded so teachers can give these students more of their time. why? to comply with W's No Child Left Behind Act, which requires schools to do whatever it takes to meet the standards set by the state. the NCLB Act requires "proficiency" in state tests for "ALL" students, including those that don't speak English. so this program is merely compliance with a Republican mandate.

once again you choose to open your ignorant mouth to verify to all of us, once again, that not only are you racist, but classist AND ill-informed. what a combination!

missingkc · Post by **missingkc** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 12:15 pm

I tend to agree with Anthony's assertion. These sorts of moves are being taken by school districts here in NC, also. The driving force is the No Child Left Behind act that tracks progress by racial and ethnic membership. It requires that progress be shown by each racial and ethnic group in a school. Basically it says, among other things, that if you have one hispanic student in your school, that student must make progress. If the kid happens to be a slacker, you're sunk. But, get all the kids from the problem groups into one school, and your chances of achieving the mark for those kids improves and the "good" schools get good reports across the board. And Pittsburgh, since the NCLB was George's baby, that makes it a right wing initiative.

Maitre D · Post by **Maitre D** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 12:27 pm

Liar. Ted Kennedy "sired" the NCLB act. Look it up, buddy.

(So much for me being the ill-informed one here)

Maitre D · Post by **Maitre D** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 12:28 pm

chrizow wrote:christ, PA, did you even read the article?

for one thing, this program helps two hundred students who live in the district. obviously these students' families can "afford" to live in the BV school district. your ignorance is astounding. (1) you assume that people who don't speak English are always poor, which is not always true, and (2) you assume that it is prohibitively expensive to live in an area that feeds into BV schools, which is also not always true. there is more out there than Lionsgate or whatever.

furthermore, this program is merely being expanded so teachers can give these students more of their time. why? to comply with W's No Child Left Behind Act, which requires schools to do whatever it takes to meet the standards set by the state. the NCLB Act requires "proficiency" in state tests for "ALL" students, including those that don't speak English. so this program is merely compliance with a Republican mandate.

once again you choose to open your ignorant mouth to verify to all of us, once again, that not only are you racist, but classist AND ill-informed. what a combination!

You are funny.

Brooksider · Post by **Brooksider** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 12:30 pm

I don't know of a school district that doesn't group all of it's English as a second language students together in 1 or a few schools. It makes total sense from a monetary standpoint. These students cost more to educate than English speaking students and schools can't afford to offer these services in every single school or classroom. These kids have different educational needs than the rest of the district population and putting them in separate schools is no different than putting gifted or at risk kids in a separate environment.

Post by **chrizow** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 12:33 pm

heh, Kennedy had a significant hand in it, but if you think the NCLB Act as it exists and is implemented is a liberal creation, you are mistaken.

i also think it is pretty funny that you seized upon my "ill-informed" jab and not the classist/racist ones. heheh. typical.

anyway, back on topic, i don't really see a problem with "consolidating" the ESL students to specific buildings if it means they will get more attention and instruction from the ESOL instructors. the goal is to get these kids up to speed and then cease the special instruction and fully integrate them into the regular classrooms. seems like a good idea to me. and if it means that those schools "pass" the NCLB mandates for "improvement," so be it. the schools are just following the mandate. the NCLB Act is largely BS anyway, but i cant fault the schools for trying to meet it so they can get their hands on the 7% of funding that comes from the Fed.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 12:36 pm

I'm going to lunch, then I'd expect this thread to be closed, wouldn't you???

Post by **chrizow** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 12:37 pm

i think it's a legit thread...at least until PA comes in with mindless jabs at the nefarious "Left."

i think it is pertinent to "General Kansas City" how ESL students are treated in its schools.

nomadcowatbk · Post by **nomadcowatbk** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 3:18 pm

pittsburghparoyal wrote:Why are these people in Blue Valley anyway? Seriously: non english speakers don't make any money, ergo cannot afford Blue Valley to begin with.

they need servants, lawn mowers, and gardeners there

ComandanteCero · Post by **ComandanteCero** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 3:27 pm

ok, the title of this thread, and the inital post is totally inflammatory and misleading (even though pitt does a good job of confirming it

)

i don't see anything racist about this. It says once the students dont need any more help they'll return to their own school. With regards to grades....uh, it's all in the blue valley district, there is no poor part of bv that can be targeted (which is the rather poorly thought assumption behind saying "oh gosh they're just trying to isolate the minority kids so only one school will seem bad....", lol, screw you dood, thats a racist assumption right there saying that the minority kids are going to automatically have low test scores. Obviously it would be nice if all the kids could stay in their own school, but if they'll get better attention (and thus hopefully get through the ESOL program quicker) then they should go for it.

Anywho, i agree with KCP, this thread is based on exagerations and poorly thought ouf assumptions to really lead to any thoughtful or useful discussion of ESOL programs in the KC region's schools.

phxcat · Post by **phxcat** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 5:48 pm

Anthony, there is you are reading too much into this. There is nothing racist about it. For one thing, when we hear about ESL, we assume that we are talking about Mexicans- but the majority in BV are probably Asians, and a large number are probably white. Even at my school in AZ, which is 43% Hispanic, a large number of the ESL students are from Africa or Eastern Europe.

I am surprised that BV wasn't already doing this. I am sure that Blue Springs, Lees Summit, and the other Missouri suburbs do the same thing. I know that Shawnee Mission and Olathe did (They may still in the elementaries- but the high schools are mostly large enough to each have their own programs.) Ell costs money- and ELL teachers are not a dime a dozen. And, as was mentioned above, most districts do the same thing with severe and profound disabilities. It only makes sense from a money standpoint.

The goal of ELL is to get the kids to learn English as quickly as possible and to get them into the regular classroom- they will not stay in one place long enough to be segregated.

Maitre D · Post by **Maitre D** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 7:54 pm

chrizow wrote:heh, Kennedy had a significant hand in it, but if you think the NCLB Act as it exists and is implemented is a liberal creation, you are mistaken.

But NOTHIN'.

You claimed it was "W's No Child Left Behind Act" and " a Republican mandate."

Stop spreading lies & misprepresentations and then covering your ass when called out.

phxcat · Post by **phxcat** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 8:16 pm

George W and the Republicans sure do try to take credit for it! (Why, I have no idea

)

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