Hunger Strike By New York Parent - Fights Public School Discriminatory Practices
After encountering discrimination and bias occuring at his son's public school (PS 87, Manhattan), New York parent, J. Curry, decided to honor the memory of John F Kennedy and Martin Luther King and help students around the country, by going on a hunger strike to showcase "modern day lynching". "I feel it is my obligation to ensure that every child has the mandated educational resources necessary to learn; and no child or parent should be punished for bringing cases of discrimination, bias, abuse to the school's attention. Yet to date, since I spoke out about such grievances, a teacher has vilified him in front of my son's class, he has been searched, I have been verbally attacked, and more. Thus as the world reflects on the life of Martin Luther King it is truly astonishing that in 2005, many poor and/or minority male students are still treated as 3rd class citizens in schools that we, the public, pay for with taxpayer money".
(PRWEB) January 20, 2005 -- With the exponentially increasing wave of public
school children that dropout, end up in prison, in College remedial classes,
etc., one parent is taking a stand by going on a hunger strike. Mr. Curry
explained that there is obviously some responsibility on the shoulders of
parents and guardians. However, he stressed that school's have a fiduciary
responsibility and are mandated to educate all children. Yet many biased
educators try to blame a child's in-class academic weakness on
parents/guardians. "If we all all parents to be vilified, then we are falling
for a psychological trick which takes the responsibility away from the schools
and onto the parents. Parents/guardians are responsible for ensuring that the
school does its' job, and responsible for helping the child with homework etc.
while at home. But we must not let biased teachers ignore our children, then
either throw them into special ed, or blame the parents. When schools try that
trick I always tell them that if they gave concerned parents who want to home
school their kids, the money that our government is paying far too many biased
teachers to educate our children, then we'd all be better off."
J. Curry,
has had enough of the teacher's union holding children's rights hostage simply
to gain additional pay increases and rights for teachers. "Of course, there are
some awesome teachers around the country, thus this is not to negate their
efforts. But far too often school administrations, and the teacher's union allow
abuse, bias, discrimination to occur. This is no way for a world power to treat
young children. If I must set an example by going on a hunger strike, it is a
small consequence, compared to the big picture, decades of failing schools, and
the blood that MLK, JFK and other gave for the cause".
Although federal,
state and local laws and guidelines are often in place to challenge bias,
discrimination and abuse in public schools, many parents are afraid to step
forward for fear of being targeted for negative treatment. In New York City out
of approximately 70,0000 teachers, only about 10 a year are ever fired due to
the power of the teacher's union. Bad teachers, abusive and biased teachers are
simply ignored, given new assignments in the same school, or are transferred to
another school, where the administrators are not allowed to use their previous
history against them if administrators seek to fire them for similar negative
teaching tactics.
But many parents are afraid to speak out against the
monstrous school systems in their local towns and cities. One parent who spoke
out at a New York City school had his child taken away for 6 months, since there
were trumped up charges of neglect created to distract everyone from the real
issue. The father simply didn't get his child glasses so while he was fighting
the school on issues of racism, etc., a negative campaign against him was
started, and his child was taken away from the home. Many parents fed up with
the failing public school system are now "home schooling" their children. The
problem is, these parents don't get the same funding that the traditional public
schools would have received if their kids were enrolled, so "home schooling"
parents face the additional challenge of doing a good job without the same
levels of funding of public schools. When legislatures ensure that children
schooled at home receive the city, state and federal funds that were originally
meant to go to the public school system, everyone involved will benefit,
particularly the children that are schooled at home.
Mr. Curry states:
"If Martin Luther King, John F Kennedy and others died pursuing their beliefs,
why cant' more of us stand up and be counted as upholders of democracy, justice,
equity and human and child rights. Are people that afraid of retaliation that
they'd sell the hopes and dreams of the next generation, of our planet, our
future? Is ensuring that we all make a pay check more important than risking
that paycheck to protect our children. Prejudiced teachers with biased hearts
and non-diverse lesson plans can no longer ask for pay raises and additional
rights, via their union, while our children are being ignored, tainted, silenced
and discriminated against. If we can begin to force cameras into the hallways to
watch our children, why can't we use the same legal strategies to force cameras
into the classrooms, prisons and boardrooms to ensure that our great country's
laws are being abided by. I am all for the Teacher's Union fighting to ensure
that teachers are respected, and paid equitably. But when their contracts lead
to bad teachers being able to stay in schools, lesson plans containing systemic
biased language, and parents and kids having no voice, we must all express
serious concerns about such as academically stifling monopoly"!
Mr.
Curry's hunger strike ends on Monday January 24 at midnight. He is concerned
that not only are many children bbeign ignored, but many parents are vilified
for speaking out and targeted by school administrators, which intimidates other
parents from coming forward. "When the truth about America's public schools
(like PS 87 in Manhattan) comes out, the world will take note that our country
puts minority male students, poor students (of all ethnicities), disabled
students and outspoken students and parents on secret lists for punishment,
discipline and explusion. Freedom of speech is only free, when we all have it"
Mr. Curry said.
Concerned parents/guardians, students,
teachers/administrators, media, business or political leaders can learn more by
calling 212-330-8077 (24 hrs).
# # #
Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/1/prweb198944.htm