Integration

Sadly today was the last official day before we begin our long trek back home. We went to visit Little Rock Central High School and the Little Rock Central High museum center.  At the museum center I came across the following quote. 

"So as long as the Negroes fight an uncompromising fight for total integration, we of the white race must fight a like fight for total segregation. 

We cannot compromise."

This quote really struck me and grabbed my attention. I know that the reason why blacks were looked down on and treated unequally was because of the color of their skin, but it really made me think why? What is so bad about the color of my skin that people would want to go through such great lengths and expend so much time and energy just to bring me down and to make sure I cannot be seen as equal. It really made me think about how much hate someone has to have for you in order to be willing to go through all that just so that you can't vote. Just to make sure your child doesn't sit in the same class as theirs. Just to make sure you can't drink from the same water fountain or use the same bathrooms. Even just so you can buy a soda from the same vending machine. I could make sense of why someone would have so much hate for me and it made me cringe. What did I ever do? I never hurt anyone or bothered anyone. 

What's wrong with my skin? Why do people hate it?

Jelani Robinson

12^th grade, The Park School

The role of a school

What is the role of a good school?

I think that there is no one role of any school, let alone a good one. Schools are takes with one of the most difficult jobs--also most crucial jobs--in existence. A good school and a bad school should play the same roles in their students lives, the difference exists in the effectiveness with which they fulfill their roles and complete their goals.

Firstly, the primary role of a school is not necessarily to teach, but to lead its students to information that they can use in facilitated conversations to broaden the students' understanding and perception of the information they have found. And maybe not teaching was the wrong thing to say, because context for the conversations on the greater topics are necessary; I'd never quite appreciate James Baldwin if I didn't understand his syntax and vocabulary.

Secondly, schools are a place for children to better understand and more fluidly discover themselves. To fully realize that goal, kids need to feel comfortable in their school and with their teachers. This also inherently means that some schools are good for certain individuals and less fitting for others, because there is no one mold to fit all kids into it.

In this way integration comes into play. Was Central a good school for the Little Rock 9? Some may say yes, but in my opinion there were better institutions that could have fit them more effectively. To go to school in such a hostile learning environment and expect to absorb information and make yourself vulnerable enough to speak and involve yourself in a class discussion that, in many cases, you were not welcome is not, to me, conducive to learning.

So the role of any good school is to create a comfortable and stable learning environment for children to explore their interests with guidance from teaches who can act as moderators and clarifiers in class discussion that students have the opportunity to control. But with this, there are caveats to each school because, again, all children are different learners, making for unique, effective school environments for each.

Kyle Tildon

12^th grade, The Park School

The best night

Remembering history. We started off our day at the place that started the civil right movement in Money, Mississippi. Money, Mississippi is were a 14 year old name Emmett Till was killed. Once we arrived in Money Mississippi it was a very quiet and it look just like a zombie town. It was like the left over of a once vibrant city. Our while purpose of this to Money, Mississippi was to visit the store that Emmett Till went to. When we arrived to the site there wasn't much to see. Trees and weeds consumed the store if it wasn't for the sign that was outside of it I would have thought that it was just old building. Seeing this site was very sad and heart breaking. It was sad and heart breaking to see a historical place like this was to not even to protect from the outside elements. But then next door there was a house and gas station in perfect condition. Seeing these two places made me wonder why one was better then the other? What does that tell about the community? I came to the conclusion that this part of history is something that the community didn't want to have the same reminder of this low part of history. After, leaving this sad place we went to a more up beat place. We want to Simmons high school. Compared to Cristo Rey high school this school is bigger but is not up to date. When I walked into the school is was somewhat dirty. I began to observe the lobby there were cameras everywhere. Also, in the lobby along with their awards and trophies there were posters that were talking about pregnancy prevention. After seeing these things I had all these preconceived ideas that the students most be horrible and ratchet, but when I walked and into the the library to greet the students they were just like us kind and nice. After greeting the students we took a tour of the school. All along the the walls were picture of graduating classes before. Every classroom door had been decorated and had a quote on each one. And it just wasn't a high but a middle class too. Two of my tour guides told me that there mother works at the school. When they said this it made me think that their school community is just like a big extended family and that's how they act towards everyone. We bonded with the students there we taught them dance and words that we use too. This part of the day thus far was the best. Later that day we arrived in Memphis, Tennessee. Once we was there we went to the Lorraine motel museum. Here I learned more about the Martin Luther King Jr. in his life and more of what he did in the civil rights movement. Also in the museum it also tells about other activist like Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, etc. Across from the museum was another museum that how's into detail about MLK killer. I found out a lot of things about the shooter, James Earl Ray. We ended the night on Beale St. When we first arrived there the street with melodies of blues. It was full of bright lights that you could see from a mile away. As I was walking down the street I didn't know which way to look because of the shows and different places. I really enjoyed myself with my new friends. This was one of the best nights.

Amber Smiley

12^th grade, Cristo Rey

"Dare to object injustice"

“Dare to object to injustice” Gloria Ray Kalmark

We've visited many schools lately and some questions came up about what a good school is, what the role is, and what does equal education look like. In my opinion, a good school is a school with well-working supplies such as desk, textbooks, chairs, etc. A good school also has dedicated teachers that educate and encourage students to achieve their life goals. The role of a good school is to educate students And help them understand the true meaning behind the things they're learning. Also to help them achieve life goals and maybe even everyday obstacles. And most importantly equal education is a crucial fact in racial equality. The quality of education can potentially change a student's future, let alone their vocabulary. Equal education means ALL RACES are given the same motivational teachers, quality supplies and freedoms. Nothing should be separated because of physical appearance.

Mariah McKiver

10^th grade, City Neighbors

Misrepresentation

What is a good school they ask? In my opinion, I think a "good school" does not exist. If it involves a place in where equal educational opportunities are available to everyone, I believe it is simply fulfilling its job as a school. Visiting Little Rock Central High School today and watching the HBO Special on the school 50 years later was eye-opening. Seeing these allowed me to make the inference that a good school is just an overused term that causes school to lose its purpose: teaching people how to learn. With everyone trying to live up to the idea of a "good school," the meaning of why education is vital gets misinterpreted. I think education is important because it gives young adults like me the opportunity to discover themselves, whether it be socially or religiously.

Little Rock Central High School today is very diverse when it comes to the student body. However, when the type of class comes into play, the lack of integration is seen. Whites dominate the AP Program, while the basic classes are filled with black students. This school is an example of a school that has not yet reached equal educational opportunities. Although this school is mixed with all races, it is still segregated. In the HBO Special you can see the students sitting with their own race, as opposed to eating with people that do not look like them. Also, the black students tend to come from more difficult backgrounds than the white students do, which divides the school even more. Finding this information out added a profound impact to my way of thinking. By this I mean, I was able to realize that with Little Rock Central High School, the concept of a good school is invalid.

Ariel Keene

12^th grade, City College