CUNY Schemes Around Civil Rights Law

February 5, 2008

At a recent Manhattan Institute forum, Ward Connerly, the fierce opponent of race and sex preferences by government (who’s leading a state-by-state referendum drive to abolish affirmative action) admitted how the Bush Administration has disgraced itself by endorsing racial and gender-conscious policies and practices. Connerly did not give examples, but one glaring illustration is President Bush’s Education Department’s failure to address racial and gender discrimination underway in public schools and higher education in the guise of helping black men through differential treatment and separate programming.

This latest rage in education takes the form of Black Male Initiatives, which usually include “special” classes, counseling, mentoring, tutoring, and, on some campuses, even separate residences for blacks and ethnic minorities. The U.S. Education Department simply won’t comment. I know because I asked Secretary Margaret Spellings to do so.

Discussion

Paige

September 3, 2011

Good luck.

Reply
wegrow

May 25, 2011

Maybe another subject…

Reply
Jay Hershenson

February 8, 2008

CUNY is indeed deeply proud of its Black Male Initiative (BMI), unanimously supported by the University’s Board of Trustees and The New York State Board of Regents in the approved Master Plan for higher education. The initiative was intended from the outset to be inclusive. The University will, of course, continue to fully cooperate with the Office of Civil Rights. We do, however, take issue with those who characterize the review in pejorative terms when in fact the scope of the probe remains unchanged. CUNY is confident that the BMI will be recognized for its serious work in fostering access to the benefits of education, including to those who are under-represented in higher education. Jay Hershenson, Senior Vice Chancellor for University Relations and Secretary of the Board of Trustees, The City University of New York

Reply
Robert Weissberg

February 6, 2008

This is a perfect job creation scheme since it will fail and then draw additional resources. Let me speculate a bit and assert that it is the feminization of “helping” black males (actually all males,black and white) that contributes to the problem. That is, as in K-12, it is assumed that what troubled black (and white)males need is greater therapeutic intervention–social workers, caring counselors and all else provided by the virtually all female helping profession.
In a culture that prizes masculinity, this is girly help and will only further boost alienation. I’m sure that every black male (any male, again) just loves to visit the nice social work lady and be told that he should be more aware of his feelings and that self-respect begins by acknowledging needs of others. And similar girlie talk. A few males might choose prison rather than be exposed to such crap. This is humiliation, if not punishment for being male,not help.
Let me suggest a more masculine model: contact sports or the military. Troubled males will be handed over to Marine drill instructors or demented football coaches and told that unless they shaped up they would get their **#@*% butts kicked, and that would be just the beginning. Malingers would have to wear pink hats with “Hello Kitty” emblems. And be taunted by those who do attend class,study and so on.
Those who complete the course would go out and drink beer and watch the “Shake Your Booty” contest, all for free.

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