Oregon school principal says Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwiches are RACIST

[pwaldo]

http://portlandtribune.com/pt/9-news...rum-for-equity

Verenice Gutierrez picks up on the subtle language of racism every day.

Take the peanut butter sandwich, a seemingly innocent example a teacher used in a lesson last school year.

“What about Somali or Hispanic students, who might not eat sandwiches?” says Gutierrez, principal at Harvey Scott K-8 School, a diverse school of 500 students in Northeast Portland’s Cully neighborhood.

“Another way would be to say: ‘Americans eat peanut butter and jelly, do you have anything like that?’ Let them tell you. Maybe they eat torta. Or pita.”

Guitierrez, along with all of Portland Public Schools’ principals, will start the new school year off this week by drilling in on the language of “Courageous Conversations,” the district-wide equity training being implemented in every building in phases during the past few years.

Through intensive staff trainings, frequent staff meetings, classroom observations and other initiatives, the premise is that if educators can understand their own “white privilege,” then they can change their teaching practices to boost minority students’ performance.

Last Wednesday, the first day of the school year for staff, for example, the first item of business for teachers at Scott School was to have a Courageous Conversation — to examine a news article and discuss the “white privilege” it conveys.

Most of the staff are on board, but there is some opposition to a drum class being offered to middle school boys of color at Scott School.

Fifty percent of the students at Scott are Hispanic; another 15 percent are black and 9 percent are Asian. Eighty-five percent are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.

Chuck Barber, who also offers boys’ drum corps at Vernon and Faubion schools in Northeast Portland, approached Gutierrez last year to start up a lunch-time drum class for black and Latino boys once a week. This year, it’ll expand to two classes a week, to accommodate new boys as well as those with experience.

At least one parent has a problem with the the class, saying it amounts to “blatant discrimination and equity of women, Asians, whites and Native Americans.”

“This ‘club’ was approved by the administration, and any girls who complained were brushed off and it was not addressed,” the parent wrote anonymously.

Gutierrez denies that any students were turned away from the drum corps, and vehemently rejects any suggestion that it is discrimination to offer a club catering to minority boys.

“When white people do it, it is not a problem, but if it’s for kids of color, then it’s a problem?” says Gutierrez, 40, an El Paso, Texas, native whose parents were Mexican immigrants. “Break it down for me. That’s your white privilege, and your whiteness.”

[gsj68]

That's Portland for ya,when they say keep Portland weird,they mean it

This story is wrong in every way,if that's her in the pic her skin is way to light to be Mexican/Aztec so I bet she is an Spaniard trying to push her breeds sins off onto the myth of the evil white man

[Star_Cards]

this is idiotic.

[centrehice]

That's Portland for ya,when they say keep Portland weird,they mean it

This story is wrong in every way,if that's her in the pic her skin is way to light to be Mexican/Aztec so I bet she is an Spaniard trying to push her breeds sins off onto the myth of the evil white man

Aztec? You're a little North for Aztec.

[Jazzer540]

Really?!? It's like people continue to "add" to the fire of racism by picking up any "brush" they can find and shout Racism. You can usually tell people by who is racist, but when you are stretching it this far... you are basically pointing fingers at people telling them they are racist without them doing anything

[gsj68]

Aztec? You're a little North for Aztec.

Aztecs are southern u.s.a and mexico,mayans are southern mexico and into south America


but if she is a spainiard and knows it she might be trying to cover up stuff like this

European slave trade by destination

Brazil: 4,000,000 35.4%
Spanish Empire: 2,500,000 22.1%
British West Indies: 2,000,000 17.7%
French West Indies: 1,600,00 14.1%
British North America: 500,000 4.4%
Dutch West Indies: 500,000 4.4%
Danish West Indies: 28,000 0.2%
Europe: 200,000 1.8%
Total 1500-1900: 11,328,000 100.0% Source: "The Slave Trade", Hugh Thomas, 1997

[shrewsbury]

educators can understand their own “white privilege,”

who the heck are these "whites"? the rich whites? politicians who are white? who?

I have never met a white who had privileges because they were white. I have never had anything handed to me because I am white. In fact the only thing my skin color has gotten me was an attempted assault.

[sanfran22]

who the heck are these "whites"? the rich whites? politicians who are white? who?

I have never met a white who had privileges because they were white. I have never had anything handed to me because I am white. In fact the only thing my skin color has gotten me was an attempted assault.

Cue "you were born white therefore into privilege" in 3...2....