Does Mike Brown Teach at Your Child's School?

No?
He should be, and at AYA, he does!
Yes, I'm talkin' 'bout the same Michael Brown gunned down in Ferguson.
Stay with me.

Measuring Intelligence

 The real measure of intelligence is not a test score. It's not admittance to a prestigious association that tries to count your gray matter. It is simply and profoundly how well you can solve the problems you, your family, our people, and all people face (in that order).

Our community is beset by many problem, and any real school/education should both prepare and inspire us to solve them. In the news this week is police brutality and the military occupation of the Black community in the US. The latest national reminder is a white policeman killing an unarmed Black youth - Michael Brown.

Black community activist, organizers, and some reluctant politicians have had their say. Many of them denounce the killing of Mike Brown and the Black men killed every 28 hours by "security authorities." (Ghetto Storm)

Where Are The Educators?

Have educators become representatives for the system of oppression? Is your child's educator and advocate or an accomplice? Where are those who you entrusted to educate your child today? What's their position on this issue?

Are they making the connection between math-science-social studies-language arts and our stopping this brutality?

Do they even know how to use the current problems students face as motivators and vehicles for educational excellence?

Are they intentionally directing your child away from Mike Brown to something more pleasant or more acceptable like discussions about Robin Williams or the the NFL because they are not prepared or are fearful of their jobs? Protect their jobs - at our childens' expense?

Did they ask your child to "calm down?" Did they suggest that these racist attacks are justified or at least understandable because our youth are not dressing right, not obeying fast enough, not walking on the sidewalk, not talking right, blah, blah, blah?

Did they shift the burden to you - parents you must have "these "conversations with your child.

What conversations?

"Son, whenever ANY white person asks or demands anything of you, then do it, and do it politely with a hearty "yes, sir." Son, don't be silent, because that makes them nervous. Son, don't be loud because that "makes" them think you're violent." Wear only suits and ties, so they'll know you're not a thug." "Don't go to their homes for help after an accident." "Don't wave the police down for help."

John Henrik Clarke said that oppression teaches that "We're outside of God's grace."

Accomplice or Advocate?

Did the teacher use geometry to show them how better to prove their arguments against brutality, oppression and the conclusion that he was a suspect in a robbery, so the officer was justified?

Did they miss the opportunity to teach these glaring logical fallacies: "argument from omniscience" "argumentum ad ignorantiam," "confusion between "correlation and causation,""non sequitur,"  "observational selection," etc. 

Is the language arts teacher arts teacher using this as an opportunity for them to learn to better write speeches, essays, expository writing by using these as vehicles to express their disdain and/or fears?

Silly me, I forgot but they can't express anger right. They and you can feel it, but can't expresses it at school. they can't use it to fuel their research or work to solve their problems? Is your school a mini Furguson?

Did your school administrator, like your president, call for "calm and hope". Did they ask that your students wait for the American justice system to work it out. After-all, we have a Black President - the most powerful man in the world!

Did the History teacher place Big Mikes' life successes and his murder within the proper historical context of our RESISTANCE to White and White-sponsored violence against African people at the hands of the Klan or the police. State history, US history, International History, Economics  - doesn't matter - Mike Brown is there, we are there.

Ask your child's teacher are they even "allowed" to teach the truth about state-sponsored violence (physical and psychic) against African people. Ask them are they trained to or allowed to connect the subjects their teaching to our community's self-originating desires and aspirations. Go on, ask them.

Any hesitation? Do you know the answers already? Fearful to ask? What must your children feel about asking real questions in that setting?

Educators, are they advocates for our community, or  - in their silence - have they become unwitting accomplices?

Apathy and Alienation

Is it any wonder why our people are apathetic and alienated? We're carefully taught to be apathetic and disconnected under the guise of objectivity, rationality standardized educational excellence. Alienated to serve aliens!

Let's not forget the Mike Browns, Marissa Alexanders, Oscar Grants, Trayvon Martins. They provide yet another educational opportunity to help students excel academically while becoming better WARRIORS, HEALERS AND BUILDERS - educated and motivated to solve the problems that beset our community.

Surviving Without/Submitting

You don't have to wait until your school catches up. After all,
you are you child's first teacher, and you're always their learning director. Even in this climate, you can teach your child to be a responsible handler of power, to survive this brutality without submitting. We can help.



Attend AYA's FREE Wednesdays and Sundays @ 7 webinar and phone conference to learn more about how to do just that!

Enroll

You may also want to enroll yourself and/or your middle or high school student in AYA's full time, part time or weekend web-conference-based school from anywhere in the country. (www.ayaed.com)

Learn how to teach this way yourself - Enroll in our Following Ariminta (Harriet Tubman) weekend academy class. It's really a methods course. You'll learn how to have Mike Brown, Nat Turner, Fannie Lou Hamer and many others teach in your own formal or informal educational program.

Free webinar and phone conference on Wednesdays and Sundays @ 7pm  (www.anymeeting.com/ayateach)