James C Collier, author of “The Myth of Acting White” wrote the following on Bill Cosby’s criticism of Parents and Teachers
In general, I am totally in support of the attention and concern Dr. Cosby brings to the plight of Blacks. Notions of self-responsibility and initiative have been far too absent from the discussions of the group’s plight.
However, as I read the latest version of Cosby’s on-going challenge to Blacks, a few additional thoughts came to mind. The title of the forum where he delivered his latest remarks was Education is a Civil Right. While this statement is certainly true, it distracts and hides the greater truth, taken from George Bernard Shaw, that what we want is a child in pursuit of education, rather than education in pursuit of the child.
To cast education as a civil right, in these days, is to wrongly place its benefit and impact in the context of the 1960’s, when Blacks were barred, by race, from entering certain school buildings. This is not the problem of the day. Rather it is that Black kids enter K-12 buildings under-prepared and motivated to ’seize the day’ (Carpe Diem), of their future.
The other comment of Dr. Cosby that struck me was the admonishment that teachers must prove relevancy of the subject matter to children, less the young ones use this as a reason to reject it out-of-hand. If ignorance is the void from the wake of education gone missing, then the ignorant mind can only comprehend nothingness, as it lacks the very tools of knowledge to do otherwise. Taken another way, much of what we learn in school only becomes relevant and applicable, well after our first opportunity to ignore it.
The reason for pursuing education can never compete with instant gratification appetites of children, but rather becoming educated, as taught by parents, must say something important about us, to ourselves and the world, that cannot be said another way.
Seems to me that casting education as a Civil Right would make some parents think (as many do currently) that all of the weight is on the teachers. I know that this was not the message they want to give, but I don’t like this wording either. Parents must work overtime to instill a good work ethic into their children. The entire Black American culture must change.
Filed under: Children's Issues
I think Bill Cosby is grasping at straws when it comes to identifying with the Black community. He has always felt strongly about education and instilled this in his children at an early age. Even looking at the wikipedia entry for Cosby shows how he continued to pursue academic achievements in the “Honors” section of his biography.
Since Cosby doesn’t have the same background of a single Black parent raising children he can’t bridge the gap in their immediate circumstances and the lack of emphasis on education, generally speaking.
I can’t imagine the frustration a Black person feels when he /she beat the odds, broke out of a high risk neighborhood to stay in school and receive a degree in graduate studies — only to hear how Black kids aren’t given a fair shake by the educational infrastructure in the United States. Academic success comes with sustained effort and perseverance over many years.
People pursue what is the most important to them — that which they believe will return the highest reward for their effort. For the Asian community and the white upper-middle class Americans and Europeans this has always been education. It is just part of their culture.
Yeah, his point was taken but it needs to be reworded. Kids now adays don’t know or care about theircivil rights or the struggle our parents and grandparents went thru to attain them. The problem now is that they lack motivation due to no good educated role models. Athletes, entertainers, and drug dealers have replaced, “The First Black Doctor”, “The first Black Lawyer”, “The Nobel Prize Winner”, etc. These things are now in the history books that they do not read, so they are out of touch with their potential. Allahu Musta’aan.
Great blog post. Though Cosby’s approach may be one-sided, he is offering solutions and assisting those who attend his town hall meetings get the help and tools that they need. One thing I think we all can agree on, that we as a people, especially those of us who are well informed and educated, need to give back in a big way.
I think Cosby, like his rhetoric or not, is expressing his frustration at the same things that are frustrating many of us. I applaud (and certainly can relate to) his use of verbal shock treatment as a way to get people to at least look at and acknowledge the problems. Cosby ain’t concerned about sounding political or (ahem) pretentious. He’s just expressing his passionate feelings..in the raw. That is what is refreshing as opposed to the same old safe and predictable dreck from Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Mushrik Louie, and the rest.
My name is Rashad…and Verily, I approved this message.
My name is Rashad…and Verily, I approved this message.
lol
Nice post. I haven’t seen that thought from G.B. Shaw before. I think it’s worth keeping. Do you know the source?