Calif. School Apologizes For Black History Lunch Menu

[flopsy]

Still thinking about fried chicken, collard greens, black eyed peas, red beans and rice, grits, mmmmmmm

[Apple]

Feb 6, 2014 18:30:28 GMT -5 Sum Dum Gai said:

Black roll models need to be more than just musical artists and sports figures.

You've got to be fucking kidding me.  You know there are black doctors, inventors, philosophers, scientists, politicians, generals, writers, poets, astronauts, police officers, and every other damn thing too, right?

Of course there are!  But, we should pick the shortest month of the year and make it all about "Black history".  Then we'll make sure to take some time off (I love when dead presidents give me a day to sleep in), and then we'll need some kind of celebration in there to distract attention (VD party!).  Get it over as fast as possible, and do all those black guys at once so not a single one has the chance to really stand out for anyone (other than that guy who said "I have a dream", and the other guy who invented peanut butter--he was my favorite black history month guy, they talked about him for a few sentences, oh, and some chick sat in the front of a bus).

In no way should they just be part of the year-long history course, incorporated into "everyday history".  Because then they might be treated like regular people who did some pretty cool stuff that had long lasting effects.

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

Feb 6, 2014 17:15:39 GMT -5 Sum Dum Gai said:

I like fried chicken too, but their black history meal being fried chicken and watermelon was pretty stupid.  If they didn't realize beforehand that they were going to catch shit for that, they're way out of touch.

Why does a lunchroom menu have to celebrate Black History Month?

It was a stupid call on the school's part. They could have served that menu without slotting it into a special celebratory category, and nobody would have blinked an eye at their choice of that days servings.

[The Captain]

Feb 6, 2014 20:56:59 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Feb 6, 2014 19:10:04 GMT -5 The Captain said:

And here I thought you weren't racist.

Obviously the poor 'ol black folk are incapable of figuring this out for themselves, we needs da white people to spell it out for them...

Statements like yours above are far more indicative of what a misguided segment actually thinks another segment of the population is capable of, or based on your statement, incapable of.

Pfft. If Tenn is a racist, then I'm a KKK Grand Wizard.

He wants to make a worsening situation better, just like the rest of us. He just has different (extremely progressive) ideas about how to balance cultural integration and cultural identity.

I was only partially joking.  BUT - if you were to tell me that we needed a national women's month so that girls/women could figure out there are other role models besides swimsuit models and actresses I'd be highly insulted.  It really is (IMHO) an insult to any group's intelligence when you say you have to present role models to them because they can't figure it out for themselves.

If Tenn had said we as a nation should pay homage to the contributions of a segment which does not get enough recognition, that would be a very different message.  However, that was not the message given.

[Virgil Showlion]

Feb 7, 2014 7:52:08 GMT -5 The Captain said:

Feb 6, 2014 20:56:59 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Pfft. If Tenn is a racist, then I'm a KKK Grand Wizard.

He wants to make a worsening situation better, just like the rest of us. He just has different (extremely progressive) ideas about how to balance cultural integration and cultural identity.

I was only partially joking.  BUT - if you were to tell me that we needed a national women's month so that girls/women could figure out there are other role models besides swimsuit models and actresses I'd be highly insulted.  It really is (IMHO) an insult to any group's intelligence when you say you have to present role models to them because they can't figure it out for themselves.

If Tenn had said we as a nation should pay homage to the contributions of a segment which does not get enough recognition, that would be a very different message.  However, that was not the message given.

I've never had much use for the individuals society holds up as role models. That being said, I've heard more than a few hundred times in my lifetime that people--especially kids--need positive role models to look up to. It's not 'need' in the sense of an absolute requirement; more in the sense that kids are highly impressionable and every positive role model out there is one more opportunity for a children to set their sights on somebody worth emulating.

And let's face it: there are notably few (living) high-profile black American icons outside the fields of sports and entertainment.

Before you throw all kinds of names at me, let me be clear: we're talking about names that kids would come across in their everyday lives. On the TV, or in the news, or during conversation. Not individuals who'd need to be looked up in a history book or some institutional directory online for kids to know who they are.

Condoleezza Rice, Pres. Obama, and Sec. Holder immediately come to mind (whether or not any of them is a worthy role model is left as an exercise for the reader). Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby, Montel Williams all have positive messages and philanthropic pursuits worth emulating.

Mr. Sharpton, Mr. Jackson et al. technically qualify, although I see no good qualities in them besides ambition.

And that leaves... um... ehh...

Maybe you can hit us with a few more (say, ten) and prove us wrong.

[The Captain]

Umm, let's see:

Thurgood Marshall (Supreme Court Justice)
Dr. Martin Luther King (don't know how you could've forgotten this one)
General Colin Powell (again, you may not have been into American politics when he was inoffice, but man did he have a presence!)
Mae Jameson (First black femal astronaut)
Nichelle Nichols (who btw - influenced Mae Jameson to join NASA)
Regina Benjamin (former Surgeon General)
Harold Washington (former mayor of Chicago)
Alwin Lewis (former CFO of Sears, current CFO Potbelly)
Whoopie Goldberg (for her human rights activism)
George Washington Carver (Scientist)

With the exception of Regina,Alwin, Whoopie, Nichelle, and Mae these were all figures I studied at one point or another in school. 

I'm a huge fan of Whoopie for many reasons and have personally met Alwin (actually worked for him), Nichelle and Mae.

Ok I will admit some of the above may be considered history to the current crop of youth, but to you point we currently have two of the most powerful offices plus a Supreme Court Justice occupied by black Americans.

(BTW we are in agreement on Al and Jessie). 

Perhaps the even bigger question is why are blacks able to absolutely dominate (with IMHO good reason) certain areas of athletics and entertainment but don't have as strong a presence elsewhere?

[Apple]

And let's face it: there are notably few (living) high-profile black American icons outside the fields of sports and entertainment...we're talking about names that kids would come across in their everyday lives

And how many are there of white Americans outside the fields of sports and entertainment?  I'd have a hard time coming up with many people who aren't in a history book. 

The names I would have in my everyday life would be complete unknowns to 99.99% of the population, because they'd be friends, mentors, family members, people only recognized in my small little world.

I don't think anyone should be expected to carry the burden of being THE "role model", white, black, whatever.  There are some aspects of different people I admire, but they all have flaws. 

[Virgil Showlion]

Feb 7, 2014 14:08:59 GMT -5 The Captain said:

Umm, let's see:

Thurgood Marshall (Supreme Court Justice)

Died 20 years ago. I specifically asked for living role models that might appear in the news, on TV, or in conversation. Mr. Marshall is currently in none of those categories. He is a historical figure.

Dr. Martin Luther King (don't know how you could've forgotten this one)

A long-dead historical figure.

General Colin Powell (again, you may not have been into American politics when he was inoffice, but man did he have a presence!)

I'd forgotten about him. So: Gen. Powell is 1.

Mae Jameson (First black femal astronaut)

Not a living role model. Not a current newsmaker. Clearly in the category of "individuals who'd need to be looked up in a history book or some institutional directory online", which I specifically stated do not qualify (for the reason that this is precisely the kind of individual that kids would only be exposed to through a lesson in history).

Nichelle Nichols (who btw - influenced Mae Jameson to join NASA)

Entertainer.

Regina Benjamin (former Surgeon General)

Never once heard of her anywhere. But we'll say: Regina Benjamin is 2.

Harold Washington (former mayor of Chicago)

Long-deceased historical figure.

Alwin Lewis (former CFO of Sears, current CFO Potbelly)

Obscure personality with no notoriety and who would clearly "need to be looked up in a history book or some institutional directory online".

Whoopie Goldberg (for her human rights activism)

Entertainer. But since she has philanthropic pursuits, we'll say: Whoopie Goldberg is 3.

George Washington Carver (Scientist)

Long-deceased historical figure.

With the exception of Regina,Alwin, Whoopie, Nichelle, and Mae these were all figures I studied at one point or another in school. 

I'm a huge fan of Whoopie for many reasons and have personally met Alwin (actually worked for him), Nichelle and Mae.

Ok I will admit some of the above may be considered history to the current crop of youth, but to you point we currently have two of the most powerful offices plus a Supreme Court Justice occupied by black Americans.

We'll add S.C.J. Clarence Thomas as 4.

(BTW we are in agreement on Al and Jessie). 

Perhaps the even bigger question is why are blacks able to absolutely dominate (with IMHO good reason) certain areas of athletics and entertainment but don't have as strong a presence elsewhere?

You're making the case for teaching history here, captain.

7 of the 11 names you put up would remain totally unknown to kids if not for historical inquiry. And I daresay Ms. Benjamin's office is obscure enough that no kid would ever happen upon her name in everyday life, which would make it 8 out of 11.

You seem to be making the argument that "black history" isn't necessary since many of these names would naturally come up in a study of American history, and I agree with you. But that's not what we're debating here. We're debating whether or not living, high-profile black American role models are out there making headlines today.

And how many are there of white Americans outside the fields of sports and entertainment? I'd have a hard time coming up with many people who aren't in a history book.

I could rattle off 100 high-profile non-entertainers society calls "role models" in 10 minutes.

Bill Gates, Tim Cook, Mark Zuckerberg, Hillary and Bill Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, John Boehner, Jack Lew, Ben Bernanke, Janet Yellen, Karl Rove, John McCain, Antonin Scalia, Joe Arpaio, Donald Trump, Pres. Bush Jr., John Kerry, Sarah Palin, Billy Graham, Sandra Fluke, and on and on...

Now, you may ask: what prevents black kids from aspiring to be like any of these people? My answer would be: nothing. White kids can look up to black role models, and black kids can look up to white role models. But as I said to captain, the issue to address is specifically "living, high-profile black American role models are out there making headlines today" if you want to shoot down Tenn's "we need role models" argument.

[The Captain]

Feb 7, 2014 15:14:33 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Feb 7, 2014 14:08:59 GMT -5 The Captain said:

[The Captain]

Stupid PB.

Greaaat...thanks for making me feel my age.

[Virgil Showlion]

Feb 7, 2014 16:34:57 GMT -5 The Captain said:

Feb 7, 2014 15:14:33 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

I agree with you entirely.

[NancysSummerSip]

Feb 6, 2014 16:11:50 GMT -5 Peace Of Mind said:

Holy Crap!  I'm black!  I would love that for lunch. 

You are? Why on earth did I picture you as a hot blonde?

Never mind....when we meet up, we'll find some good fried chicken for dinner. I could eat it every day.

[Peace Of Mind]

Feb 7, 2014 16:46:35 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Feb 6, 2014 16:11:50 GMT -5 Peace Of Mind said:

Holy Crap!  I'm black!  I would love that for lunch. 

You are? Why on earth did I picture you as a hot blonde?

Never mind....when we meet up, we'll find some good fried chicken for dinner. I could eat it every day.

LOL!!  That's because my avatar is in a bikini. 
Me too!  Now I'm picturing you as delicious fried chicken!  <<licks Nancy>>  -drool-Sorry!

[NancysSummerSip]

I'm making fried chicken tenders tonight, actually. Funny this thread should come up. No watermelon or cornbread, though.

[EVT1]

Feb 6, 2014 19:10:04 GMT -5 The Captain said:

Feb 6, 2014 18:13:18 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Black roll models need to be more than just musical artists and sports figures.

And here I thought you weren't racist.

Obviously the poor 'ol black folk are incapable of figuring this out for themselves, we needs da white people to spell it out for them...

Statements like yours above are far more indicative of what a misguided segment actually thinks another segment of the population is capable of, or based on your statement, incapable of.

I think it's a little racist- well more like bad stereotyping to use terms like 'we needs da' when referring to black people.  Just no reason for it.