23105: Nlbo: Creating an Educational Atmosphere... (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Nlbo@aol.com

The following was published in the July issue of the Boston Haitian Reporter
under the title

Creating and Sustaining  an Educationally Sound Environment in the Haitian
Community

Subtitle: Education Summit Needed Among Black Parents [and] Teachers

Bill Cosby’s speech on the 50th anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education
ruling stimulated  contentious editorials in both Black and white newspapers.
Some were uncomfortable by Cosby basically saying that African Americans have
not done enough to improve their children’s education and lives.  They were
critical of Cosby’s bringing Blacks’ “dirty laundry” to the public.  Others
praised  Cosby’s candidness and hope his comments will give a “wake up” call to
Black America.  Besides a Haitian Times commentary by Alessia Piervigili in
its June 9-15 issue, Haitian media  had minimal  coverage around Cosby’s
comments.

In addition to Cosby’s remarks,  friends and relatives asking me to babysit
their school age children and teenagers’ parents inquiring about employment
during the summer break prompt me to bring the following analysis on the
educational state of Haitian immigrants and question who is (are) to inform this
precarious community?  Written information on summer camps, schools, and jobs usuall
y begin in February and end by April or May15.

Last month in a New York Times (6-24) article,  Sara Rimer and Karen W.
Arenson reported that Africans and West Indians or the sons and daughters of these
immigrant groups constitute two thirds of Black students in Ivy League
institutions.  Though not explicitly stated,  Haitians are significantly represented
in those college campuses.  Mainstream newspapers and magazines had run
numerous articles on the unexpected educational achievement of Haitians. Western
sociologists and educators are always baffled by Haitians’ accomplishment because
of our economic, social, and political challenges.  It’s an enigma in this
culture to see that Black children of blue collar workers from the poorest
country in the hemisphere whose first language is not English,  attend college and
are represented in almost every prestigious institution in this country.  As
Haitian, we are proud of those who are creating another image besides “poor
boat people.”

Is pride enough? Are those“accomplished” Haitians giving their knowledge,
time and talents to the Haitian communities?  For instance, in Boston, how many
Haitians in the mainstream, corporate, political, or academic America are
engaged in the Haitian milieu?  Are they in the Haitian radios, in its churches,
in the agencies that provide services to the Haitian  population?

Traditionally both in the United States and in Haiti, the K-12 teachers are
usually men and women who grew up in the community, sometimes in the
neighborhood.  Those educators who attended  what used to be called “Normal”
(teacher-training) schools have come back to teach in the city or town that they grew up
in.  Some of them even teach in the same school they attended.  Because of
demographics, or moving to the suburbs or other states, some of these
traditional practices may not be present in inner cities.  However, one still can find
those teachers outside of the city.

As a perceived close-knit immigrant body, there is no reason why Haitian
teachers can not be involved in the community.  Moreover, radios and the internet
are medium that teachers and other professionals can use to give opinion and
share their wisdom to their people.  From dealing with radio hosts since their
inception in the l970’s, I can attest these aural medium are run exclusively
by  one person or preferred friends.  On the other hand, the internet is
available to anyone.  It’s a tool that teachers can easily access to maintain
collegiality and share their expertise with others.

Being involved in one’s civic community,  going to the libraries, purchasing
books, having a basic awareness of the arts, the museum, the physical and the
world environments,  acquiring, developing , and maintaining reading and
writing skills are utmost prerequisites to attend college in this country -
activities that many Haitians are not engaged in.  As first generation of Haitian
immigrants, we view Education as one of  our cultural values.  We work hard so
that our children attend college.  However, as I am observing the lack of
interest in the basic attitudes and behaviors that lead to higher institutions in
this country,  I am wondering if the third generation of Haitians will attend
universities, because the three institutions that have influence on the Haitian
community- media, church, and schools don’t have systemic educational programs
or vision for their Haitian audience, not alone children.  Most Haitians
don’t  show interest in the printing world, or in continuous learning.  Many
“leaders’ don’t inform their Haitian audience of conferences, books, lectures,
internet sites that would cultivate inquiry.   Once most of these leaders
themselves have a job, a house, a car, or get some "visibility," they stop learning.

 Haitians as a collective body  don’t invest in cultural enrichment
activities or in educating the children who are the future of the community.
Contrarily to previous immigrant groups who built schools as they were building the
churches that are now closing,  we Haitians and some other ethnic groups start
the churches, but don’t have any education related activities or even
informative bulletins for the parishioners,  not along building schools.   We depend on
others to provide after school, MCAS tutoring or summer  programs for our
children.  The printing world which  will help one understand this country or the
Western society is something most Haitians are oblivious to.

After close to five decades in the Boston area, Haitians don’t have a weekly
or monthly newspaper in French and/ or in Creole.  No Haitian entrepreneur can
venture in opening a bookstore.  Most Haitian community leaders, radio or TV
hosts don’t use the internet.  Those who do don’t provide any information or
insight, or anything one can learn from.

After two years of calling for a  conference to collectively address the
above issues, some 30 “stakeholders” (90% men) met last May.  However
representatives of the teachers and the faith communities who see Haitians on a
consistent basis were not present.

To begin addressing the lack of educational atmosphere and concern in the
Haitian community, Black parents and educational leaders would need to call an
Education summit as the Latinos did last October in Lawrence.  Elected officials
such as Councilor Felix Arroyo, Chuck Turner, and Charles Yancey express
support  for such endeavor.  I hope other legislators, policy makers and those who
are responsible for  Education, Arts, and Humanities at the state level would
realize the severity of the educational achievement among blacks and consider
providing financial and logistics support so that the idea of “Pan African
Education Summit”, followed by an on going “Pan African Education & Coalition
Task Force”  could materialize.

If the  achievement of all blacks in the Diaspora is not systematically
addressed, black women will soon join black men in prisons.  Blacks will continue
to be at a higher health risks, die faster, and more children will be raised
without parents.  Fifty years from now, the conditions of Blacks regardless of
their country of origin, will be more abhorrent in this rapidly technologically
oriented global society.   Another Bill Cosby will give the same address in
the 100th anniversary of that landmark desegregation measure.

Nekita Lamour