Xmas List

Avery’s Slightly Adjusted Christmas List

            Back from the Thanksgiving break, we are fully into the holiday season. It’s time to break out the wallets and pocketbooks for Christmas shopping. This list presents alternative items to the traditional requests of young children and adolescents. The alternative items may not seem as desirable but they instill good ideas. Following some of the issues discussed during the semester such as: image/presentation, role models, beauty perception, and violence. Choosing to go with a couple alternatives will not only enrich the Christmas experience, but it is very possibly a less costly options.

Jordan tennis shoes-$200------------------------------------>Ralph Lauren shirt and tie-$70

Lil Wayne, Kid Cudi, and Kanye West CDs-$55 ----------------------> Revelations-$55

Traditional Barbie-$18----------------------------->African or Black Label dolls-$12-$19

Paintball gun-$120---------------------------------------------->Basketball and Football-$52

Lottery Ticket DVD-$20------------------------>For Colored Girls Only or Invictus-$20

Totals: $413------------------------------------------------------------------------------------>$212

Letter

November 22, 2010

Dr. Terry B. Grier

Superintendent

Houston ISD

4400 West 18th Street


Houston, Texas 77092-8501

Dear Dr. Grier:

I was a student at HISD schools through my middle years. My experiences were at River Oaks Elementary and then at Pershing Middle School. I went to a private high school but I was able to observe public high schools. Many schools have neither adequate funding nor enough adequate teachers. I do not believe that programs aimed at improving faltering schools have accomplished the desired effect. There are systems in place that allow a struggling school’s administration to be taken over by an outside group. This approach undermines the employees that have put in their time.

There is no cookie-cutter method to running a school. No one knows how to deal with their student body better than the faculty that has dealt with them all along. An outside group will have an uphill to earn the respect of the students. Motivation of the students is the most important thing. Wholesale changes are a quick fix to long-term issues. The old adage about teaching a man to fish rather than giving him a fish applies. Groups with experience in turning around school can work with the administration in place and then leave them with a plan. This would also lessen the number of lost jobs in a down economy.

I greatly appreciate the time you took to read my input. Obviously I do not know the intricacies of the school system, or if my ideas are even possible to implement. Thank you again because a new the Superintendent of such a large school district is very busy.

Sincerely,

Avery Carmichael

Images

 When reading Split Image, the history of black images in mass media was made clearer to me. The media has always been by white people, so their portrayals are arbitrary. This arbitrary assigning of roles continues in today’s media. Movie roles are largely limited to a specific race, defined by the desired effect. With the exception of a few top actors, such as Denzel Washington and Will Smith, black men are most often cast in comedic roles. The present day consumer is also at fault for the constant buffoonery.  Moviemakers of all races cast black men as unemployed womanizers when a taste for whatever alcohol may be in the brown paper bag. We may be think it is an undeserved stereotype, but many of us also find Mike Epps to be hilarious. I believe that we must be able to laugh at ourselves and acknowledge that it is an exaggeration for our enjoyment.

Dates, Janette L. and William Barlow. “Split Image.” Revelations. Ed. Teresa M. Redd,  Carolyn E. Shuttlesworth. Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2010. 191-214. Print. 

Mass Incorrectness

On Wednesday in class we discussed the role of Ebonics in both the African-American, and the dominant culture. I understand that this dialect has words taken from other languages. These languages were crucial in the formation of the African-American culture. I do not believe that Ebonics should be used as an excuse to have poor grammar. The national language is English, not black English, and not white English. Regardless of race or ethnicity, students should be graded on their grasp of the language. I don’t think one race should make a cultural decision to use improper grammar. I do believe that language can be racist; when words convey a certain implication. But I disagree that the structure should have a race tied to it.