Lady L
02-13-2009, 01:38 PM
Nearly four years after New York State passed a law creating a commission to promote the teaching of black history in public schools, the commission has never met, and 5 of its 19 seats have yet to be filled. For many educators and parents, the Amistad Commission, named after a slave ship seized by its captives, has become a modern-day symbol of bureaucratic inertia.
“New York, a pivotal state in African-American history, has not taken the lead here and we’re languishing,” said Manning Marable, a Columbia University professor of history and public affairs who was the first member appointed to the Amistad Commission. “It’s not just for black people, it’s for everyone. You can’t teach the history of this country effectively without teaching the contributions and experiences of black people.”
The Amistad Commission was modeled after a similar state commission in New Jersey that was established by a 2002 law requiring state schools to make black history part of the required curriculum. At least five other states — Florida, Arkansas, Illinois, Colorado and Michigan — have also adopted legislation requiring or encouraging the teaching of black history in schools, often along with the experiences of other minority groups, according to the Education Commission of the States.
The “Amistad” name comes from a schooner that was carrying a cargo of African slaves who revolted and killed the captain and cook in 1839. The slaves were captured and charged with murder, but with the help of former President John Quincy Adams, won their freedom through a United States Supreme Court ruling and returned to their homeland. The slave revolt was the basis for a popular movie, “Amistad,” in 1997.
In New York, the Amistad Commission is charged with surveying school curriculums to find out how much is included about “the African slave trade and slavery in America” and to make recommendations for improvement. Currently, schools are required to cover slavery, including the Underground Railroad and the freedom trail, as part of instruction in human rights issues for grades 8 to 12, according to the state education officials.
“That’s kind of laughable,” said Dr. Marable, the Columbia professor, who has been developing a Web site on black history for educators and parents with $240,000 in grants from the Ford Foundation. The Web site, known as the Amistad Resource, will feature texts, documents, and film and audio clips of civil rights demonstrations and other events.
Assemblyman Keith L. Wright, who sponsored the law creating the Amistad Commission, said that far too many students still “think of slavery as a Southern institution that happened below the Mason-Dixon line.”
“I don’t think enough black history is taught,” he said. “It’s too bad that Black History Month is the shortest month of the year, but it is what it is.”
The Amistad Commission is to be led by Secretary of State Lorraine A. Cortés-Vázquez, with Education Commissioner Richard P. Mills as vice chairman, and will include the chancellor of the State University of New York. Of the remaining 16 members, who are not paid, eight are to be chosen by the governor and four each by the Assembly and the Senate.
As of last week, the Assembly still had not named two commissioners and Gov. David A. Paterson still had three to name, though a spokeswoman for the governor said the administration was vetting candidates.
Assemblyman Wright, a Democrat, said the commission had stalled because of preoccupation with budget problems and political squabbling among Albany leaders, particularly under the combative former governor, Eliot Spitzer. “The issue got sidetracked because of some of the trials and tribulations of Governor Spitzer’s administration, and hopefully we can get it back on track now,” he said.
Marissa Shorenstein, a spokeswoman for Governor Paterson, said he made the Amistad Commission a priority and appointed four members since taking office in March (Mr. Spitzer had previously named one). “The governor’s office has worked hard over the past several months to ensure that we find the best possible candidates within the guidelines of the statute, which calls for broad geographical representation and ethnic diversity among the commission’s members,” she said.
Joel Barkin, a spokesman for the Department of State, said that he expected the commission to hold its first meeting within a month. “It’s taken time to fill the appointments, and we haven’t had enough commission members to have what we thought would be a meaningful meeting,” he said.
Vivian E. Isom, who teaches a black history class at Roosevelt High School, a predominantly black school on Long Island, said the commission’s work was important because students need to learn more about their past. Her class covers topics from African life and the slave trade to modern-day hip-hop and gang culture.
“What gets me is how much students are expected to know about European history on the Regents exam when they ask only a few questions about African-American history,” she said. “But if it’s not been set up after four years, it makes me wonder how serious they are about it.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/education/12amistad.html?_r=1
“I don’t think enough black history is taught,” he said. “It’s too bad that Black History Month is the shortest month of the year, but it is what it is.”...:rolleyes:
This article kinda seems like to me that they want to whine and complain about not enough black history being taught and at the same time they are doing nothing to change it, they can't even get their commission together...:rolleyes:
“New York, a pivotal state in African-American history, has not taken the lead here and we’re languishing,” said Manning Marable, a Columbia University professor of history and public affairs who was the first member appointed to the Amistad Commission. “It’s not just for black people, it’s for everyone. You can’t teach the history of this country effectively without teaching the contributions and experiences of black people.”
The Amistad Commission was modeled after a similar state commission in New Jersey that was established by a 2002 law requiring state schools to make black history part of the required curriculum. At least five other states — Florida, Arkansas, Illinois, Colorado and Michigan — have also adopted legislation requiring or encouraging the teaching of black history in schools, often along with the experiences of other minority groups, according to the Education Commission of the States.
The “Amistad” name comes from a schooner that was carrying a cargo of African slaves who revolted and killed the captain and cook in 1839. The slaves were captured and charged with murder, but with the help of former President John Quincy Adams, won their freedom through a United States Supreme Court ruling and returned to their homeland. The slave revolt was the basis for a popular movie, “Amistad,” in 1997.
In New York, the Amistad Commission is charged with surveying school curriculums to find out how much is included about “the African slave trade and slavery in America” and to make recommendations for improvement. Currently, schools are required to cover slavery, including the Underground Railroad and the freedom trail, as part of instruction in human rights issues for grades 8 to 12, according to the state education officials.
“That’s kind of laughable,” said Dr. Marable, the Columbia professor, who has been developing a Web site on black history for educators and parents with $240,000 in grants from the Ford Foundation. The Web site, known as the Amistad Resource, will feature texts, documents, and film and audio clips of civil rights demonstrations and other events.
Assemblyman Keith L. Wright, who sponsored the law creating the Amistad Commission, said that far too many students still “think of slavery as a Southern institution that happened below the Mason-Dixon line.”
“I don’t think enough black history is taught,” he said. “It’s too bad that Black History Month is the shortest month of the year, but it is what it is.”
The Amistad Commission is to be led by Secretary of State Lorraine A. Cortés-Vázquez, with Education Commissioner Richard P. Mills as vice chairman, and will include the chancellor of the State University of New York. Of the remaining 16 members, who are not paid, eight are to be chosen by the governor and four each by the Assembly and the Senate.
As of last week, the Assembly still had not named two commissioners and Gov. David A. Paterson still had three to name, though a spokeswoman for the governor said the administration was vetting candidates.
Assemblyman Wright, a Democrat, said the commission had stalled because of preoccupation with budget problems and political squabbling among Albany leaders, particularly under the combative former governor, Eliot Spitzer. “The issue got sidetracked because of some of the trials and tribulations of Governor Spitzer’s administration, and hopefully we can get it back on track now,” he said.
Marissa Shorenstein, a spokeswoman for Governor Paterson, said he made the Amistad Commission a priority and appointed four members since taking office in March (Mr. Spitzer had previously named one). “The governor’s office has worked hard over the past several months to ensure that we find the best possible candidates within the guidelines of the statute, which calls for broad geographical representation and ethnic diversity among the commission’s members,” she said.
Joel Barkin, a spokesman for the Department of State, said that he expected the commission to hold its first meeting within a month. “It’s taken time to fill the appointments, and we haven’t had enough commission members to have what we thought would be a meaningful meeting,” he said.
Vivian E. Isom, who teaches a black history class at Roosevelt High School, a predominantly black school on Long Island, said the commission’s work was important because students need to learn more about their past. Her class covers topics from African life and the slave trade to modern-day hip-hop and gang culture.
“What gets me is how much students are expected to know about European history on the Regents exam when they ask only a few questions about African-American history,” she said. “But if it’s not been set up after four years, it makes me wonder how serious they are about it.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/education/12amistad.html?_r=1
“I don’t think enough black history is taught,” he said. “It’s too bad that Black History Month is the shortest month of the year, but it is what it is.”...:rolleyes:
This article kinda seems like to me that they want to whine and complain about not enough black history being taught and at the same time they are doing nothing to change it, they can't even get their commission together...:rolleyes: