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[Dalek]

This Mostly White City Wants To Leave Its Mostly Black School District

DeVonte Kirkland is in his second to last year of school at Center Point High in Jefferson County, just outside of Birmingham, Ala. When he graduates next year he wants to head to Alabama State University.

DeVonte also wants a car, so he's taking some serious time to learn how to work on them. Every day, he rides a school bus 25 minutes, each direction, for an auto tech class at Gardendale High, another school on the south side of the district.

Unlike the Jefferson County schools on whole, the student body inside Gardendale's schools is mostly white. At Gardendale, DeVonte says, he's making friends, many of whom don't look like him. "Sometimes we see each other out of school, and we talk in school too. I'm learning something new from them every day," he says.

Next year, though, Gardendale's programs might not be an option for DeVonte and hundreds of other students from around Jefferson County.

Several years ago, voters in the city of Gardendale raised property taxes on themselves to try to start their own school district. The mayor of the city, Stan Hogeland, says the proposal to leave the county school system doesn't have anything to do with race, but calls it a move to do what's best for the kids in the city. "If we had our school system, with a local superintendent, and a local board that lives in town that you see when you go shopping or at church," there would be more accountability, he says.

The final decision, though, is up to a federal judge who could decide, any day now, whether Gardendale is violating civil rights if it pulls out of the Jefferson County school district.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that separate is not equal, some 60 years ago, federal courts have kept an eye on specific school districts across the country that showed a tendency toward segregation. One of those districts is Jefferson County.

The oversight dates back to 1971 when several African-American residents sued the district for segregating black and white children, and won. Since then, the federal courts have had the final say on any movement in or out of the district.

"Nobody has ever said anything to me about the real reason why they want to form their own system," says Craig Pouncey, superintendent of the schools in Jefferson County.

If Gardendale splinters off, he says, it'll disrupt the larger district's efforts to desegregate. "Diversity actually builds strength, in my opinion. Because it opens people's minds. Now, I've seen where our schools, particularly in the last two years, have really thrived on that diversity."

 

[McDougles]

Samantha Bee approved!

 

[platakul]

Samantha Bee approved!

Lmao you beat me to it.

Anyway don't these people know charter schools are how you avoid desegregation

 

[Angelus Errare]

I'm sure it has nothing to do with racism wink wink

 

[cdyhybrid]

I'm sure it has nothing to do with racism wink wink

Educational anxiety?

 

[Angelus Errare]

Educational anxiety?

Makes sense have you seen our PISA ranking? These Americans just want their kids to have the best education and mingle with their own kind.

 

[Infinite]

Samantha Bee approved!

Damn son lol

 

[Litan]

It's never about race. Even when it's obviously about race.

 

[Palette Swap]

The mayor of the city, Stan Hogeland, says the proposal to leave the county school system doesn't have anything to do with race, but calls it a move to do what's best for the kids in the city.

That good old line, and that bold new world, where racism doesn't exist as long as you're not hanging people.

 

[Zaph]

Several years ago, voters in the city of Gardendale raised property taxes on themselves to try to start their own school district.

Only time Americans are happy to raise taxes - to fuck over black people.

Same shit with Trump voters cheering the destruction of Obamacare, they think it's just gonna stop healthcare going to people who ain't them.

 

[Protein]

The mayor of the city, Stan Hogeland, says the proposal to leave the county school system doesn't have anything to do with race, but calls it a move to do what's best for the kids in the city.

When you have to state that it's not about race.

Several years ago, voters in the city of Gardendale raised property taxes on themselves to try to start their own school district.

They finally discovered a way to get white people to agree to raising their taxes. Conservative states will sacrifice their firstborns if it means cutting their taxes and hurting "them lazy, good-for-nothing browns 'n' blacks", but the moment too many brown and black people are near, they raise taxes until the land beneath them breaks off and floats away reminiscent of the Bugs Bunny-Florida.gif.

 

[Valkerionseven]

It would seriously be easier for these people to just say "yeah we don't like black folk" and stop embarrassing themselves with these nonsense statements. Ridiculous this is still going on.

 

[Barzul]

Could see a case like this going all the way to the Supreme Court if the federal judge does not do the right thing

 

[TSM]

Reading this and a couple other articles this seems more like it's instigated far more by money than by racial animus, not that money and race aren't implicitly related. Another article said that six other prosperous towns have already been allowed to splinter off from the same school district. Six other wealthy towns have been allowed to pull their portion of the funding out of the district their kids are in. I can only imagine this seems like self defense to the town locals.

 

[Kusagari]

That LBJ quote has never been truer than right now. They really will empty out their pockets.

 

[Hephaestus]

I`m assuming they still pay regular taxes so wouldn't the schools experiencing "white flight"
actually have more money per student, smaller classes, less crowded schools?

As long as the community still has to pay regular taxes that funds the other schools. Whats the problem?

 

[bootsthecat]

To be clear...they don't want to build a new high school, they just want to leave the school district? The raise in taxes is to pay for a new school board/superintendent?

 

[LProtag]

Schools should not be funded by property taxes, but should all be funded equally.

The biggest problem with our school systems is economic inequality. This leads to de facto segregation.

 

[Kill3r7]

To be clear...they don't want to build a new high school, they just want to leave the school district? The raise in taxes is to pay for a new school board/superintendent?

You don't need a new school board/superintendent without a school to oversee. Kind of a chicken or egg paradox.

 

[Guevara]

A heartwarming story of a community voluntarily raising taxes to support public education.

 

[PopeReal]

Cowards never say it's about race.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

or at church

why am I not surprised. If there's one thing I'll really never understand about the US is how can you still be so religious. Heck I get into fights over religion with my mom on a regular basis but even she ain't practicing it.

Going to church for a religion, I actually love churches in a historical and cultural context, is the most tedious activity I've sat through in my life repeatedly.

 

[Back-In-Black]

That LBJ quote has never been truer than right now. They really will empty out their pockets.

.

 

[Manmademan]

To be clear...they don't want to build a new high school, they just want to leave the school district? The raise in taxes is to pay for a new school board/superintendent?

schools are usually funded with local taxes. right now their schools are funded with money from the entire county, not just them.

if they leave to form their own district, they will be funding all school expenses themselves 100%, in addition to the costs incurred from hiring a new superintendent and administration to oversee it.

 

[AlexFlame116]

why am I not surprised. If there's one thing I'll really never understand about the US is how can you still be so religious. Heck I get into fights over religion with my mom on a regular basis but even she ain't practicing it.

Going to church for a religion, I actually love churches in a historical and cultural context, is the most tedious activity I've sat through in my life repeatedly.

Hey just cause you don't like it doesn't mean that it's important to others.

Unfortunately some people use religion (even more when they don't believe in it or practice it) as an excuse to do something terrible.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

Hey just cause you don't like it doesn't mean that it's important to others.

Unfortunately some people use religion (even more when they don't believe in it or practice it) as an excuse to do something terrible.

It's not about that, I get religion. I don't care for it but I don't begrudge anyone for believing. It's the rituals around it and the perceived role of it in society that make me dislike the organizations.
The arguments mentioned are never about whether it's dumb or anything to believe in god but usually when religion sneaks its way into matters it has no place in.

For instance when a politician is described as exceptionally faithful in the US as if that's a qualification.

 

[sssstententen]

Could see a case like this going all the way to the Supreme Court if the federal judge does not do the right thing

And under a Trump crafted SCOTUS would probably decide that the town is free to do whatever it wants.

 

[PastorOfMuppets]

They finally discovered a way to get white people to agree to raising their taxes. Conservative states will sacrifice their firstborns if it means cutting their taxes and hurting "them lazy, good-for-nothing browns 'n' blacks", but the moment too many brown and black people are near, they raise taxes until the land beneath them breaks off and floats away reminiscent of the Bugs Bunny-Florida.gif.

LOL. That stood out to me as well. Since the George W. Bush administration, I would always hear the absolute most astounding rationalizations from Republicans on why taxes should never be raised. What if we're running an expensive war for our national security? No taxes. What if raising property taxes by $42 would give us enough money to fund garbage collection and keep street lights on? No taxes (this was the city of Colorado Springs). What if it prevents your kids from going to school with black people? "It's everyone's patriotic duty to pay taxes!!!!"

 

[FriedConsole]

A good portion of these people are probably "progressives".

Schools should not be funded by property taxes, but should all be funded equally.

The biggest problem with our school systems is economic inequality. This leads to de facto segregation.

Yep. A Democrat proposing that would kill their career. Democrats just pushing no sacrifice social issues.

 

[Trojita]

Here's more for you to shake your head at

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2016/1220/Gardendale-Ala.-wants-its-own-schools.-A-return-to-segregation

“It’s keeping our tax dollars here with our kids rather than sharing them with kids all over Jefferson County,” Mayor Stan Hogeland told The Washington Post earlier this year

In March 2015, the newly formed Gardendale Board of Education sued the Jefferson County system to relinquish control of the schools within the city, including the $46 million Gardendale High School built in 2010, which includes a career and technical education center that serves the whole district. Later that month, Judge Haikala intervened, eventually leading Gardendale to challenge in August whether a federal court should even have oversight over Jefferson County schools anymore.

 

[zelas]

This American Life actually aired a similar two part episode that talked about this very issue happening in Normandy, MO (outside of the now infamous Ferguson, MO).

Anyone who thinks these people arent motivated by anything but racism needs to listen to this first episode at least. They played some audio from a meeting with parents of one school that was just disgusting. Episode 2 kind of touches on another instance where the Obama administration could have done more but didnt.

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/562/the-problem-we-all-live-with

Ira speaks with New York Times Magazine Reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones about her years reporting on education and the various kinds of school reforms administrators have tried to close the achievement gap that never seem to work. Nikole says there's one reform that people have pretty much given up on, despite a lot of evidence that it works – school integration.

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/563/the-problem-we-all-live-with-part-two

Chana Joffe-Walt talks to Kiana, who went to a school that was overwhelmingly black and Latino, but when some white students showed up one day on an exchange program, she went up to them eagerly. And since then, has embarked on a one-woman school integration program. Among other things, she wanted to see “white wasted.”

They're easy listens, I really hope people check them out, especially the first episode.

 

[Ogodei]

"Raye-sis-mm? Is that some kind of new religion? Give the people their school district."

-Roberts Court opinion on Gardendale v. Jefferson County Schools.

 

[leroidys]

Calling them racist hurts their feelings you guys, and hurt feelings are the last thing our country needs right now. Clearly they're just concerned about their school district being... you know, too urban.

 

[slit]

Let them splinter off and then have the state and county chip in to make it a little more integrated and take some of the burden off of the county. Surely, they won't have a problem with that, right? It's all about local control, right?

 

[Slayven]

They know what exactly what they are doing, that is why I say fuck the coddling bullshitl.

 

[devilhawk]

A brief search shows that splintering of a school district isn't that uncommon. Legally I doubt there is much to prevent it from happening. The one hangup is undoubtedly the original school district doesn't just want to give away a $46 million asset. I bet if the racists, I mean new school district, wanted to build their schools, the new district could be formed the next day.

 

[The Last Wizard]

Calling them racist hurts their feelings you guys, and hurt feelings are the last thing our country needs right now. Clearly they're just concerned about their school district being... you know, too urban.

But we can't get tot them by calling them racists, we should just try and understand them while explaining what's wrong.
/s

Why else are schools funded by districts than racism, shit is so blatant.