Walker argued that four principal factors were responsible for the poor situation of blacks in the nation: slavery;
The history of slavery continues to negatively effect African Americans and leave them in poor situations, especially in education. For a very long time, African Americans were not even considered to be a full human - which leaves lasting effects upon future generations as wealth and knowledge has taken much longer to accumulate.
By the time they reached the Americas, if they survived the ocean trip, they were often psychologically devastated by the experience of being wrenched out of their villages, separated from their families, marched to the African coast in shackles, forced into the dark holds of sailing ships, and then sold to some unknown Anglo-American in a country that had little resemblance to their homelands.
It's important to recall the horrors that enslaved Africans had to endure upon the treacherous journey to America, and as a result of such the labor they were forced into unwillingly while White Americans profited off of. Many stories are told by African American novelists to ensure that this history will not repeat itself and that Americans can learn from such. However, many times "white guilt" arises preventing these stories of history to be told - an unfortunate and unfair circumstance.
While the.South lagged behind in provi-sions for mass education, many northern states were actively encouraging more public support for the common schools.
This resistance within the South can be attributed to the racist values that have been historically ingrained within their economy. Due to the fact that enslaved African Americans were historically denied access to literacy and education - in fear of the success that can be obtained from such - there were many barriers that have are faced.
Catharine Beecher, the daughter of America's most famous preacher, failed to have a conversion experience and ultimately joined the high-church Episcopalians. But she too became a social reformer, championing the professional training of female teachers and middle-class do-mesticity.
Furthermore, Catherine Beecher held a strong hand in the development of the "Motherteacher" ideal where mothering and teacher could be seen as similar jobs. Since she had believed women could work alongside men, a push had ensued for more women to become teachers! This situation is still seen today as teachers come to be mostly women.
In the South, the invention of the cotton gin and rising world demand for cotton breathed new life into slavery despite the formal end of the slave trade in 1808.
This section reminds me of a concept I had learned in a previous class - the Myth of Individualism. In the South, in order to morally accommodate for profiting off the backs of the labor of other human beings Southerns created this theory. that they were entitled to this success Since a huge amount of profit was created from slavery, Southerns continued to follow this myth to keep their way of life without ethical conflict.
The most recent categorization of her for the purposes of her Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is "cognitive impairment — mild." If forced, I describe her as having general developmental delays.
In order to obtain additional resources in Lydia's schooling setting, she is forced to assume a title that has negative connotations to it. Children with IEP's or whom need assistance in special education schools, shouldn't have to bear the discrimination that their peers push upon them. There is a lack of empathy for these children with "special needs" in a general classroom if they are not able to keep up with a curriculum that forces one to constantly "bank" information and has regards to only high academic achievement.