Public school pedagogues attempt to stimulate the almond sized frontal lobes of inner city simians by teaching them the three R's they're culturally familiar with: Rappin', raping and representin'
Just more of your White tax dollars thrown like peanuts to a race of people unable to assimilate into a 1st world civilization due to genetic cognitive and behavioral inferiority.
But liberals-never ones to let reality stand in their way-will continue to dumb down the educational system and fudge test scores until it is proven beyond a shadow of a drop-out that two plus two equals five and that if Magilla flaps his paws fast enough, he can indeed fly. (Hopefully, back to 'Freeka.)
How long before I can enroll my pet Springer Spaniel into classes, teach? I'm sure it's only his inequitable station in life along with a hefty dollop of White oppression that's keeping Fido from landing hisself a sweet little sinecure with summers off. Maybe you can break out some Snoop Dogg to further his intellectual aggrandizement!
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20109200325
50 Cent memoir on Rochester School District reading list
Getting teens to pick up a book can be tough, especially during the summer months when school isn't in session.
So in an attempt to get more students reading over the summer, this year the Rochester School District freshened up its summer reading recommendations with titles and topics it thought would appeal to teenagers.
But at least one book on the list for high schoolers has left some questioning how far schools should go to appeal to students. Rapper 50 Cent's book, From Pieces to Weight, recounts his early life in the New York City drug trade in the same rough language and violent depictions that characterize his music.
"If it's a situation where everything in the book is mother this and mother that, then of course it's inappropriate," said the Rev. Marlowe Washington, head of the Rochester Literacy Movement. "We have to understand what will get the kids interested, but there has to be a balance of how far we will go with that."
School officials agree that the balance between trying to engage street savvy teens and maintaining certain classroom standards can be delicate.
Administrator Beth Mascitti-Miller, who acknowledged she had not read the 50 Cent book, said that district staff picks books for the list that they think will appeal to teens and reviews them to make sure they are in line with the state's curriculum. If a parent, student or community member complains about any book used in the city schools, the district will review it to make sure it meets those standards.
"We want to make sure we're putting appropriate material on the list," said Mascitti-Miller, who oversees the district's teaching and learning department. "You want to get kids interested, but you also want to make sure they have plenty of choices and that you're not endorsing anything that might not be appropriate."
To be sure, From Pieces to Weight is just one of about 80 books on the list for high school students — it's not even the only book co-authored by 50 Cent. Others include works by well-respected youth authors, memoirs by refugees and some self-help selections.
Getting teens to pick up a book can be tough, especially during the summer months when school isn't in session.
So in an attempt to get more students reading over the summer, this year the Rochester School District freshened up its summer reading recommendations with titles and topics it thought would appeal to teenagers.
But at least one book on the list for high schoolers has left some questioning how far schools should go to appeal to students. Rapper 50 Cent's book, From Pieces to Weight, recounts his early life in the New York City drug trade in the same rough language and violent depictions that characterize his music.
"If it's a situation where everything in the book is mother this and mother that, then of course it's inappropriate," said the Rev. Marlowe Washington, head of the Rochester Literacy Movement. "We have to understand what will get the kids interested, but there has to be a balance of how far we will go with that."
School officials agree that the balance between trying to engage street savvy teens and maintaining certain classroom standards can be delicate.
Administrator Beth Mascitti-Miller, who acknowledged she had not read the 50 Cent book, said that district staff picks books for the list that they think will appeal to teens and reviews them to make sure they are in line with the state's curriculum. If a parent, student or community member complains about any book used in the city schools, the district will review it to make sure it meets those standards.
"We want to make sure we're putting appropriate material on the list," said Mascitti-Miller, who oversees the district's teaching and learning department. "You want to get kids interested, but you also want to make sure they have plenty of choices and that you're not endorsing anything that might not be appropriate."
To be sure, From Pieces to Weight is just one of about 80 books on the list for high school students — it's not even the only book co-authored by 50 Cent. Others include works by well-respected youth authors, memoirs by refugees and some self-help selections.
The trend away from more traditional summer reading selections such as Little Women or Catcher in the Rye reflects a push seen in other urban districts, which have struggled to improve their students' literacy. Buffalo City School District's summer reading list includes several books by author Toni Morrison and President Barack Obama's autobiography.
"The whole idea is that to be a better reader, you have to read more," Mascitti-Miller said.
A survey of suburban school districts in Monroe County revealed tamer titles such as Albert Einstein: His Life and Universe on the Brighton Central School District list.
Perhaps most controversial about the 50 Cent book is the author himself, known for explicit and often vulgar lyrics about drugs, sex and violence. Some of his songs include the sound of rounds of bullets being fired in the background.
The text of the book is no different. Described on its back cover as a "violent and introspective memoir," it documents his childhood in Jamaica, Queens County, his experience selling drugs and his ultimate rise to stardom.
Scenes of the book depict violent gun fights, and the book makes liberal use of R-rated expletives.
While the content does raise some eyebrows among school officials, they say they are also not in the business of censorship.
"I'm not exactly a big 50 Cent fan," said School Board President Malik Evans, who said he has only "two or three" of the rapper's songs on his iPod. "He's not the most positive person. Too many of our kids are emulating these rappers. If it was up to me, I wouldn't have it on there. But we don't want to censor things. This is a democracy. We want the kids to be free to read."
Parents and students approached recently were split about whether the book should be part of classrooms. While some said the content was too rough for schools, others thought it was a good way to engage their students.
"I understand how the artist would make it more interesting for kids," said Evette Benite, whose son is a ninth-grader. "But I think it's something better left at home, where they can go over it with their parents."
Some said that having the book in the classroom makes little difference in terms of influence. For many students in the city schools, the rapper's story reflects their own reality.
"We've all seen this stuff other places," said 12-year-old Miamagdalena Lorecha, a seventh-grader at School Without Walls. "That book's about reality and how some people deal with it."
