Tue
May 6 2008
06:01 pm
Sad to read this occurring in Rockwood Schools
By: WhitesCreek

I keep thinking we'll move beyond this kind of thing but I guess it will take longer than I thought. It's really too bad when it filters down from adults to the kids. Don't we have better things to do?

Racism problem charged at Rockwood schools

Update: My insiders at Rockwood say this isn't a fair charge at Rockwood High School. The young man at the center of the problem was in detention recently for fighting with another African American student. I figure the truth is somewhere in the middle. Cool off, sit down, and talk to each other...Please?

Your insiders are WRONG!

Submitted by concernedmother on May 7, 2008 - 1:21pm.

I am a concerned mother of a young man in Rockwood High School who also attended Rockwood Middle School. Racism is present in the school and should be dealt with immediately. You are right about one thing RACISM STARTS AT HOME! This is a learned behavior (people call it a belief which is sad).
This is not a belief:
Racism , by its perhaps simplest definition, is prejudice and discrimination based on race. One with racist beliefs might hate certain groups of people according to their race (i.e., bigotry), or in the case of institutional racism, certain racial groups may be denied rights or benefits.

Please visit: (link...)

I also attended Rockwood Middle and High schools and I can not see any changes.

Thanks for speaking up, Mom

Submitted by WhitesCreek on May 7, 2008 - 2:15pm.

We all know that racial chauvinism will never go away entirely, but we can act to show that it is not condoned. I hope Principal Reed will make that clear.

But let me say that I believe racism is NOT about hatred...It is about fear. If you want to beat it, sit together with the folks that have the problem and drive out their fears.

I really hope that we can take the next step in our country as a whole.

YOUR PREVIOUS POST/

Submitted by Lala on May 7, 2008 - 2:45pm.

LEFT THE IMPRESSION YOUR CHILD OR CHILDREN ATTEND RCH. DIDN'I SEE YOU AT A SOCCER GAME?

If you mean me...

Submitted by WhitesCreek on May 7, 2008 - 3:02pm.

I love soccer and have attended several of the High school games this year, even though My kids have graduated and attended RCHS... although they attended Ridgeview elementary. RHS boys who want to play soccer, play on the RCHS team, and we have had several great players from Rockwood over the years.

One of the benefits of soccer in this country, is that the kids play with a very diverse group and make friends of many nationalities and every color.

Fears?

Submitted by concernedmother on May 7, 2008 - 5:02pm.

You may want to check your definitions bud. Racism is about hatred.

Don't think so...

Submitted by WhitesCreek on May 7, 2008 - 5:57pm.

Manefestations of hatred are a symptom for sure...But folks don't hate people they have power over. They hate people they fear on some level. Ghandi and MLK understood this. It is why they opted for nonviolence.

We will have to agree to disagree......

Submitted by concernedmother on May 7, 2008 - 9:12pm.

I am to assume you are white or you would understand that there is hatred involved and is present. I understand that MLK opted for nonviolence as we all do. But by no means was he saying these racist people who are lynching people did so out of fear. Check out this site and notice how many 'Hate Groups' are in Tennessee.

(link...)

Well, I don't want us to get

Submitted by WhitesCreek on May 8, 2008 - 6:10am.

Well, I don't want us to get hung up on a semantic argument when there is work we can do while we argue this point. I understand why you think what you do. We can both agree that the manefestations of bigotry need to be condemned.

Let me ask what you think would be the most positive thing we could do in this situation? What should the Principal do?...Teachers?..Students?

And then what do you think the victims of bigotted acts should do?

What should we do?

Submitted by concernedmother on May 8, 2008 - 11:36pm.

I think that we should continue to talk about this, make the community aware of the issues at hand. EDUCATE. EDUCATE. EDUCATE. The school should have a zero-tol policy against racist threats and comments on school grounds and school related functions. The victims should share their stories and as a community, we should listen. What do you think?

I agree except..

Submitted by WhitesCreek on May 9, 2008 - 6:50am.

I think the thing most folks miss in all this is to talk, have a converstion, with the ones who do bigoted things. Sit the victim and the perpetrator down together and interview them together. There are usually prejudices on both sides that need to be overcome, as well as fears of the "other".

I don't believe punishment in the normal sense works at all to break down these barriers and may in fact help to make them more impenetrable.

Deal with the insecurities and the unfamiliarites on both sides. The "victims" have responsibilities too. This takes courage and isn't very easy.

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