Lois the Pie Queen’s decades-long staying power in the community made it the ideal first stop during a high school field trip tour of historic Black sites in Oakland.
On Monday, Tony Green, a teacher at Bishop O’Dowd High School, led the field trip for a group of juniors and seniors enrolled in his Advanced Placement African American Studies class.
Throughout the year, Green said he’s taught his students about the wealth gap, redlining and gentrification.
“It’s meaningful because it’s an attempt at telling the actual truth about African Americans and their relationship with the rest of the world,” said Green, who’s been teaching a version of the class for 32 years.
Christian Colbert, a junior, said Green’s teaching style — which aims not only to explain historical facts, but to also show how they’re interconnected across time — resonated with him.
“I just feel like a lot of history classes are just like bits and pieces of history,” he said. “Classes like these, kind of give you the whole thing, from like, ancient in Mali, to like, all the way to the Black Panthers.”
Bishop O’Dowd, a Catholic school, is among 60 schools in the U.S. currently piloting the College Board AP African American Studies curriculum — which covers early African societies, the slave trade and the history of resistance and resilience in the U.S.
Recently, the curriculum became part of a national political debate around teaching history in schools. The focus on topics such as Black feminism, among others, is one of the reasons why Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis initially refused to offer the course in schools in that state.
California has also had its share of discussions around social studies requirements. Starting with the class of 2030, a new law mandates all high school students in the Golden State complete a semester of ethnic studies — in part to help students of color see themselves reflected.
“History is mainly white history,” said Catherine Gholamipour, a student in Green’s class. “You don’t get a ton of exposure to stuff like this in other classes.”
Her peer Nartan Farucht, a senior, echoed the importance of a class that fills in the gaps of other social studies classes.
“You can’t actually talk about the way we built our government, where we built our cities, we built our schools, without talking about the slave trade and the people who actually built these locations on their backs,” Farucht said….
Full story at KQED
They be all like this is what racism is but they don’t know. DeSantis banned the AP African American Studies class in Florida, right?
History classes tend to focus on political history. Social history, cultural history, linguistics, technological history are not given a lot of time. There is lots to learn and you are never finished.
The Black Panthers were a vile and violent group of subversives, murderers, rapists, extortionists, and thieves, etc., piggybacking on the so-called civil rights movement. Oakland is such a toilet.
https://www.discoverthenetworks.org/organizations/black-panther-party-bpp/
They concentrate on community service.
That was something the Marxist/Leninist groups were good at.
Even the Communist party which was what Dorothy Day in NYC was trying to emulate with her Catholic Worker movement.
Note that each point begins with “I want” (gimme) which is the language of toddlers (and tyrants). O’Dowd, communist training ground.
I’m betting no Ten Commandments listed, nor could the students recite them. Maybe Archbishop Cordileone could rectify that, i.e., when he’s not time travelling to New Orleans for his vicarious jollies.
Oakland is its own diocese. Not Cordileone’s beat.
But you’re right about the toddlers and tyrants.
My bad. Cheers.
Then again, it’s within the archdiocese, and Barber’s a Jesuit. What’s a body to do? :)
This material is not suitable for kids in high school. Kids need just a basic understanding of history, in a factual way. Don’t forget, Pres. Abraham Lincoln won the Civil War and freed the slaves. There is much evil in human nature, and always will be– but kids should not be getting into that, in school. That kind of material is very complex, dark, and terrible. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King handled this evil material well. But few are as good as him. Many ethnic and religious groups– besides the Blacks– have been mistreated and endured persecution, in our Nation– the Jews, Irish, Mexicans, Catholics, American Indians, etc. etc. And there were once legal immigration restrictions on Southern Europeans and Italians, Poles amd Eastern Europeans, Chinese, Japanese, and others. Don’t get into that! You have to have lots of maturity to deal with this situation. I know of immigrants in my family and friends, many, many decades ago, who simply ignored those who did not “like” their ethnic/religious background– and understood such stupid, low, foolish, backward ignorance for what it was– human stupidity and evil.
“President Abraham Lincoln won the Civil War and freed the slaves.”
You need a history class.
No. President Abraham Lincoln issued the “Emancipation Proclamation” on Jan. 1, 1863, declaring that all persons held as slaves are now free.
And when was the civil war won?
And what states did not have their slaves freed?
And it did not free the slaves because they were not in the United States anymore. The Southern States had succeeded.
And what was the real purpose of it? Freed slaves could now join the what?
Why is Juneteenth the new federal holiday?
It sounds like you really don’t care. You are full of nonsense. Hopefully you are not married with children in school– they would all laugh at you!
Why didn’t you just google the answers.
Or did you?
wrong.
That was after he revoked emancipation proclamations issued by General John Fremont (1861) and General David Hunter (1862), but before he accepted the admission of West Virginia to the Union as a slave state (1863).
there was NO civil war.
it was a war of Northern aggression.
Git real.
My comment of March 29th at 6:31pm was shortened by editors. I will add something, here. I think the best way to deal with any prejudice as an American immigrant, is to ignore those who don’t “like” you, stick to working hard, seek success in school and at work, be a good neighbor, community and church member, try to learn good English, volunteer for service in the community or in the Armed Forces, be patriotic, and make a good life for you, your spouse and children, and your whole family. That is what many good immigrants used to do. The shallow and dangerous 1960s concept of angry, violent, militant, “multi-culturalism” of individual groups, with extremely angry past grievances, committing violent, criminal acts– is very ignorant, divisive, and won’t work. Best to let go of grievances, after expressing them, and everyone work together to create a good future, a “melting pot” of Americans, all working hard, and seeking success for all.
America is still a great country, the best in the world. The best of America is never in the low, ignorant, prejudiced people, who don’t “like” others. Always seek the best, working to make a good community, school, church, and a good country, and stick with them, and contribute your best, working alongside them.
The radio excerpt at the link is really good.
Apparently you didn’t learn the basics of American history yourself. You also don’t understand that AP courses aren’t basic courses, but rather college level advanced courses for those who have completed the basics.
The basic fact that you seem to have not learned is that blacks weren’t just not “liked”. They didn’t have immigration restrictions. They were ripped from their families, put into chains, forced to immigrate against their will, and owned. They were whipped into submission if they rebelled and after they won their freedom they were hung from trees if they tried to advance in American society. Entire black neighborhoods that had become economic success stories in the 20th century were burned to the ground. Black families as late as during my lifetime were effectively kept out of certain neighborhoods by redlining by banks or restrictive covenants among homeowners.
There is no basic American history class that doesn’t get “into that”. It is the original sin of our country it nearly kept us from even being a country in the first place.
I think you would do well to take some basic history classesyourself.
On Jan. 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the famous “Emancipation Proclamation.” The Proclamation declared “that all persons held as slaves” within the rebellious states, “are, and henceforward shall be free.” Yes, the case of the Black slaves was the worst, far worse than those who were free immigrants. The slaves were not immigrants– they were “chattel” of immigrants. The truth is– you cannot solve these complex problems, by dwelling on past evils, considering yourself a victim, an outsider, a violent, hateful revolutionary, on the path to becoming a violent criminal. You cannot rile up vulnerable, inexperienced young teens– no matter how smart they are– with a bunch of hateful, violent Black Panther-style rhetoric and ideology. And Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s approach, of faith in God and Non-Violence, which was very mature– takes a lot– adult maturity is required to understand it and use it well. I bet Mrs. Rosa Parks was very dignified, when insisting that she not give up her bus seat, in 1955, to a White bus rider, in Montgomery, Alabama. She was an adult. So was Dr. King. That’s the difference. They sought to be valued, respected adults, contributing to our American society– same as all others. They were not violent, immature Black Panthers. These problems are very difficult and complex– not easy to teach even AP high school teens.
They are not being “riled up”. Where is your evidence for that? If you want to see what “riled up” means, you should rewatch Trump’s speech to the crowd on January 6, 2021.
Have you never heard the expression “Those who do not not learn history are bound to repeat it”. So you want the most educated students, on their way to college by their own participation in this college course, to not learn history? With respect to the Black Panthers, they are an important part of the history of the black community in Oakland. They had some good things going for them (They were adamant about educating, feeding, and giving medical care, for example), and they had some very bad things too. Not teaching even about those very bad things means that they are bound to repeat them. Treat an entire community as though their history is not important is itself going to create resentment among them when they find out the true history. Learning it in a context where they can together dissect the good and the bad in movements like the Black Panthers gives these students the knowledge they need to not make the same mistakes all over again. You always hound people that they shouldn’t be ignorant, yet here you are promoting ignorance!
YFC, there are plenty of false, liberal-leftist “educators” using kids for their sick political “agendas,” these days, riling up innocent, inexperienced kids to hate America, brainwashing them to get involved in violent activist political movements– and ruin our country, as well as ruin their lives. A smart Black kid in a high school AP class ought to be guided to turn out like a highly successful, respectable Judge Clarence Thomas or Condoleeza Rice– not a sleezy, ignorant, violent, low-life criminal, a member of “Black Lives Matter,” Antifa, or the Black Panthers. You cannot make a better country, and produce really great and lasting changes and improvements to society– by ignorant hate, violence and low-life criminal actions. That is what a lot of these immature liberal-leftist social activists do, instead of intelligent, mature thinking, planning, and adult-style leadership. The violence that Donald Trump stirred up at the Jan. 6th Capitol riots, was inexcusable and extremely selfish– all because he was a “sore loser” of the last election. Very ignorant. UnAmerican. And dangerous to our country.
Again, you have no evidence to support your horrible accusations. All you have is empty, baseless accusations against this teacher. Bearing false witness is mentioned somewhere in the Bible, I believe. Maybe it was the Ten Commandments?
YFC, if you haven’t clicked the link and read the article and listened to the radio excerpt which is different than the article, you should. Well done and interesting.
“It is the original sin of our country it nearly kept us from even being a country in the first place.” The Crown issued emancipation proclamations in 1775 and 1779. Do you believe the founding of the United States was wrong?
YFC:
Some science AP classes are taught that way, but AP US History is the “basic” class for those kids. They take it in place of, not following, a prior survey course.
this stuff is so Jesse Jackson/Al Sharpton.
the parents should save their tuition money
and send their kids to public school for free
and get the same thing.
I was once a junior high and senior high school history teacher. The textbooks from back in the ’50s and ’60s were written in a way that made the U.S. look great from the point of view of the people in charge. One part of the country studied the Civil War while another studied the War of Northern Aggression. We were taught that folks like Washington and Jefferson were lily white wonderful people. They were in many respects, but we didn’t learn that they owned so many slaves, yet wrote that all are created equal. Until 1967, interracial marriage was illegal in many states. Black students were not allowed to go to white schools in many States. Integration of schools and universities required troops to escort kids to class while governors stood in the doorways to keep them out. We may not like that it was the Whites who were supporting integration and the churches who supported integration, but it’s true. So yes, let’s teach the kids basic history, and know that that includes more than the propaganda-type history that was taught in the ’40s and beyond. We owe a true history to our kids. If they know the truth. it will set them free to make a better world for their kids and themselves.
Bob, part of the approach to history taught in public schools was due to intentional government guidelines written during the Cold War to promote patriotism, national unity, and civic identity. Some black scholars have observed that after the assassination of Martin Luther King, the black intellectual world began to aggressively promote an inward-focused identity movement that went too far. Part of it was a turning away from any European language traditional names for wholesale Arabic, Swahili and any names that could be invented out of thin air to create a ‘black culture’. Some now admit that it was a mistaken turn that has hobbled black culture and made things worse. Into that vacuum BLM and DEI theory could easily enter and gain adherents. The truth can’t set free if the whole of truth carried in the western intellectual tradition does not form a baseline. I agree a better job is needed. An elementary school teacher in the 90’s sadly observed that her 4th graders loved learning about the American Indians but didn’t know how to answer when they began asking ‘what happened to the Indians?’ By that poi nt, teachers weren’t allowed to ad-lib outside guidelines We can do better, but without Critical Race and Founding 1619 Theory as the umbrella
Hard to argue with you Bob One. Our students need a true history, the good, the bad and the ugly. But it should not be done from a woke perspective, that is, a trashing of whiteness and other intersectional nonsense. It is important to build a sense of appreciation for the good our country has done despite its failures. Not to sugarcoat, but still to engender pride in an American for all races. The culture of victimology must be fought, IMO.
Dan,
Good idea. No woke, a word that defies definition. So if you were a Black person, how would you build an appreciation for the good our country has done for you? No sugar coating. What makes you proud to be Black in America? How do you convince the Black person that they are not victims of our culture? I find it hard to do. It wasn’t a Black person who told me I couldn’t go to a white public school, or not marry a white person, or sit at a lunch counter, or drink out of a different water cooler, or not get a loan for a house, or …. and the list goes on. If I were Black, I would have a hard time accepting the white version of our history. I wonder how the Native Americans feel about white people taking their land, about having to move to a reservation because white people didn’t want them in the neighborhood. How do you explain the Trail of Tears to a young Native American? How do you explain Tulsa to the young Black person? I don’t know how to teach U.S. history without teaching all of its history.
Bob One, it would be better for a successful Black person to answer that question. I give you Thomas Sowell, for example. He is probably the greatest African American thinker on the world stage today. He strenuously denounces the victimology and entitlement thinking that has plagued the Black community. He should be read and studied at all levels. But as one white fellow to another, let us risk being called racists: the greatest threat to blacks today,IMO,is other blacks, particularly black males, most of whom come from fatherless homes. This culture must be denounced from the rooftops, and to prevent silly charges of racism, this should come from the very brave black intellectuals. Said another way, the greatest threat to black advancement is the lack of fathers in the home. Blacks will not rise from their debilitating culture by mouthing while supremacy or by demanding reparations or any other form of entitlement. Billions if not trillions have been spent on the War on Poverty without denting the harmful aspects of black culture. Some good has been done but there is a very necessary spiritual element that has to be in place. The same spiritual revival must envelop white centers of influence as well. As St. Paul says to the Galatians, the only thing that counts, that really elevates a culture, is faith working through love (5:6) Is it any wonder that America faces cultural decline on all sides with its refusal to honor God? Were I to teach history, I would teach the history of great ideas, and this would be the greatest.
The Black people that I have known who were successful in life, and had either big jobs or little ones, viewed the whole situation differently. They did not consider themselves as “victims.” Many were very religious, and had lots of dignity and pride in themselves. They viewed life as containing good and bad people, and saw that they were born into a very unfair and difficult situation– but they also could overcome many things, and had some good opportunities, too. Not all Americans are bigoted and “bad.” Many White Americans have worked hard to end discrimination. Those Blacks who are angry and bitter, and end up with terriblly destructive– even criminal– lives, end up nowhere, and need to change their lives. Those who have a good attitude, and have achieved success, have been very proud of their accomplishments, big or small– and have also treated others with respect and goodness. In college, one summer, I worked at an Army medical clinic (“MASH” clinic) part-time, hired by the Clinic Director, a prestigious Black lady medical doctor who was a Lt.Colonel. She was highly respected. Very proud of her country, too. I have also known highly educated, very accomplished Black priests and nuns– some were immigrants from African countries. Extremely intelligent, with fellow highly-educated intellectuals as friends. I have also known Black nurses, cooks, teachers and childcare workers, who were very talented with caring for people and children, and were much-loved. I have also known Asians and Jews, and others– who likewise have suffered, in America. Anyway, despite America’s failures, America has many good people, too. And much opportunity for success, despite the problems of discrimination. Many good Americans have worked hard for equality for all races. With all the good and bad in America– we all are blessed to live here– the greatest country on earth!
Regarding the terrible abuses in America– yes, they have happened, and such abuses have happened in all eras, in probably all countries. There are always bad people– but also, there are many good people, too! America is not at all like Communist China, or Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, or terrorist Muslim countries, or any Communist country, nor like dictator-led Nicaragua. Etc. America, with all its human flaws, is very different. Did you get the “short-stick,” and get cheated, in your job? Let’s talk. Let’s boycott. Let’s tell our lawmakers. Let’s persevere in this. Let’s fix this evil, together. Changes are possible, here in America! Human rights can be fought for, a2nd evils can be vanquished. We have much to be thankful for, in America! With all its flaws, it is still the very best country on earth, for which we all must be deeply proud. That is what you should tell young students.
Bob One– Above all, we must always tell the kids, that despite our country’s flaws, our original American Democracy, with our original, excellent Judeo-Christian beliefs and values, and our way of life– is the greatest form of government, the greatest land to live in, on earth! With the help of God, we can always seek to rectify all problems, here in America. Kids should be taught to be very proud of our great country! We are all so blessed to live here, in America!
Today on the morning news, there was a lovely story about a (Black) Amazon delivery driver in Michigan, who delivered a package at a home, then noticed that the homeowners had a flag flying outside, that was twisted in the wind. He stopped, fixed the flag, saluted it, then touched it reverently, and left. When the (White) homeowners saw this, they were moved to tears. They were able to get in touch with the Amazon delivery driver and thank him. The married couple and the Amazon driver were interviewed on the morning news. The Amazon driver told the newscaster that he fixed the flag, saluted it, and touched it reverently, because he loves and reveres our great country. Everyone was in tears. Including me. A great lesson of patriotism for American kids.
Well, every country in every era, has done some wrongs. Still, you just cannot present your country as a “horrible monster,” to kids. That’s wrong. We must teach kids that our history is just history, with good and bad, and that we must love and honor our great country, and have faith in it, and believe in it, and participate in it, seeking to give our best– especially for our children. What do history teachers do, in Great Britain? All through the centuries, there have been magnificent historical events, there– and horrific events, so bloody and so horrible, wrong and cruel, you cannot stand to think about it. For example– the horrific evils of the era of King Henry VIII… plus touch more! But I am sure that British history teachers have a broad view, and instill confidence and love of country, and pride in their students, as UK citizens. And another huge problem, is the history of the Catholic Church. Horrors beyond bloody horrors, in many historical eras! And in today’s Church, the staggering amount of cases of clergy sex abuse and deliberate cover-ups, is so horrific, it is far too much to bear! Some students, learning details of all this– might even totally lose faith in God! Can we present our Catholic history, with all the good and bad– in a truthful, factual, and yet positive manner—- sincerely encouraging kids to be good, faithful Catholics, loving and following Christ?
There is an error in my comment of April 1st at 12:56am. This sentence should read: “For example– the horrific evils of the era of King Henry VIII…plus much more!”
White people don’t accept the whitewashed version of history. White people do not like what was done to the Native Americans and black people, either.
When I learned history 50 years ago, none of it was whitewashed. This stuff is not coming in history classes. Some media outlets and some internet sources are pitting one race against another, not just in America.
As Catholics and Christians, we know that all human beings are brothers and sisters and all children of the same God.
Bob One, I know these words are now loaded with emotion for some people.
Woke means aware.
Intersectional means an interconnectedness between social categories such as race, class, gender (and I include other social categories).
A wealthy person of any race and gender has a different experience of life (usually) than those who are poor. The experience of being poor is different in the city than in the country. I would also include religion because that makes a huge difference. I also would include church membership and family characteristics.
Another characteristic is colorism. Within racial categories, there are people who are considered more and less attractive. There is also educational differences. And what country of origin one is from.
Also, work ethic. I saw a comedian react to a couple in their crowd who was Mexican and Asian. They joked “Your kids are going to be really hard working.
Substance and alcohol use, criminal backgrounds.
Also abilities and disabilities. I saw a video of a young woman who had $400, 000 in student loans. They were differed because she is disabled; she lost her legs in infancy due to a bacterial infection. If she ever makes over the poverty level in income, she has to pay back the loans. So one dollar over poverty level and she becomes $400,000 in debt. She is a lawyer. She wants to work for clients that cannot afford lawyers.
Would you recommend Mr. Rukundo’s approach to teaching Rwandan history as an example of “woke”?
http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2223-03862020000200003
“Woke means aware.
Intersectional means an interconnectedness between social categories such as race, class, gender (and I include other social categories).”
In today’s political climate, these definitions are disingenuous. For instance, woke=aware, to which we must ask, “aware of what?” The conceptual schemes brought to bear color perception to a great extent. “Transgenderism is a great insanity” is an example of awareness I bring to the table. Am I woke? I could be shot for such thinking by people more woke than I.
Intersectional as defined by the left is far more than interconnectedness. It is a particular slant on the interconnectedness filled with victimology and white villainology (I don’t know if this is a word, but you get the point) .
I liked the rest of your post.
“Transgenderism is a great insanity” is not woke, even if true. Knowing what transgender individuals go through and what their families go through (which is a lot) is more woke. Woke is being aware of the experience of a person or group who has a different experience than you do.
Woke is another word that has been taken from the black community.
Intersectionality is often used to explain disadvantage and some do blame other people and other races, I grant you that. But also realize that you and others are being fed 2 minutes of information on things that take years to fully understand.
Some people get defensive and feel like they or their race is being made out to be a villian-and some people did bad things.
There are almost 4000 degree granting colleges and universities in our country with 20 million students. Because of the human tendency to generalize, if you see footage of Antifa at one college (or transgender protests) you can assume that it is like that everywhere. It is not. And it is only at the college you see on TV for a short time. I do not know but there are some organizations that leave when the cameras leave.
“Woke means aware.” utter nonsense it is just code for hatred of Western Civilization, this idea is too much for Bob One to understand. He like most liberals believe Western Civilization (built by the Church) my must be destroyed. The left and their ilk have made magnificent progress since this all started I believe with the French Revolution . It is just too bad that Vendee Armies who the brink of victory could not finish off the satanic revolutionaries who in turn caused the first known genocide in Europe. We are reaping the rewards of that blood soaked time, the rewards are the unending of the natural moral law in the name of “tolerance and diversity” we are rapidly headed towards our own collapse.
Pray the magnificat.
CRT-advocate whites are evil and oppressive and cannot be redeemed.
Mo’ victim psychology
ain’t gonna do black folk no good
an’ white folk neetha!
California is a good state when it comes to probation and parole fees which they have banned.
Most states actually allow reincarceration if a parolee or person on probation cannot pay the fees.