Van Nuys Principal Promotes Racism
Yes our usual beat is City Hall, but it doesn't hurt to once in a while take a look at the monster failure known as the LAUSD.
The Daily News reports on the newly constructed "East Valley Middle School No. 2's" search for a permanent name. Students are pouring over history books and local lore to find something meaningful.
The most distasteful part of the story is the active role the school principal, Suzanne Blake is taking in the process. While other principals are staying out of the process so that students and community members can come to their own conclusions, Blake is seeking to promote her own political agenda.
Blake asked an assemblage of the mostly Latino students "Might you want to name the school after a dead white President?," to which the students replied a resounding "No!" (Why did she have to include the term white?) Blake would love to name the school after Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, amongst others, but presumes the school board would give a thumbs down to Kahlo because "She's a communist." Blake also very blatantly stated "I am totally trying to sway the votes."
This kind of racism and political pandering should not be allowed. Blake should be written up or fired.
Hey Blake - if old, dead white Presidents aren't acceptable, how about old, dead white Mayors? Samuel Yorty Middle School. Now that has a ring to it!
Posted by Mayor Sam @ 2/07/2005 06:07:00 PM
15 Comments:
This insane woman, who manipulates and misuses children, should be immediately removed and/or terminated from her job. lka
If she had said "dead SOME OTHER COLOR THAN WHITE politician, etc" it would have made national news.
What a great idea to let the kids decide the name of the school. What a terrible principal this woman is. Who is the school board member who oversees this school?
Bite me! I notice that you decided only to pay attention to the race issue. What about the gender issue. Seems she was being equally sexist.
However, she's damn right. Have you noticed that a disproportionate number of Presidents have been white men? 100% of them? Have you also noticed a disproportionate number of schools named after Presidents.
These are children of color who need to know that there are other great people who look like them and share their cultural heritage and/or their gender. I applaud her outspokeness.
Wow...how unpatriotic can you be. Being upset about schools named after former presidents? I bet you also don't say the pledge of allegiance because of the reference to god. Go move to Canada please.
Unpatriotic, huh?
Speaking up for the observance of the contributions made by women and minorities is unpatriotic?
I guess according to the Klan's version of the constitution it is. I think I'm stayin' in MY country. But you're more than welcome to leave.
There is nothing wrong with not naming schools after Presidents, its somewhat passe I think. (Though if you do, shouldn't wait until they're dead? Do we really need to start naming schools after Bill Clinton or George Bush?)
The part that was wrong was she used the word "White" as it was a prejorative.
If someone proposed naming it Jesse Jackson School or Martin Luther King School what if she had said "We don't want to name the school after some darkies do we?" Hoo boy, there would be hell to pay.
Get the drift?
Here are some ideas for the LAUSD:
1) Simply do geographic names that are not currently bestowed on a high school - Northridge Middle School exists, for example, but not Northridge High, which would seem appropriate for the CSUN high school campus. I also believe that Panorama City and Arleta, which are both community names of long-standing in the San Fernando Valley, are similarly not recognized by LAUSD schools.
2) Go on the Internet.
Do a search for "Medal of Honor Recipients AND Los Angeles." (NOTE: There are quite a few actually, including a number from the SFV - almost all, of course, were posthumous awards, or the recipient has since died.)
Do another one for "Nobel Prize Winners AND Los Angeles" (NOTE: There are a half-dozen, including one 1960 winner who has since died.)
Do another one for "Distinguished Service Cross Recipients AND Los Angeles." (The US Army's second highest award for valor.)
Do another one for "Navy Cross Recipients AND Los Angeles." (The US Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard's second highest award for valor.)
Do yet another for "Air Force Cross Recipients AND Los Angeles." (Very few AFCs have been awarded, so this probably would come up empty. Be nice to make the effort, however.)
Do yet another for the "Mariner's Medal AND Los Angeles" (Very, very few of these have been awarded - it is the Merchant Marine equivalent of the MOH for wartime service - but it would be courteous to look.)
Do yet another for Los Angeles Police Department Medal of Valor.
Another for the LAFD Medal of Valor.
Similar checks for the analogous awards for the state of California and the County of Los Angeles - and the Gold and Silver Lifesaving medals, in all cases looking for residents of the city of Los Angeles (or the other cities served by the LAUSD).
Once all those individuals have been honored, then start looking for worthies elsewhere.
Including some of the "dead white presidents" who may have done something extraordinary for these young people and yet are not currently honored by the LAUSD.
I don't think "white" is equivalent to "darkies". The connotations are vastly different.
But to get the kids to think outside the traditional box of naming a school is important and I don't think "dead white president" is put down.
Honoring military is fine, especially considering the disproportionate number of low income and minorities that the armed forces intentionally and strategically recruits. I'd much rather have a school named after a poor dead military honoree "who happened to be white" (written to please the pc groupies) than a wealthy dead white president (written to please people who don't give s@$t about being pc).
I would suggest solving the problem by naming the school with a Number; as they do in New York City (PS 51...etc.). Miguel Mena
This controversy shows me we are still in the thinking of the McCarthy era - when we are quick to brand someone "racist", "terrorist" or "felonist" with total disregard
of the facts of a situation.
A few remarks - misinterpreted - and then broadcasted in a negative light - can make anyone a "racist" or "terrorist" overnight. This principal is NOT a racist - but
quite the opposite. The facts would bear this out in any examination of her past background.
Before we jump to any conclusions,
let's end the "witch hunt", fellows!
Since I truly know this lady first hand and all of you don't, it may be best if you took the person making the comment as she did, out of the picture, and just focused on the real problem which is that of leadership and development of educating kids. She should of gave them 2-4 choices (if the school decided to actually let the children vote and make the decision). Suzanne could of had A White, Latino, Black and an Asian both men and women who the school. The kids could of held a mock election and at lunch time or ? during their breaks gone and casted their vote at a voting poll on the school ground. This would of given them a chance to get use to doing something that most adults don't do. And maybe when the kids turn 18 they would already had a lesson on the voting process, and maybe actually understand how and why it works. But no, instead we focus on someone who says something that offends a few, most likely those who just needs a little attention or wants to upset and make worse the already messed up school system that we have in place. If it wasn't for a few being offended once in awhile this world would of never developed into the business that it has, nor would we be aware of such out-of-line equality in this country.
Maybe try screaming out and writing solutions instead of adding additional insult to someone who stuffed envelopes back when she was in elementry school to help bring forward the fair housing act.
It's bad enough we honor those who are dead (white,black, brown or ?)and not those who are alive and are doing great things for this country. Nothing like living in a country where one becomes more famous when they are dead then when they are working their tush off to get the word out to so many while they are alive.
If you want to get people to achieve and develop into creative productive people, try rewarding them while they are alive. We do Sports fiqures with huge incomes and lots of PR. No wonder kids want to take that risk of becoming one only to find that they missed out on so many other skills they could of developed along the way.
The government misuses and manipulates children and adults yet we don't show up to vote in those that don't. Using a color of ones skin as a reason to do bring someone to the forefront or hold one back is just an excuse for someone else to express their lack of desire of obtaining an education about the variety of culture that we live within as humans. Compare apples to apples both green and red are still apples, just raised differently. Learn that simple lesson and one may find that there are two different tastes to enjoy and grow with. And to the one who thinks that there are a disproprtionate numbers of white presidents in the history of USA. Shall we remind you on who came up with the idea of having a president here in the first place. It's called creating an surrounding that you can live with and understand. If one does their math correctly, one will find that common folk still out number politicians. And if common folks really wanted something changed it shouldn't be so hard to do so. But since Americans down to small communities can't all agree on doing something the same way, then it will be what the majority wants. So far the politians have made it clear that they are the majority. Fix that problem and we may reslove the rest of the story!
It's never to late to Get Real People!
YOur's truly, Bro
Another great fascinating story - "Mayor Sam Yorty sued by Van Nuys Principal"
A civil suit was filed against former L.A. Mayor Sam Yorty for allegations of defamation of character, libel and slander for his published remarks in the article "Van Nuy Principal Promotes Racism" appeared on www.mayorsamyorty.com.
Now THAT would be even more interesting!!
I work for this jerk and she is a jerk! A racist...you betcha! Hey LAUSD...look at her track record towards the blacks and other people of color that are not LATINO at her school. She has literally destroyed careers of at least 15 people. She always goes after the African-Americans. A little self hate there! She also goes after...with a vengence...people with disabilities. No, no, Suzanne, we don't want any "less than perfect" people at your school...now do we?
McD
Susanne Blake is the only principal I know that knows all the students' names. Ms. Blake greets every student in the morning, whether it's raining or sunny. Ms Blake is NOT racist in any way, she is a very passionate woman who cares more about ALL the kids and the school as anyone I have ever met in education.
McD
Susanne Blake is the only principal I know that knows all the students' names. Ms. Blake greets every student in the morning, whether it's raining or sunny. Ms Blake is NOT racist in any way, she is a very passionate woman who cares more about ALL the kids and the school as anyone I have ever met in education.
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