by Lisa F
I was reading the Judge's order on the magnet school tax and I picked up the phone to a friend I knew attended school board meetings back in 2007 to ask, "Did somebody actually say, "We want the magnet kids segregated from the other kids?'" I really wanted to know why a federal Judge would specificially say that there would be no more "school imposed separation."
School Imposed? She told me quite frankly, there were parents who if they allowed their children to participate, were adamant that their children be segregated from the other children. Apparently, even playground equipment was purchased for the express purpose of only allowing magnet school children to play on it. ARE THEY SERIOUS? Grown people made these decisions and still attended church on Sunday?
In short, yes, they did exactly that. And the school board allowed it. So I had to wonder what the children in the same school who were not a part of the magnet program thought when they looked out their window to see special playground equipment being used by special children? How was their self-esteem affected by this "Have and Have-Not" scenario? Good Lord, grown adults elected by all of their constituents set this into motion for only a few of their constituents.
It is unconscionable to actually have parents and school board members who would take the time to verbalize and create segregationism in this way. As a parent of a gifted child, I understand the need to take the best performing students and accelerate their learning. I do not understand creating an atmosphere where a gifted child who already feels different is ever going to understand how to get along with all people if he is segregated into only "his kind." It creates elitism.
Moreover, the Hammond people (and Natalbany people) who are paying for this tax can't even send their children to the school. Well, most of them can't. Of the thousands of children in Hammond, this tax all taxpayers pay, only funds 327 children to attend. And on top of that, Louis Joseph's grandchild, who lives in Loranger, attends because I saw her photo on the School Board website with the caption about her dad visiting her class. How many non-district, non-taxpaying parents get to send their little children? It's a glorified Lab School if you ask me. And while we're not supposed to talk about the Lab School, let's face it, children from WAY OUTSIDE the school attendence zone attend that school. I would love to see the addresses of some of those kids!
What's more, I have to wonder how many of these parents and school board members actually believe they'll see Heaven while they cling to this type of thought process. St. Dismus, the thief at the cross who had a heart transformation at the end of his life went to Heaven as Jesus assured him. I think a whole lot of people actually believe a quick "I'm sorry" before their last breath will win them access. I think a whole lot of people will be rudely disappointed on Judgement Day.