This precious Black male is a 3rd grader by the name of Edmund. He’s an outstanding student, he already has a 3.83 GPA and he has above average scores as well as above average when it comes to his school’s test scores; language arts, math, and science. Just as importantly, he has a huge, giving heart. His mom says:
“We attribute his success to doing our best as parents and the great education he is getting at a local charter school, Gateway Science Academy.”
But apparently the human and soul this child possess doesn’t matter nor do his achievements. At least, not to the state of Missouri. He misses his friends as he has attended the school since kindergarten. Staff at Gateway Science Academy want to have this law changed; some of the teachers and staff have signed his petition to allow him to attend the school.
But again; a huge slap has hit right in our face as this gifted and talented 3rd grader is being denied the right to equal treatment and equal opportunity. The racism against the Black community would struggle to be any more blatant than what this child and his family he is going through.
His mother was informed he would be able to attend the school if they moved St. Louis county, as opposed to St Louis. But that is not why he is not allowed to go back to his school. A white child would be able to transfer schools in his situation; this is strictly because he is Black.
That and the Missouri government not only refusing to take action immediately -as they should- but furthermore, some educational boards in the state or area of STL are trying to deny it is about race and that this could happen to anyone. Thankfully not all are so stupid and at least own up to the fact that it has to do with a past desegregation law -from 1980s- which is hampering Black children rather than helping them.
There are some as I said who at least admit that white kids would be allowed to transfer and this is due to the color of his freaking skin! Anyone whom could stand behind this has to be soulless; absolutely heartless.
This is an ACTIVE STATE LAW, EXISTING TODAY IN MISSOURI. To quickly summarize this law (I’ll provide links below) in the 1980s the state of Missouri created a law which was supposed to let Black children desegregate and allow them to enter white schools. That same law is now preventing Black children that live in the country from transferring to a city school.
As his mother has said, IF IT WERE SIMPLY DUE TO CHANGE IN LOCATION THAT HE COULD NOT ATTEND SHE WOULD UNDERSTAND. BUT IT IS NOT DUE TO THEIR CHANGE IN LOCATION AND THIS IS ADMITTED AND WRITTEN IN LAW.
It’s actually legal, STILL, in Missouri to say he cannot live in one location and also continue receiving the preferred, higher quality education, for one reason and one reason only: he is Black.
“He is such a humble kid. His teacher told me that one of the first things she thought was that he was going to come in and be all like, I’m cool. He comes in like nothing’s happened. But he does think it’s pretty cool. He’ll ask me every day, ‘Mom, how many signatures do we have on our petition?’ He’s excited about that.”
But, she added, the family realizes that its drive to keep Edmund where he is might not succeed.
The ACTUAL problem is the state government’s refusal to change the law despite the schools wishes, parents wishes and of course, the child’s wishes. But as of yet, the government isn’t willing to do the moral and intelligent thing and get rid of a law which discriminates and dismisses any Black student from receiving the same quality education their white peers or classmates receive without issue.
“In the long range, how might the broader situation be changed to avoid future situations like Edmund’s? Glaser at VICC admits he doesn’t have a definitive answer. He notes that the current program won’t be allowed to continue forever, but he isn’t sure what will replace it, or who will draw up the rules.” [More Below]
This is absolutely outrageous, heartbreaking and I hope this family and the community will fight to hell and back over. What’s more is some of you white people have the audacity to deny being light skinned means you have a privilege others don’t. I HATE THIS ‘PRIVILEGE’!!!!
And you better believe I would give it away in a second unless all people could receive it!… However, it sickens me to say that is not how things are right now and white people need to wake up, realize and stop their racist behaviors, become aware and stop taking advantage of a racist, unjust country. Instead whites need to admit the truth, no matter how shaming it is, how enraging and demeaning it makes one feel. I loathe it; I loathe sharing the skin tone of people who inflict things such as this upon others due to skin color.
I am lucky and grew up in the Black community. From a very young age I saw the racism and at 14 I saw a Black male crying as he was hogtied, laid face down while cops ignored his pleas for help and asked each other how they were doing. I watched as this man cried, begged for help, called out for others, and I watched in sheer hatred as his soul left his body.
When he left, I felt a part of myself leave me. Something died within me as he was allowed by the police to suffocate to death because he had fallen asleep in White Castle. He had narcolepsy and so of course the cops were called. Cops. Around 20 were there when he left this earth. He had done NOTHING.
Since then, I’ve used these past 10 years to fight back against racism especially with the police department and victims. It’s far worse than makes the media; and what makes the media is not even a tiny fraction of this horrific terrorism too many people have to live with.
SO DO NOT DARE APPROACH ME AND TELL ME RACISM IS NOT REAL. Any white person that blind looks like the idiot, ignorant, racist fool or cruel fool that they are. It’s disgraceful to those who actually give a damn.
Change needs to come. Let’s get this child what he deserves; the best school he can attend and make sure as hell the state of Missouri doesn’t REST until this racist law is removed!
Petition his mom is asking everyone to sign.
As the controversy surrounding Edmund’s plight persists, officials at Gateway Science Academy say they are searching for a solution.
“We’re so pleased that he wants to stay here,” said Janet Moak, assistant principal at the school. “We take that as speaking to the quality that we have offered here at the charter school. We really want to support him in those efforts, but at this point, nothing has been finalized.”
Moak wouldn’t talk about what options are being considered. State law says flatly that “a charter school may not charge tuition,” so that avenue is out. Edmund could remain without the state reimbursing the school for his attendance, but Moak wouldn’t say whether that is a viable choice.
She did say that there is no deadline for a decision to be made, only that the school hopes to resolve it soon.
In the long range, how might the broader situation be changed to avoid future situations like Edmund’s? Glaser at VICC admits he doesn’t have a definitive answer. He notes that the current program won’t be allowed to continue forever, but he isn’t sure what will replace it, or who will draw up the rules.”
He notes that the current program won’t be allowed to continue forever, but he isn’t sure what will replace it, or who will draw up the rules.
A charter school may not charge tuition — Missouri state law
“Would it be something that all the districts in the St. Louis metropolitan area could voluntarily agree to, with the approval of local boards of education?” he asked. “Would it take a federal court order? A legislative decision? I’m really not sure.”
….But, he noted, as schools move away from the traditional enrollment pattern of attending class where you live, and with a general orientation toward greater cooperation among St. Louis area government agencies, school districts could easily be included in whatever evolves. LINK TO THIS ARTICLE HERE.
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