Race Requirements
“There is so much more to learn than the insides of a classroom” - Lemara Lindsay-Prince
Watching the American college system through English eyes is amazing as I pick out all the weird and wonderful things about it. And while I can only talk about my time here at Temple so far, I’m sure other people on their year abroad now would agree with me.
The other day I asked my professor to explain why the kids here are they way they are. Why they seem really relaxed in class, why they turn up to class with full blown meals of Chinese, Mexican or slices of Pizza, walk in and out of class when they feel like it and turn up and hour late to an hour and twenty minute class. It’s been baffling me for some time and I actually took a bit of offence to the fact that they could have this blatant casual attitude to learning and lack of respect for the classroom. I never understood why until my teacher said, “the American school system is a factory, you clock in – get your work done and clock out”.
From my time here I’ve seen some who here have no desire to extend what they learn inside the classroom – outside. When I asked one student why they do all the above she said “I have to take this class in order to graduate” – not for pure passion or wanting to learn but if this box is not ticked they can’t move on.
You see there is a policy here at Temple that says in order to graduate you MUST take a race class and it just so happens that all the disregard I see in these students is in every single African American studies class I take.
I have a mixed personal opinion on this and it stems from what I said before how SOME students have this relaxed attitude in class and a lack of desire to learn about all things African American.
Firstly, the understanding of the concept of race, is crucial in understanding a lot of things. How can a sociological construct create the biggest racial dichotomy? It partly serves as an answer for racism but by tracing everything back to that “unthinking decision” to enslave Africans eons ago you get today the argument that although not living in a system of racialized chattel slavery, the mechanisms that keep them oppressed are still in existence today.
It’s also crucial in our understanding of America: it’s society, it’s culture and it’s history. When we look at America today, I personally hold it above other nations as being the leading country in the world – although my opinion is changing on that when I hear the furore over universalhealth care however, songs proclaim that here is a place where dreams are made of and there is nothing you can’t do but in actuality that is so far from the truth. Although that song highlights a particularly state it is built on words to describe a nation.This supposed great nation was built on a lie, on notions of liberty and freedom that were only extended to one type of people. Not every man was created equal in America and it is through The Declaration of Independence that is on view a couple of subway stops away from me and The Constitution that slavery and racism were sanctioned de jure and continue de facto today.
It really is thrilling stuff (as you can see I went in a little deep there) but it’s thrilling to ME! And while I’m not saying that you have to be an African American Studies major to understand and want to learn all these things, from my experience at Temple you have a bit more passion about it which SHOWS and your pursue it out of the classroom as well as in!
I’m just saying. People sit in my classes who are Communications or Business majors and make really random statements that I believe not only come from a position of ignorance but mostly innocence of not knowing truly knowing what they are being taught. You also get students who vehemently oppose what they are being taught as I have witnessed in a rather heated Dimensions of Racism class I am taking here. They get angry and hurt by what the teacher is saying but if they took it outside the classroom, learnt not to take what the professor says as the only authority on this matter and learn outside the classroom – I’m not saying they would know more but maybe have a better critique and understanding of where he is getting his knowledge from.
A guy walked out of class two weeks ago after a disagreement with a professor only to return on the day we had a mid-term. He couldn’t give a damn about the class and was more focused on fulfilling his requirement.
I have a professor who believes that until America discusses the issue of race then the nation simply can’t move on and while many would see my African American studies classes as rooms for discussion, you don’t solve the above problem by imposing these theories on people. There’s one thing in learning and being told to learn.
In the next coming weeks I will choose my Spring classes and all the classes I chose will be because I want to, not because I have to.
Talking is good but to talk because your graduation is at stake? How much talking are you really going to do? Either a lot because you like to, or a little just to get passed. What was it someone told me in class “I’m just trying to get my 10% for class participation and get the hell on outta here!”
……
You don’t solve a nations problem by making a race class compulsory and if this is Temple’s solution to the problem it’s wrong. I deserve and the professors deserve more attention and respect for their class.
Your thoughts?
where to start? this is such a great post, lemara. you have some serious insight. the american system is broken. i think it stems from many different sources, all ending up at the same point– the unaffected youth of america. it’s not just that they don’t care about school. they don’t care about anything. everything is a “clock in/out” situation. i think a lot of it has to do with a value system centered around personal gain. “what do i get?” “how will this make me money?” “what’s in it for me?” these sentiments are our driving force. most kids in college don’t want to be here. ask around. hell, just look around. you described it perfectly. education isn’t about learning. it’s about getting something. a piece of paper that gets you a higher paying job. and it never has to be about learning! undergraduate education is designed so you get “the basics” and a little bit of something you care about (or, at least decide what to major in). i’d like to know why these kids don’t know the basics already.
as a returning student, i find it particularly frustrating. i would give anything to be here (in fact, i am)! it’s almost soul crushing to be in classes that move me, really truly speak to my spirit, while sitting next to someone checking their facebook on their iphone. i want to say to them: “leave. please, drop out of school and come back when you’re ready. in the meantime, i need the financial aid you’re taking up. and there is someone who would give the world to be sitting in your seat. so please, leave and let them have it.”
requirements are crazy. as angry as i get at the folks in my race class who are just there for the requirement…i know i feel the same way in my french class. but, i also try desperately to take as much as i can from those required classes. since i’m paying a crapload to take them, and i don’t have a choice. sometimes, it’s a blessing in disguise. i am now an Black Studies major because i took a required course with Dr. Monteiro. of course, i would *love* to be able to take just the ones i want. it feels like a waste of my time, energy, and money. but i love to learn. so i put up with it.
i would be interested to hear your thoughts on the greater american school system. if you think college is bad, you should see our public school system.
i’m sorry this is so long. believe it or not, i cut it almost in half cause i realized it was out of hand. =)
I enjoyed reading your blog . I am a college professor and I think your opinions and comments are mostly spot on. The apathy and disrespect you speak of is not just because this course was African American History. I teach Art, and have a very open classroom based on morals and respect, not judgmental of race, creed or color. I think disrespect in the classroom is commonplace. Today I had a student tell me that he “did not do the homework” that was due. because “he had not planned to do the homework, it didn’t fit his schedule.”
My Art History professor in undergrad would lock the door when class started. He was an amazing professor at WMU, he is gone, he taught African Art History. Jerry Abramson………..
Woman, I haven’t even read this in full-but I’m adding you to my blog roll. You do the same, and send me these pics from the Art Expo. I was blogging about them and realized your pics would probably do them so much more justice. K? Mwuah!