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In Part I, I noted that the culture in most southern small towns and rural education does not place a high value on education. For example, in my 9th grade class in a small rural school, 6 dropped out by the end of the 10th grade, and of the 14 who did graduate from the county high school, only 2 went on to college. Of my class in the country high school, 78 students, only around 15 finished college. There was no vocational education in the county.

Of those who did graduate from high school, in the county, almost all of the college graduates moved elsewhere. Of the high school graduates many either moved elsewhere to try to find a job with decent wages, or went into the military for a career. The low level of knowledge and skill among those remaining in the county meant that the county simply did not have the work force that is needed among companies paying higher wages. By the 1990s, several companies with higher paying jobs considered relocating to the country, but simply had to give up on the idea because the skilled workers simply were there. It was – and is – a vicious, unending cycle.

The poor educational system is maintained due to Anti-Black post-Reconstruction era anachronisms. First among these is that to hold Black education down, from that time on most southern superintendents are elected, not appointed. That means that they are elected because there to be elected, the views of superintendent candidates had to reflect the racism and ethnocentrism of the local population if the candidate wishes to be elected. Educational expertise and leadership skills are secondary, if they are desired at all. Through the 1960s southern school superintendents were elected because they supported separate and unequal education for Blacks. Since then the bias remains in districts with elected superintendents.

Similarly, there are no qualifications required for a person to run for all local school board seats. Again, congruity with local political attitudes and beliefs is the central factor for elections. Many elected school board members are simply high school graduates, and more than a few across the south are school dropouts.

wordywalt 9 Aug 8
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12 comments

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0

Explains why most of what they do is so stupid

bobwjr Level 10 Aug 13, 2021
1

Most rural idiots are Republicans. They cling to their Bibles, Guns, and Racism.

1

Excellent post and from my experience accurate.

4

There are many studies which corroborate your observations. I have recently used them in my studies of racial conflict in the Western world.
In the Western world, education is given equally to the majority of the people with a strong basis in science except in the USA. As a comparative with Europe, America's stance on educating the masses is based on local income producing an aristocracy of knowledge and class over meritocracy like Europe has.
Very sadly, I have met or engaged with far fewer Americans with an understanding of the world and what makes it work than European/Canadian/Australian or New Zealanders. At least on this site, I have encountered enlightened Americans.
With this divide in education comes the growth of 'Ignorance culture'. Wherein people become trapped in their given level of stagnant ignorance because of peer pressure. Bright pupils will find themselves bullied into not advancing or exploring education. Religion (Evangelical) supports the status quo, as people must not question the religion.
If you would like direction to some of the studies, I'd be glad to pass them over. Likewise I'd like to write more, but I've things to do..

2

Does this explain why an Australian politician has just quoted an Ezra Klein as saying that he "paints a picture of his country splitting into a lower-risk areas such as New York and Massachusetts (due to high vaccination rates and social distancing measures), and high-risk states like Texas and Florida ‘where the politics have settled nearer to a live-free-and-die-coughing approach’?

2

I grew up in Bourbon Missouri, slightly more than a wide spot in the road. I got married at the end of my sophomore year of high school and dropped out halfway through my junior year, pregnant. I was a straight A student, but no one in my family had ever gone to college- hell, no one in my family had ever graduated high school! Dad dropped out in like 8th grade, and mom married him the day after her 15th birthday. The guy I'd married had joined the Navy so I got away from that town or I'm sure I'd still be there. I ended up being the first person in my immediate family to graduate from college (some of my cousins beat me to it) and I got a masters degree; 3 of my 4 kids have a college degree and the 4th is almost halfway to her bachelor's.

Part of the problem is the way we fund schools- property taxes. This guarantees that poor communities stay poor because their education stays poor. When I lived in St. Louis, I remember thinking about 2 school districts no more than a few miles apart, one of which was struggling even to provide students with new textbooks, and the other with good books as a fancy new building, an outstanding football field, a new track, etc etc etc. All the best for those who can afford to live in that area. All the shit for the poor kids...

3

I have read many things that talk about small town regressive mindset. Also, some of the things that have talked on the neuro science/psychology of its affects. Because of all of my learning, and continuation of it, I think xianity is one of the greatest tragedies to happen to us homosapiens.

1

Plan for failure and being poor, and it happens.

4

This is so important for people to understand. Thanks for sharing. 😉

5

So sad, and so rage-inspiring. Think about the amazing minds we've failed to grow and nurture because of something so base and ugly as racism. Fucking waste. Why is our society falling behind the world's best in multiple dimensions?...we did this to ourselves.

3

I was at my daughter's elementary school , and overheard a teacher conducting a class . The teacher couldn't even speak using correct grammar . I rather suspect she was given her teaching job under some kind attempt to provide equal jobs for African Americans ( am I aloud to say that ?)

Sure you’re allowed to say anything you wish! But given an education degree requires at minimum four years at a university, and most state require additional certifications, your statement comes across as ignorant.....🤔

@Buck I'm wondering how she managed to graduate , without learning the basic grammar rules . My statement was accurate . I'm very sorry your mind is so closed that you can't even accept that there is most definitely a problem with our educational system , when the teacher can't even use proper grammar . I'm sorry to report the ignorant bit is from you .

@Buck I do not think she is ignorant, she is probably thinking of one person for whom what she states is true. I know people with Ph. D.s that cannot write a sentence or give a logical thought. They do not hold teaching positions but would be more than qualified in some states.

Your statement is ignorant gibberish until it includes something other than your “opinion” to back it up. Now unless you have some “facts” to offer that suggest she was hired because of her “race”, than you are indeed just spouting your “ignorant” opinion....🤨

I suspect the instructors poor spoken grammar would have been fine I they were white. Or at the very least you wouldn’t have questioned how they got their job if it was a white teacher with poor grammar. 🙂

@Buck You "suspect". WelL I suspect you are a pompus person.

@dalefvictor Your comment reminded me of a neighbor I had years ago. Brilliant woman, she lived with a brilliant cancer researcher, she was going for her Ph.d, house was neat, great cook, her child was well behaved. At a summer cook out it became clear she did not know how or could not use a fork or spoon. She ate with her fingers. Desert was blueberry pie.
If you knew nothing about her back ground you'd think she was developmentally challenged.

You are questioning another person's command of English and you say "am I aloud to say that?"? Aloud?

Oftentimes black Americans speak in the dialect they learned as children, just like everyone else does. This dialect and pronunciation, however, is often seen by white people as erroneous and therefore wrong and inferior. White people expect every black person they see to use their "white voice" when engaging with white people.

@editor20 Thank you for correcting me . I should have written allowed . I freely admit to my error .

@editor20 I have read that during the slavery era , a situation I strongly detest , captives were transported and sometimes learned bits of a second language onboard ships and that some foreign words crept into their languages, before they were deposited here . I've read that both their native tongue and the bits of language they learned on board the ships became a part of the English they later learned . That was many generations ago . As a tax payer , I've been supporting twelve to thirteen years of "free." education for everyone for over sixty years . The grammar rules weren't written with color designators . I would think , that if you choose to teach , you should learn first and teach in a manner that shows you actually know the things you are teaching , our next generation . On this site , being Agnostics , we recognize that what we were taught about religion , as children , didn't make any kind of logical sense . We gave it a lot of thought and decided what we were taught simply wasn't right . So we changed our way of thinking . Yes , sometimes children learn poor grammar as children from uneducated parents . On the other hand , if they have indeed managed twelve or thirteen years of , "free education ," plus another four years of collage minimum , plus earning educational certificates , that they would make a point of teaching correct grammar usage .

@Alienbeing I suspect that your grammar sucks as bad as you do! Carry on my new illiterate friend.....🙃

@Alienbeing Really, if you didn’t have an argument to offer one way or another, seems like you would just keep your ignorant shithole shut instead of announcing what an ass you are?!👀

@buck ........ Try some zanaz, t. I. D. 0. 125 mg. Thats a minimal dose, usually it will do the trck. Give it 2 or 3 weeks, let me know how it works out.

@holdenc98 Try shutting your shithole too, and fuck off while you’re at it!😎

@editor Asking permission to pose a racially loaded question based on opinion with no facts to back up her accusation? She’s likely one of those folks that likes to say, “I’m not a racist, but.....”🤔

@editor20 Not exactly. I just expect proper English and at least a good try at pronunciation. I am just as critical of any severe Southern twang.

@Cast1es Why do you say that the grammar rules were not written with color designators? This is completely wrong. The rules for "standard" English have always been written to match the prevailing white majority dialect and usage.

3

Thank u for this post .

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