MASON CITY – North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) will hold a workshop about “Being Black In Iowa” on Monday, October 2, in the North Iowa Community Auditorium on the NIACC campus from 9:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. The class is sponsored by NIACC’s Lifelong Learning Institute and the public is invited to attend free of charge, no registration is required.
When we think about what it means to be a person of color in Iowa, the question that becomes most pressing is: How is it that Iowa continues to rank among the worst states in our country in all of the ways in which racial equity, justice and well-being are measured? These topics will be discussed in the following sessions:
Race and Our School Systems
Instructor: Daniel Spikes
How can we increase awareness of the disparities surrounding race in our school systems in order to promote best practices to “ameliorate these disparities”?
Iowa’s African American History
Instructor: Krystal Gladden
Iowa was one of the first states in the U.S. to officially integrate its public schools in 1867, just two years after the Civil War ended. This and so much more is part of Iowa’s wealth of African American history. From York, the first African American in Iowa and member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, to the early 1900s integrated coal mining town of Buxton, African American’s have made an indelible mark on Iowa’s history and culture.
21st Century Jim Crow: What do the data suggest?
Instructor: Corey Harris
One of the best outcomes of the No Child Left Behind Act, which was enacted on January 8, 2002, by George W. Bush, was the requirement that all schools break out results on annual state tests by both the student population as a whole and by “subgroup” students. According to the law, schools that did not meet achievement targets for subgroup students were to be subject to increasingly serious sanctions. Although different groups of traditionally overlooked students–including racial minorities, students in special education, English-language learners, and low-income students—were now part of every school’s focus, it did next to nothing to close the behavioral and academic disparity gaps that have long exited between non-white and white students, especially black students. Any truth or data which even remotely suggest any parallels to the practices of Jim Crow must be effectively addressed. Current data suggest that we need a grand wake-up call in the midst of a long slumber of indifference to racial minority, disabled, English-language learner, homeless, and low-income students.
The Law and Racial Justice
Instructor: Daniel Zeno
What is the current pending and proposed legislation affecting people of color, and what are the legal issues concerning racial justice being addressed by the ACLU of Iowa in the courts? How we can all engage our legislators and local councils, boards and commissions to make the changes that are necessary in our State?
Please contact Darshini Jaywardena, Director of the Lifelong Learning Institute, at 641-422-4271 or email jayawdar@niacc.edu with any questions.
NIACC’s Lifelong Learning Institute focuses on fun, friendship and college level learning.
True statement – NOT ALL EDUCATED PEOPLE are smart but more obvious their are more than a few of them who have no common sense or assume responsibility for their slimy lifestyle while educating our so called common core kids. Shameful.
You people are utterly and outrageously disgusting. Your comments only reflect what continues to be grossly wrong with our society – ignorant and uneducated racists. It’s time we wake up and smell the damn coffee – we have an embarrassingly racist world and to pretend we don’t, or to turn a blind eye, is even more ignorant. It sickens me to the core to think we are surrounded by people with such views who think that another HUMAN BEING is someone less deserving. You all need a serious wake-up call to the realities of our world, and you only continue to perpetuate this issues when you pass these horrific views on to your offspring. Spend a day outside of your white privilege shell and you may understand what our fellow human beings face on a daily basis simply because of the color of their skin. Sickening.
Owning a drivers licences is a ‘privilege’ not a right. As long as one obeys the rules of the law then all should be good. It appears you are in possession of a higher education, albeit a book smart one, which does not necessarily make you intelligent. Words such as sickening, ignorant, disgusting, and yes, racist speak volumes on bitterness. It is you who is racist for you view peoples by the color of their skin. Being intelligent means the color of one’s skin does not cross your mind for even a second of time. People are genuinely looked upon as human beings as it should be. None the less it is good to vent now and then. Have a nice day!
You seem to be an emphatic and gifted person, so it is with all due respect that I’m telling you that you have no clue – NO CLUE – what is “grossly wrong with our society”. In fact, your post pretty well summarizes the set of fundamental misunderstandings that caused the Democratic party to nominate Her, and subsequently America to be run by a senile madman.
“NOBODY CARES”
And this is going to accomplish, what.
Truth hurts – One MAIN reason these people are coming in from detroit – shitcago IS – The welfare money has run out in their states and Iowa has a reserve – SO your uncle sam gets in the transportation business – their not coming here for jobs – far from the fact – welfare -hud dud – ebt – debit cards – come on I can only consume so much Demorat bullshit and I have to call you liars out and vote you out – PS – Obama did the kneel for Michael all the time – what’s the big deal.
Honest Abe was a Clinton dream _ During the civil war old lanky owned a cartage company in New York – contracted out to haul war goods ( Food guns to our Union soldiers – when things got a little slow he also hauled for the southern Armies – sort of like Hillery and her gun running operation involving the cia to supply weapons to ISIS – This is why she is not in jail and why Abbey was the inspiration for the corrupt clinton foundation.(or the rape of Haiti – do a little google time and read more than one article and you won’t have to kneel like the dim wit millionaire coconut chuckers.
By the way Iowa women are beautiful. You should respect them.
Iowa is filled with older people and young children which is on pace with an agronomy society. All the others in betweens with a first rate education in respect move to greener pastures to seek their fortunes. And the myth of Iowans doing really well elsewhere rings true and true. Iowans are known for their hard work ethics and truthfulness. No matter who you are if you embrace Iowan values you will be most welcomed in partaking of it’s first rate communities. So, as George Washington said ‘I didn’t chop down the cherry tree it was Abe.’ lol
How to land fat white women, game the welfare system, and avoid employment.
Professor Dindu Nuffin
A must attend class for any new Chicago arrivals, aimed to initiate into Iowa society.
Political correctness aside all races have been a slave to another on this planet at one point in time. Why is it when disaster strikes the looters come out in droves hauling away TVs and boxes of the high dollar shoes. People in Iowa do not do this because this is how it is. I personally know several victims of random violence and robbery and again this does not fly in Iowa. So, if your moving to this blissful and idyllic countryside that is Iowa you need to adjust to our values and norms. And disrespecting what the American flag represents is a step in the wrong direction.
What are you talking about? Your honest abe moniker couldn’t be farther from the truth.
And your “Bodacious” handle is an honest representation?? Me thinks not!!
I agree with you but I like the word ‘bodacious’. When I post, people know it is me but to use Honest Abe (a direct reference to President Lincoln) as a moniker and then spit out racial b.s. is wrong. It is disrespecting Mr. Lincoln. And you righties know all about disrespect.
What racist comments? Abe speaks the truth and you democrats just can’t stand to hear the truth. Get your head out of your arse and look around.
^^fake Honest Abe^^
Can I get a greyhound to take me ?
Who is the most ugliest and looney crime bitch of our time ? Merkel or Clinton – AND NO you cannot add your ex-wifes name to this poll!
I would suggest that a number of people who post on this site should attend.
Sorry Bodi, taking someone else’s life experience into account and thinking critically when forming an opinion would probably make me want to kill myself.
Sincerely,
Most posters on NIT
Thanks for clearing that up BK.
Bodi is a lifelong liberal and a serial whiner. She is what is wrong with this country today. It is hard to imagine someone like that teaching our children.
Not hard to imagine at all. The libs have taken over the education system in this country. Bodie is just one who thinks they are smarter than the rest of the people, i. e. the ones who pay their salaries. Locally they just put Steckman on the Board of Education. They are better organized than the folks who pay for and want a good education for the children.
Who would you suggest pay teacher’s salaries? How much do you think they are worth? $5 an hour? $10? $20? For your information, teachers pay taxes too. Probably more than you. And LVS, if I am what is wrong with this country today, explain why you believe that. Is protest un-American? Should I blindly believe what our President says and never question our policies? Should I accept the fact that people are mistreated in this country and singled out because of their skin color? Should I accept Neo-Nazis as good people? Should I abandon the elderly, poor and unfortunate? Should I turn a blind eye to the hypocrisy of forced patriotism? No, I don’t think so.
You better lay off the THC Bodie! Why would you think that I think that someone else should pay the teacher’s salaries?
As for how much they should should be paid in Mason City it would be substantially less than they make now. This is based on their performance. Then we could talk about raises based increased results.
Being an ex-teacher where do you stand on drug testing for teachers? I’ve never heard you opine on this subject.
Where do you stand on the Anita Marie Micich debacle here in Mason City? As you know, she walked with >$285,000 of taxpayer money. And, I’m sure she did it for the kids, right Bodie? I’ve never heard you opine on this subject either.
If you believe that we could get quality teachers to come to Mason City if they were paid “substantially less” than they make now, you are sadly mistaken. The educational system in Mason City is ok right now. The problem is that too many people (like you) believe that teachers are in teaching for the money (or the mistaken belief for the 3 months off in the summer) nor are they valued as necessary components of our society. When was the last time you were in a school for any reason other than an extra-curricular event? If you have children, when was the last time you went to a parent-teacher conference? Or volunteered for something at the school? Run for the school board? Anything?
As for drug testing teachers, why? Most school districts now require a drug test before hiring. Do you think they should be tested once a week? Where is the money going to come from to do this testing? Drug testing labs usually bill insurance for the test but the school is responsible for part of the cost. These companies are charging insurance companies, in some cases, anywhere from $1,000-$10,000 per test. You want to know why insurance costs are skyrocketing? I am not against drug testing school employees, but I think a person’s effectiveness in the classroom is more important.
As for Ms. Micich, I am not a fan, never was, and never will be. She ripped off Mason City and Clear Lake’s school district and should have been removed from her position.
Happy now?