16 Apr If There is an Achievement Gap, Where is it?
April 16, 2010
On April 15, my good friend and colleague Lenora Fulani delivered a brilliant statement about educational policy at the National Action Network’s Annual National Convention in New York City. Dr. Fulani, a developmental psycholoigst and political activist, co-founded the All Stars Project, Inc. and its Operation Conversation: Cops and Kids program. She made her remarks on an education panel that included NYC Schools Chancellor Joel Klein (and was followed by a talk by US Education Secretary Arne Duncan).
Dr. Fulani opened by callling for an end to the discussion about the achievement gap:
“We’ve been asked to speak today about closing the achievement gap. I want to talk to you today about closing the discussion of the achievement gap. I’ll be very blunt. There is nothing to discuss. Poor kids – including poor kids who are black or otherwise of color – do less well in school than white kids who are middle or upper class. There’s no mystery there. It’s been studied to death.”
She then spoke of some of the intellectuals whose discoveries in philosophy, psychology and education are used to develop effective and meangful approaches to the underdevelopment of poor and black children—and whose ideas are being debated worldwide. She closed with these words:
“We must demand that our leaders get themselves educated in the most innovative breakthroughs across the globe. That’s the achievement gap we need to close. And we need to close it now.”
You can listen to Dr. Fulani at YouTube — it’s worth it!
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