Roy Couldn't Possibly Be More Wrong - And Response (8)

Spreading false information isn't only harmful, as we've been made aware recently. The spread of false information can be outright dangerous.  

Calling himself a Christian and all, Roy truly disappoints on so many levels with his recently opinion piece about black students attending predominately white schools being the cause of so much problems and grief at those schools. But then again,as Mahatma Gandhi once said, "I like your Christ. It's your Christians I question." 

As someone who once worked in the system as a parent, parent volunteer and employee, I can assure you your analysis is totally off based and actually is racist. Although you immediately deny the race part.  

Black students don't cut up any more or less than their white classmates in or out of school. That's whether the schools are private or public. You just don't hear about it when white students are caught smoking pot on school campus, bringing weapons to school (until little white jr. gets really pissed over a low grade, brings a weapon and shoots up the school) or little white junior or missy get caught on the bus, under a stairwell or empty classroom in a compromising situation. Black students are just held to a higher degree of accountability, no matter how minor, non-existing or fabricated the situation they're accused of committing.  

You cite the large numbers of black students being suspended from school, but you don't break it down as to why they were suspended in the first place. Even the predominately black schools often run by a predominately black staff have been very disappointing in the past with their going over the top with the suspensions of fellow black students for such such  idiotic excuses as the student having worn a blue shirt on a green shirt day or wearing the wrong kind or color of sneakers to school.  

Depending upon the school and its temperament, racial tolerance and other factors, those operating a particular school  and their desire to run certain students off, often create those volatile situations that later erupt into violence. And that's only when they're not purposely manufacturing and manipulating other situations the situation themselves to get a student or student suspended.  

But one thing we can agree on is there's no benefit to placing a child in a hostile environment where they're not welcome. It does infect and pollute the entire atmosphere and cause a lifetime of misery for the targeted victims. I'm just glad I no longer have children in the system or in such a hateful environment where it's impossible for them to learn. And the only remaining school age grandchild I have attends school in another state, where he's excelling extremely well academically as well as in such sports as football, swimming, track, basketball, music and art.  

Brenda Washington 

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Brenda may need to look in the mirror when calling an individual a racist as she has proven time and time again who the true racist is.  She has gone even gone one step farther with her latest masterpiece.  

While her entire opinion piece is so far off base it is almost laughable this paragraph takes the cake, “Black students don't cut up any more or less than their white classmates in or out of school. That's whether the schools are private or public. You just don't hear about it when white students are caught smoking pot on school campus, bringing weapons to school (until little white jr. gets really pissed over a low grade, brings a weapon and shoots up the school) or little white junior or missy get caught on the bus, under a stairwell or empty classroom in a compromising situation. Black students are just held to a higher degree of accountability, no matter how minor, non-existing or fabricated the situation they're accused of committing.”  

We all know her feelings about the wonderful and hardworking members of our local police departments who are spending 90 percent of their time trying to coral gang violence in our great city, but now our hard working and underpaid teachers are in on this great conspiracy against the black communities and their children as well.  

I’m not sure what media outlets she uses, but I see stories almost daily about white and black youths being arrested for crimes, both on the school grounds and off.  Maybe if Brenda would take the time to turn her blinders off and not just skip to the part of the paper that says “black”, she may be enlightened to the fact that almost all races and ethnic groups are having issues with misguided youths on many different levels.  

Unfortunately I have my serious doubts Brenda will ever be able to see past the color of a person’s skin as it seems she has a justified reason in her head that anytime a black individual is arrested no matter what the extent of the crime that is was conspired by “whitey”.  As for the problems we are incurring with some of our country’s youth I can only speculate.  

I guess I was fortunate enough to be raised by loving parents who stressed morals, values, a strong work ethic and the importance of following through with my education and if I chose to stray away from those core values, I would have to accept the outcome.  Personally I strayed from those core values for a short time and paid the price.  I didn’t make excuses and accepted the punishment handed down as I was raised there will always be consequences to ones actions, but I was fortunate that my parents cared enough to guide me back to the values I was raised with.  It’s called parenting from start to finish.  

So I will end on this Brenda.  I am fortunate enough to both work and live within a diverse setting and one thing is for sure, we all agree the lack of accountability from young youths to adults has become rampant within our society no matter what the race and it starts at home.  That is the bottom line.   It’s about time to take the blinders off and look in the mirror, Brenda, as you are part of the problem, not the solution.  

Chris Morgan
Chattanooga 

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"You just don't hear about it when white students are caught smoking pot on school campus, bringing weapons to school (until little white jr. gets really pissed over a low grade, brings a weapon and shoots up the school) or little white junior or missy get caught on the bus, under a stairwell or empty classroom in a compromising situation. Black students are just held to a higher degree of accountability, no matter how minor, non-existing or fabricated the situation they're accused of committing." 

I don't think Roy is the racist here. 

Ben Harden 

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I wonder, Mrs. Washington, why it is that every time someone presents a set of facts and or figures that you disagree with that you automatically point your finger and scream racism? 

I think Roy presented an issue and a problem that actually exist regardless of your perception. Why is it racist to state the truth? 

Instead of actually dissecting the facts and finding a solution for the problem your defense is to point your finger and say that…. “Black students don't cut up any more or less than their white classmates in or out of school. That's whether the schools are private or public. You just don't hear about it when white students are caught smoking pot on school campus, bringing weapons to school (until little white jr. gets really pissed over a low grade, brings a weapon and shoots up the school) or little white junior or missy get caught on the bus, under a stairwell or empty classroom in a compromising situation.”  

If you are going to point a finger and call (racism) I really don’t think statements like the one above give you credit to do so. 

As usual you would rather stir the pot than provide a solution. 

Mike Cox
Chattanooga 

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You don’t have to read very far before the author jumps right out at you.  Typical, vintage Brenda. 

H. David Dunn
Ooltewah 

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Congratulations on another insightful opinion piece. I admire you for continuing to speak out for social justice in spite of the same old haters who gang up on you every time their sense of white superiority is challenged.

Your opinion pieces are always well thought out, and you speak from real world experience. The reason our school system sucks is because of the ineptitude and cronyism of its white suburban leaders and their decisions that fund segregation, old fashioned separate but unequal racial segregation of our schools. It is racism, racism, racism, and it is as bad now as it has been since the early sixties. Just go back and read the race baiting in some of those old Chattanooga Free Press opinion pages, and you realize that Roy Exum and your critics simply refuse to see racism unless it wears a white hood and burns a cross in your yard. I wonder if some would even acknowledge racism in that instance.

Frank Wrinn

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Dear Brenda Washington, 

Thank you once again for standing up and telling it “like it is.” One only has to keep one’s eyes open to see that racism is still rampant in our country, and community, as is evidenced by the victory of Donald Trump and his open appeals to bigotry, racism and ethnic bias. Whether it be sitting in a courtroom watching as black kids get jail time for the same crimes that white kids get probation, to witnessing the disparity in reaction and punishment for student infractions in our schools, one has to be in complete denial, as many white Chattanoogans, including Roy Exum, evidently are, about the level of racial bias that exists in our community. 

Ms Washington, I fear that those of us who firmly believe in racial, ethnic and religious equality are in for a tough four years at the hands of white supremacists, nativists and religious bigots, but I am not going to give up and I take heart knowing that you won’t, either. We must not falter in our struggle against this latest manifestation of fascism, which the media euphemistically call “populism,” that is on the rise in our nation, and worldwide, once again. 

Harry M. Hays 

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Oh my. 

I am so sorry, Mr. Wrinn, that you have such great feelings of guilt for being born white. But I must agree with both you and Ms. Washington. Anyone with elevated levels of melanin in their skin should just be allowed to do what ever they want, when ever they want, to whom ever they want, where ever they want, with no consequences whatsoever for their actions. They should be allowed to rob their neighbors, invade their neighbors' homes, steal their cars after forcing them out on the highway, intimidate visitors to our area with threats of physical harm, and shoot indiscriminately into crowds of people for no better reason than to get a thrill. We should allow them to rape women and high school boys because they want to. We should allow them to shoot and kill women and children. 

Just think of the pressure this would take off of our jail system. It might even ease our problem of man made global climate change. 

Vicki Rodgers 

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I must say as soon as I saw the heading before reading the article I knew it was once again Ms. Washington.  She never presents solutions, she only points fingers and talking about racist, wow, just read her words over and over, “white jr,. missy white." 

If Ms. Washington is not in favor of our school system maybe she should become a leader and have schools segregated for those that don’t want to attend desegregated schools while having to obey the rules.  She should become the head honcho of the segregated schools and determine what type of discipline should be handed out. 

Come on, Ms. Washington, come up with real solutions and quit point fingers and complaining about everything, including our wonderful police department.  I have now determined without doubt by your article that you are the true definition of racist in its purest form and you should be called out. 

Unfortunately this racism problem exist on both sides.  I have many African American friends that are hard working wonderful people that never play the race card and I’m glad to call them my friends.  You, Ms. Washington, can do more good then bad if you eliminate the racist tone in your writings and seek unity not division.  2017 is upon us with a new administration that believes in unity and you can help with the process if you wish or you can keep up with the same ole same ole. 

Michael Mansfield