School Closures Hurt Our Black-Ass Communities
Welcome to the twenty-fourth installment of This Black-Ass Life! This week we’re talking school closures, why they’re awful for all students, but especially for Black and Brown students, and what you can do about it. We’re also talking all things Black women, from winning political nominations to fighting against sexism in sports to fighting each other at swanky NYFW parties.
Don’t forget: We've managed to grow this list thanks to y'all forwarding to friends so please keep it up! If possible, forward this link to subscribe to five friends. And please send us topics you'd like to see covered in the newsletter, texts from your Black-ass people and any Black-Ass anything from around the world and web.
l. The Facts
Although there are instances where closing schools is necessary (i.e: buildings become dilapidated to unsafe levels, shifting demographics causing school mergers), district and state-run school boards have consistently closed schools in the name of “education reform.”
The last data we have on school closures is from the 2014–15 school year, where 1,573 schools were closed. Since the early 2000s, thousands of schools have been closed.
Study after study has found that school closures disproportionately displaced poor Black and Brown students in urban areas. So much so that many Black and Brown communities are now becoming “school deserts" resulting in students having to travel through long and unsafe distances to get to school. A few of the hardest hit communities:
Since 2002, New York City has closed over 90 schools.
Between 2003 and 2010, the Houston Independent School District closed 46 schools, averaging roughly 6.5 school closings per years.
In 2013, Chicago Public Schools promised closing 50 schools would help students, it didn’t.
Due to budget cuts and federal neglect before and following Hurricane Maria, about 25% of Puerto Rico's schools are shutting down or are already closed.
Why is this important?
Black and Brown students are disproportionately affected by a system that measures school success based solely on test scores and closes schools that fall below those metrics, disregarding the fact that low test scores are often due to a number of factors including divestment from schools that predominantly serve students of color.
Once their schools are closed, studies show most students do not even end up in better schools.
Further, there’s evidence students suffer when they’re shuttled to new schools that are similar in quality to the ones they attended prior.
Shuttering schools has painful consequences for students, their families, their schools and their communities at large.
What can my Black Ass do?
Demand your districts reinvest in schools rather than shutter them.
Run for your school board. Here are the qualifications.
Invest in organizations that support Black and Brown-Ass students like Advancement Project.
FYI: We both worked for Advancement Project, a civil rights organization that has filed federal suits against several school districts for closing schools in Black and Brown communities.
ll. Other Things
Dedicated to Black women who have every right to be angry.
Gillian B. White on how Serena’s loss was humiliating, but not for her.
Serena was fined $17,000, but John McEnroe literally got a reality show based on his explosive, abusive personality. And here’s a thread of every man who has called out that trifling-ass umpire who didn't get any of their points docked.
One more piece on Serena, her compassion toward Naomi Osaka and the stories we don’t hear about Black women athletes.
Stacey Abrams, Andrew Gillum and Ben Jealous were nominated for Governor of Georgia, Florida and Maryland, respectively.
Love: In 2018, Black women like Ayanna Pressley are fighting for political power — and winning.
Brett Kavanaugh got a taste of what it’s like when your Black-ass mama asked you whether you took the chicken out of the freezer and you in fact had not. We’re sure you’ve seen this interaction, but one more viewing can’t hurt.
Nicki is not pressing charges after her night with Rah Ali and Cardi.
Our Black-Ass song of the week (Mitu):
For Cardi and Nicki, with love, a Crime Mob-Scrappy classic and a Scrappy-Lil’ Jon classic.
Things we are looking forward to / things we are not looking forward to:
I (Jumoke) am not looking towards the onslaught of Bougie Black people and aspiring Bougie Black people who will arrive in the District en masse for the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference this week. For those unfamiliar with the experience that is CBC week, read this hilarious piece that our former colleague and The Root’s current editor wrote in 2014.
I (Mitu) am looking forward to the Murphy Brown reboot - Candice Bergen, certified White Auntie™.
lll. Text from a Black-Ass Grand(Dad)
Please peep that my (Mitu’s) dad signs all of his texts “Dad” unless he confuses me for one of my nieces. Then it’s “Grandpa.”
Stay Black, thrive, trust Black women and our feelings, and we’ll hit your inbox next on September 24.