Janice Harvey, Colorblindness, F Minus in Pedagogy

Janice Harvey, Colorblindness, F Minus in Pedagogy

Like many liberal minded people Janice Harvey, a columnist for Worcester Magazine, is influenced by racial stereotypes. In her March 26, 2015 column she not only attacked every Black person expressing an opinion about North High School, but she also defamed them by attributing ulterior and selfish motives to their opinions. So Ms. Harvey, which Black person do you agree with in the City of Worcester?  Are you waiting for Clarence Thomas to return?

There is evidence of racism, albeit the “White Woman’s Burden complex” in her column.  Ms. Harvey mentions Turtleboy in her column, but does not attack him. She does not even mention that Turtleboy is an alleged sexual harasser.  In effect Ms. Harvey gives Turtleboy’s racist rants uncritical publicity, while attacking the Black people of Worcester.

The American Justice System should strive towards the goal of being colorblind. I suppose this is the reason that Lady Justice is blind folded. Although a noble goal in law, we Black people know that the American Justice System is not colorblind. The impact of the American Justice System has always had a disparately adverse impact on us so called “minorities”. It is for this reason many in the Black community consider School Committee woman Briancharia’s insistence of the presence of the police, Department of You Services, and the District Attorney in the schools to be potentially more harmful than good.

The education of children and its various pedagogies should never be color blind. On this issue Ms. Harvey gets an F Minus.  Not only has she failed the basic s in the understanding of the education of children, she has done harm to the children by reinforcing the stereotype that education should be colorblind.  The education of children should be as individualized as possible: small class sizes are an example of this principle.

What Ms. Harvey is advocating, hopefully without mal intent, is that teachers ignore the important factors in the education of children, such as race and income. This is just plain stupid.  To be color blind means that a White teacher sees a Black child as a White child.  It also implies that poor children will be seen as middle class children. When the Black child does not respond in the same way as the White middle class child in school, colorblindness will place the blame for the “failure” on the child. 

Economics and race are the most significant factors in the educational success of children. Ms. Harvey ignoring this is harmful.

The Education Association of Worcester (EAW), the teachers’ union,  using  a contorted logic has decided to defend Ms. Harvey. Ms. Harvey is a public figure and a columnist; she can fend for herself in the realm of opinion. Whether the principal of North High School is professional is not a contract issue. The union has nothing to grieve.  As seen above Ms. Harvey does not have clean hands in the controversy she created.  The EAW should learn from the other teachers’ unions around the country that the main issue for the union is the education of the children. By fighting for better schools, better programs, and smaller classes the union ensures the good standing of the teachers. The nurses have learned this lesson by having their strike demands mainly regarding patient care.

Based on her past record, I expect Ms. Harvey will not talk with me or any Black person in the City regarding colorblindness and the adverse effects it has on the education of Black children. Hopefully she will do no more harm.