Comments on: Toronto Opens Black-Focused School http://www.feministsdontbakebread.com/2008/01/31/toronto-opens-black-focused-school/ Neither do they knit. Apparently. Thu, 04 Dec 2008 05:17:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Seth http://www.feministsdontbakebread.com/2008/01/31/toronto-opens-black-focused-school/#comment-1743 Seth Thu, 28 Feb 2008 04:23:01 +0000 http://www.feministsdontbakebread.com/2008/01/31/toronto-opens-black-focused-school/#comment-1743 I believe that things such as quotas and affirmative action, and such exclusionary themes in education as is laid out in the quoted article, are horrible ideas in a society in which everyone starts off on the same level and has the same opportunities for personal growth. Our society, however, is not such an egalitarian Utopia. To help make it so, or at least make it a bit closer to a world in which one's dangly-bits and melanin content have nothing to do with their social status, such measures are often necessary. It is unfortunate that much of the objections to this move will stem from a fantasy of egalitarianism. People who will decry the school will think themselves noble, justified. But for the most part they will be in support of a system which is already geared against non-Europeans and non-males. Instead of expending energy protesting against the opening of this school, and so supporting the status quo, their efforts would be much better served by doing something to realize the fantasy of equality among humans that we are taught we have already achieved. I believe that things such as quotas and affirmative action, and such exclusionary themes in education as is laid out in the quoted article, are horrible ideas in a society in which everyone starts off on the same level and has the same opportunities for personal growth. Our society, however, is not such an egalitarian Utopia. To help make it so, or at least make it a bit closer to a world in which one’s dangly-bits and melanin content have nothing to do with their social status, such measures are often necessary.

It is unfortunate that much of the objections to this move will stem from a fantasy of egalitarianism. People who will decry the school will think themselves noble, justified. But for the most part they will be in support of a system which is already geared against non-Europeans and non-males. Instead of expending energy protesting against the opening of this school, and so supporting the status quo, their efforts would be much better served by doing something to realize the fantasy of equality among humans that we are taught we have already achieved.

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