On race: Think about the big picture

Palm Coast Observer
Opinion

The race report published on the front page this week raises an uncomfortable question: Do Flagler schools unfairly punish black students?

That’s the allegation made by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The SPLC presented data showing that while only 16% of Flagler students are black, 32% of all students who are suspended are black.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t make Flagler County unique. In fact, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported almost identical numbers in Volusia County schools, and the SPLC itself said the data show a problem in all 67 counties in the state.

It seems the SPLC is trying to make an example of Flagler County — possibly at random, which doesn’t sound fair. My experience with teachers and administrators here has always been positive, and I don’t believe there is a systemic problem in Flagler County more than in other schools.

But there is a systemic problem in our great nation. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, of about 10.7 million arrests in the United States in 2009, 28% were black. The 2010 census showed that the U.S. population is 14% black, so that’s a big discrepancy.

At 14% of the population, blacks only earn 9.8% of all bachelor’s degrees, according to a 2011 report by the U.S. Department of Education. At 14% of the population, blacks represent 38% of all children in poverty, according to a 2010 U.S. Census report.

Why the discrepancies?

I don’t know. But it’s something that should be talked about. It’s something that demands our attention. And so, while I don’t see why Flagler deserves a black eye in particular for this, I do think overall it will be healthy for us to have this discussion. The SPLC probably wouldn’t have gotten anywhere by targeting the state as a whole, but it knows it can file a complaint against one county and get the media to write about it and get the district to hold workshops.

Maybe it’s for the best.

Let’s not get defensive. Let’s be leaders. Let’s be creative and think about the big picture. Black or white, it’s time for self-evaluation, and it’s time to take some positive action.