Baraka School, Achievement Gaps and "Acting White"

THE BARAKA SCHOOL FOR BOYS

Viewing the film about the Baraka school for boys initially gave me a lot of hope for the young men who were featured in the film.  I was so excited for them and the experience that they were receiving to be in a classroom setting where they were given more attention and were placed in an environment where they could simply be boys void of all of the stress they were under back in their homes, neighborhoods and school systems.  What Baraka did not do for the boys was give them an alternative.  The school, in a sense failed the boys.  The lok on their faces when their mothers told them about the discontinuation of the school was heartbreaking.  I immediately felt for them and their families facing the brunt of being left behind, once again, without a better alternative for these boys. 
After reading about the achievement gap in Michigan for Blacks to Whites, I realize that a lot of barriers were preventing the boys of Barka from succeeding.  As for systemic barriers - their classroom sizes were large so they were not receiving the attention and help that was necessary from teachers.  Also, is 76% of Black boys were not graduating from schools in Baltimore, one has to ask what's going on with the school system.  If it is a school system not invested in the children at the school, then most will fail for sure.  Individual factors that effect the Baraka boys being in the 4th quadrant lie in the fact that they each really do want a better education and to make something of their lives, but don't have the resources to do so. 
As for the differences found in the article on The Achievement Gap, I think that these findings are relevant. All students need to feel a sense of belonging. If Black students are walking in to a school where teachers may be holding racial stereotypes against them, this can hinder their learning experience.  As discussed in class, we are plagued with a nation that does not value school, teachers who may be discouraged from the desire to empower and believe in students because of giving up soon or the lack of education on how to deal with various populations of students.  In order to combat the issues faced by the lack of value on education, it's crucial that parents begin to take matters into their own hands, but then again what about parents who may have to juggle multiple jobs.  It's a tough situation, but there is hope for all of this. 
I believe that there is more so structural oppression that is going on that forces this gap for Black students.

Am I Black Enough?

In the study done on Black schools and acting white, I have gone through this.  Not in the manner that is talked about so directly in the article, but more so in my demeanor.  Oftentimes my peers at school, especially in elementary and middle school would call me "white girl" or "mixed girl" because of the way that I talked.  Since I did not use slang or talk the same way the other students did, I was called out on it.  In both middle and high school I was in magnet programs.  These magnet programs consisted mainly of  White and Asian students.  With me being one of the few Black students in these programs, it sometimes caused a rift in my relationships with Black students at school. I don't believe that "acting White" should be associated with excelling in school.  This is a misconception that has been internalized by Black students and perhaps some other minorities as well.  Since when did making good grades become something that only White students do?