Critical Race Theory Not Closing Race Gap in Saint Paul MN Schools

Critical Race Theory Not Closing Race Gap in Saint Paul MN Schools

Aaron Benner: St. Paul Schools: Close the gap? Yes. But not this way

St Paul Pioneer Press Oct 02, 2015

As a black man, it breaks my  heart to watch these communities fall apart and to see some children who look like me behave so poorly in our schools

I blame the San Francisco-based consulting firm, Pacific Education Group (PEG) was hired in 2010 by SPPS  to help close the achievement gap.  PEG makes no secret of the fact that its prescription for closing the gap is based on the Critical Race Theory. 

First and foremost, the newly elected board must sever ties with PEG, which was charged taxpayers of St. Pau7l $3 million over the last five years, and SPPS has matched PEG with another $1.2 million.

PEG's idea of racial equity is NOT the answer. PEG stresses black culture and nothing else. What is black culture? Did PEG survey the black community of St. Paul and ask what behaviors should be acceptable in our schools?

For the record, Asians make up the largest minority group in our schools. [see other article in same issue of paper which shows Asians are lowest discipline group 15-19 times less, even lower than whites even though their test scores are lower than whites]We now have "Cultural Specialists" and  "Behavior Specialists".. an overwhelming number are black.. some of these "specialists" even reward disruptive students by taking them to gym to play basketball...

...would contradict their excuse that "black culture" accounts for such behaviors. New school board can change that

... Aaron Anthony Benner works as the African American Liason/Behavior Coach and Community of Peace Academy, a public charter school in St. Paul