Harry Brighouse: Schools should not put blame for achievement gap on staff
The Capital Times
By Harry Brighouse
September 29, 2004
This week the Madison School District entered year two of Courageous Conversations, with an in-service program led by Glenn Singleton of the Pacific Education Group.
Like all other school districts in the United States, Madison is troubled by the minority achievement gap: Minority children consistently perform less well than white children. In Courageous Conversations Singleton leads a districtwide dialogue in which all district employees are encouraged to face up to the facts of white privilege.
The Madison School District is reported to have paid $50,000 for the whole program; but this radically understates the real costs, which include the salaries of all employee participants.
The approach embodies two assumptions, both of which are highly questionable.