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Monday, August 20, 2007

Are Racial Problems "History" In CCSD?

Posted by Greg Hambrick on Mon, Aug 20, 2007 at 10:43 AM

Been wrapped up in the part of my job I get paid for, but enough of my petty excuses…

New School District Superintendent Nancy McGinley sits down with Diette Courrége to talk about the job. Her answer on racism in Charleston may seem to some as either hopeful or naive:

I think that the issue of inner-race relations and integration is not unique to Charleston. I think it’s an issue all across America that people are struggling with. I think there’s more people of good will and good intentions in Charleston than there are people who want to keep barriers up, at least that’s been my experience. I have many, many people who have reached out and supported equity and diversity and see the benefits of that – both African-American and Caucasian families who want their children to be educated in a diverse setting because they know their children will inherit is a world of diversity. Most people that I know value diversity as an asset and a strength, not as something they want to divide us. So I think there are challenges here. There most definitely is a history here that we have been separate. We have not necessarily talked about race, but I think there is now an atmosphere that that past is not how we want to define the future.

I’ll side with hopeful. But saying we have a "history" of segregation misses the reality that we have a continuing problem with segregation. If McGinley's going to talk about race problems, it certainly shouldn't be in the past tense.

Topics: Schools

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How about not defining the future with the present either?

Posted by downtown on August 20, 2007 at 11:32 PM | Report this comment
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Improved race relations is a two way street. It is very evident that white community, not only in the low country but Nationwide, is reaching out more and more to the black community to help build a unified community. Unfortunately the reverse cannot be said about the black community and until this changes there will only be more frustration.

Posted by West Ashley on August 21, 2007 at 9:23 AM | Report this comment

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