- In a bold comparative analysis of The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Jada Williams, a 13-year old eighth grader at School #3 in Rochester, New York, asserted that in her experience, today's education system is a modern-day version of slavery. According to the Fredrick Douglass Foundation of New York, the schools' teachers and administrators were so offended by Williams' essay that they began a campaign of harassment—kicking her out of class and trying to suspend her—that ultimately forced her parents to withdraw her from the school.
I feel the girl's parallels are inappropriate and immature. The "white teachers as slavemasters" premise reeks of the exact same rationalizing that I've heard from plain old white kids bitching about their white (or black, or other) teachers stretching back 30 years: "My teachers don't like me!" That is not to say there is a legitimate problem in her school and others. There most certainly is a problem; but the explanations for it are not going to include something as ridiculous and crude as "whites want to keep blacks down." If you think about it for even a second, you realize that scenario would require a massive conspiracy of all white teachers and administrators throughout the U.S. Really, what benefit would a young white person making shit pay (like $20K annually) to teach black and latino kids in the ghetto have to keep those kids from learning anything substantive? There is no such benefit, thus no motive. My real concern is not that a young girl wrote a silly, inflammatory essay. My real concern is the possibility that she was in fact sanctioned and mistreated for merely having done so. Her essay should have been discussed in public, its flaws revealed plainly and objectively, while at the same time praising her for having read and processed the subject material and trying to analyze its meaning in a modern context. She should be rewarded for thinking critically (trying to, anyway); instead she is rewarded for calling white teachers slavemasters. What a waste.
Sounds like this girl was starving for instruction. I think it is likely frustrating for both teachers and students that in this day and age we still instruct to the classroom and not the individual. This doesn't make any sense at all. I hope this girl has a good group of people in her life to steer her in the right direction because she is obviously bright. Also, I'm not sure how... but I feel like I've read this before. Here it is
You defeat the system by creating a study group. That is how you can get power. I think the student makes an interesting point, but someone needs to show her that her realization should be her motivation. Fight the system, but don't wait for it to change, otherwise you are giving in to the power you recognize. Douglas secretly taught himself when no one would. I should qualify that given this student's insight, it's probable that she does take self-education seriously.
I covered something like this in University on a teaching course. It isn't just about racism its class in general educate the people in power and keep the workers educated enough to do the work but not enough for them to realize what the system really is. Just look at religion for a perfect example the pope sits on a thrown made of gold and tells people a camel has more chance of going through the eye of a needle than a rich man going to heaven.
FYI: I was recently on a forum where someone mentioned that this bible parable "It is easier to fit a camel through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven" is actually referring to a place. They said that the "eye of the needle" was a gateway in to Jerusalem that was so narrow and small that a camel had to kneel down in order to enter. Therefore, Jesus' teaching is more literal than people think. If a rich man tried to enter the passage way, his camel would contain many possessions and couldn't fit but a poor man's camel would likely not even have a saddle and could fit easily. Not sure if there is ANY truth to this but I found it interesting.
That sounds like a parable created by rich Christians to make themselves feel better. Wikipedia says: The context seems to be addressing eternal life, rather than a gate: 16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’[c] and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’[d]” 20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[e] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.Not sure if there is ANY truth to this but I found it interesting.
The "eye of a needle" has been interpreted as a gate in Jerusalem, which opened after the main gate was closed at night. A camel could only pass through this smaller gate if it was stooped and had its baggage removed. This story has been put forth since at least the 15th century, and possibly as far back as the 9th century. However, there is no evidence for the existence of such a gate.
That sounds like a parable created by rich Christians to make themselves feel better.
-My initial thought as well. I agree it's definitely about eternal life or "salvation". I just did some poking around and found the same thing you did in a couple other places stating that there is no contextual evidence for such a "gate" ever existing. I also learned that the phrase "Harder to fit a camel through the eye of a needle" was not an uncommon one during the time of Christ. It was a popular saying among Jews to convey the difficulty of a task. We tend to ascribe all of these parables/metaphors to Christ and forget that he may have learned or heard many of them many times and they could have been common place. He may have used them in new and unique ways but some were certainly just the parlance of his time.... dude.