I've been researching elementary, middle, and high schools in the CMS system. You think segregation, and even apartheid no longer exist and/or are no longer an issue?? Think again. Here is some info on just a few middle schools in Charlotte:

• Spaugh Middle-- total population: 566

Black/Hispanic population: 94.5% Other population: 5.5%
Gifted/Talented population: 3%
Students qualifying for Free/Reduced lunch: 92.6%
Percent of 8th grade students passing math EOG: 53.8%
Percent of 8th grade students passing reading EOG: 60.2%

• Marie G. Davis Middle-- total population: 440

Black/Hispanic population: 98.2% (96.1% black) Other population: 1.8%
Gifted/Talented population: 1.6%
Students qualifying for Free/Reduced lunch: 93.6%
Percent of 8th grade students passing math EOG: 53.8%
Percent of 8th grade students passing reading EOG: 62%

• Sedgefield Middle-- total population: 585

Black/Hispanic population: 86.1% Other popluation: 13.9%
Gifted/Talented population: 3.9%
Students qualifying for Free/Reduced lunch: 82.9%
Percent of 8th grade students passing math EOG: 74.3%
Percent of 8th grade students passing reading EOG: 72.8%

• Jay M. Robinson Middle-- total population: 1,177

Black/Hispanic population: 15.3% Other population: 84.7% (78% white)
Gifted/Talented population: 21.5%
Students qualifying for Free/Reduced lunch: 9.2%
Percent of 8th grade students passing math EOG: 97.7%
Percent of 8th grade students passing reading EOG: 97.0%

• South Charlotte Middle-- total population: 1,089

Black/Hispanic population: 14.6% Other population: 85.4%
Gifted/Talented population: 24.4%
Students qualifying for Free/Reduced lunch: 9.7%
Percent of 8th grade students passing math EOG: 98.2%
Percent of 8th grade students passing reading EOG: 99.1%

These are just a few samples of only Middle Schools here in Charlotte. The data on elementary schools and high schools are consistent with this data. Do the test scores shown mean that Black and Hispanic students are just not as smart as the other kids ("other" meaning predominately white, but also Asian and a handful of Native Americans)? I hardly think so. I think it means that way too many resources are given to our suburban schools that are filled with predominately white students. When did having a school with 96.1% of the students being black become okay? What happened to the years and years of sacrifice that people made during the 60s, 70s, and 80s to ensure that children would not have to grow up in unequal schools? Has changing the terminology from "segregated" schools to "neighborhood" schools made it okay to fill schools with poor children while other schools are filled with rich white children who can afford the advantages that can get them placed in gifted & talented classes?

This is taking place right here in Charlotte. Yes, it is happening on even a bigger scale in the schools of New York City, Chicago, Detroit, Boston, and Los Angeles, but it is also happening right here. It's amazing the injustice we are willing to sit back and let happen.

(I received all of my school data from the CMS School Profiles webpage)

This is a post that I was going to post, but decided not to because, afterall, I don't want to make a bigger deal over the topic:

I've been thinking quite a bit about this whole topic of women needing to cover themselves up more so as not to cause men to sin. And I'm just not buying it. I have read a couple of people's blogs about it, and while I definitely see their well-written points, it just doesn't sit well with me. I have also had long conversations with other men and women about it--some of whom have read books about the topic, and I still don't think it is that big of a deal. I know that people can write books about anything and sell them and convince readers that the topic is truth and a big deal.

Please don't tell me that it is a woman's fault for a guy choosing to look at her lustfully. If it is that much of a problem for a man, then he needs to get a grip. And don't tell me that it is a part of human nature. Sin is a part of human nature, and we can control if we want to sin or not. I'm just in the mindset that a woman's body is what she has been given, and she should not have to feel bad if it is hot, and she should not feel bad if it isn't. Sex is everywhere we turn, but yet it is still widely forbidden, thanks to our country's Puritist roots. I think the problem with sex is more prevalent in the United States... in other western societies people aren't as screwed up when it comes to dealing with (or not dealing with) sexuality. It is because of this twisted sexual message that women have so many self-esteem problems that lead to negative behaviors such as bad eating habits, anorexia, substance abuse, adolescent pregnancies...

So where do we draw the line? Should women just start walking around covered head to toe as in the Middle East? If the problem now is low-cut shirts and pants that are a little too tight, then is the problem tomorrow going to be exposed ankles and wrists?

As someone who works with young girls everyday, I feel it is important for me to let them know how valued they are... not only how beautiful they EACH are, but how smart, talented, and gifted each of them are as well. I want them to know that they do not need to dress promiscuously in order to get attention from a male. But at the same time, I want them to not feel like they are an object, and I want them to be comfortable wearing whatever they feel is appropriate without having to worry if guys are staring at them or not. I think part of my problem with what I have heard is that it seems to objectify women. It sounds to me like people are saying that my body IS something for men to look at, and that the fact that men want to look at my body is okay, so I just need to cover it up so they won't be able to. I don't buy it. When does a girl get to simply be comfortable just being a girl?

Anyways, I am sure most of you will disagree with me, and that is fine. I haven't done any extensive research or reading on this topic, so what I am saying is simply my opinion. One neat thing about my thinking about this topic though is my new interest and involvement with Girls On the Run, a program with the mission statement: "To educate and prepare girls for a life time of self-respect and healthy living."(Check it out at girlsontherun.org.) Maybe one day girls won't have to worry about being labeled by other girls or gawked at by guys. Until then, let's all take responsibility for our own actions, let's not be so quick to judge others, and when we have a problem with what someone else is wearing, let's stop to think why, and then if it is still a problem, let's confront that person in a loving way.

I don't want to be a materialistic person. I don't want possessions to matter to me. It's hard because I feel so strongly about giving what I have to those who need it...to those, as Rob Bell puts it, who are living a hell on earth. And I can see myself giving so much more... moving to a place that costs a third of what my current home costs--I could be paying for 2 additional families who are currently living on the streets to live in a halfway decent place for a year. But I love my home and I love having nice possessions and I love convenience and I love safety. It is almost by accident that I enjoy nice things so much... I really don't want to be that way, but it just kind of happens. I can usually keep the desire in check, but not always. I know there are so many joys in life that aren't possessions... and I want to experience them as well... but so many of them cost money-- traveling, new experiences, hobbies, good food... so is it being selfish for me to want to experience these things?

God, please take the desire out of me to have expensively nice things... I feel that it is sinful and at the end of my life, I would like to look back and see all of the acts of love I commited instead of all of the nice possessions I had... can both exist? It's like my heart is telling me I have the spiritual gift of voluntary poverty, but every other ounce of my being is telling me otherwise...

There is this one kid, Elijah, who just turned 5 and is still too young to come to the Club, but his twin 7 year-old brother and sister come over daily, as well as his 10 year-old brother. Many evenings, Elijah comes running into the Club with his mother to pick up his siblings. He bounces up to me, gives me a big hug, looks up with a smile, and asks, "Can I have some candy?!" Now Elijah has a bit of a speech impediment, so it was at first difficult to understand what he was asking me. But now I know, and sure enough, everytime I see him, that is what he asks me. So today, after Elijah had crammed a grocery bag with plastic candy-filled eggs that he found, we were sitting in the grass counting them in amazement at how much candy he had received. He looked at all of his eggs, then looked up at me, and with that cute smile, said, "Miss Stephanie, now YOU can ask ME for candy next time you see me!"

I love hanging out with kids when they are in their element... when they are free to be kids... to be joyous and pensive and curious and uninhibited...

Why does life seem to take that from us as we get older?

Jesus' desire for his followers is that they live in such a way that they
bring heaven to earth.

What's disturbing then is when people talk more about hell after this life
than they do about hell here and now. As a Christian, I want to do what I
can to resist hell coming to earth. Poverty, injustice, suffering-- they
are all hells on earth, and as Christians we oppose them with all our
energies. Jesus told us to.

-- Rob Bell in "Velvet Elvis"

Tilden makes beautiful flower arrangements...

he also wakes from a dead sleep and says random, possibly profound things, and then doesn't remember it in the morning.

These are two unrelated reasons why I love him.

So Tilden and I just got back from being mesmerized by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. They are in Charlotte tonight and tomorrow night, and if I could, I would go back tomorrow night and dance along with them in the back of the theater. They were awesome. Even Tilden loved it. I wish I could take the kids from the Club to see the performance... so many of them love to dance, and this would open their eyes to the vastness of modern dance. There are a couple of videos you can watch at alvinailey.org, but if you ever get the chance to see the company in person, go.

So I was just flipping through the tv channels, trying to find something besides "Law & Order" to watch, when I strangely got pulled into watching a man chop onions. It was the local community college channel, and the culinary arts department head was teaching a lesson on how to correctly cut onions, ginger, and garlic. I was actually in awe of how quickly he diced an onion, and the technique that he explained as he did it. I made something the other day where not only did I have to dice onions, but I had to sauté them and put them into a recipe with many other ingredients that had to be chopped and prepared. The prep time on the recipe card said 20 minutes. Yeah, it took my an hour and a half. So I am thinking as I am watching this guy cut his onions in pieces the same size in record time that I should just stop now. I don't even want to think about my sautéing deficiencies if I can't even cut correctly. Oh well... it gives me something to practice... and reminds me that there is a whole other set of people out there with skills that I will never be able to master...and I am definitely appreciative of them... and next time I will just stick with "Law & Order."