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Marketing and University Communication UW-Green Bay, CL 815 2420 Nicolet Drive Green Bay, WI 54311-7001 (920) 465-2626 E-mail: hildebrs@uwgb.edu Last update: 2/28/08 |
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In
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February 21, 2008 Obama candidacy example of progress of minorities Panelists examine attitude toward people of color By Corinthia McCoy
"We can either choose to change with it or choose to be left behind," said Buffy Ruffin, multicultural adviser at UWGB.
Ruffin facilitated the discussion, Life as a Minority and Majority: An Inclusive Perspective at the first of several Race Awareness Workshops held at the university. The discussion was part of a series of Black History Month events presented by the university's Black Student Union.
"I thought this would be important because our world is changing," she said.
Panelists discussed topics such as the achievement gap in Green Bay public schools, affirmative action, Wisconsin's high number of incarcerated blacks, high suspension rates among students of color, language barriers, the current presidential race, possible concerns of reverse discrimination and whether a diverse population will prompt any changes.
Chris Swan, owner of Swan Corp. 1, said Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's candidacy for the presidency speaks to America's progress of acceptance. Obama is black.
"I think that's a barometer of where we've come as a country," he said. "To me, that's a part of asking the question, 'Are we ready for change?'"
It's something that Kathy Koehne, panelist and president of the Black Student Union, thought she'd never see.
"I didn't think it would happen, at least not this soon, not in my lifetime," she said.
Peter Kellogg, associate professor emeritus at the university, cited a study saying that 23 percent of black students were suspended in the 2005-06 Green Bay school year, compared with 5 percent of whites and 8 percent of Hispanics.
Some panelists said the suspension rates among minorities demonstrate a lack of cultural understanding among teachers. Koehne, who volunteered 300 hours at Washington Middle School through the Phuture Phoenix program, said she saw that firsthand.
"There are a lot of teachers who don't know how to have that communication, that dialogue, that trust, that friendship or whatnot with those students — that closer relationship that is needed to have an impact," she said.
But changes have occurred in the school system, she said.
"I think that there has been more acknowledgement of that issue. How fast the change is going to be; how much of a need we see.
"Are we going to put that as a priority for immediate action, or is it going to be something like we acknowledge it, but we're going to take care of it eventually?"
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