Last week, I attended a lecture on campus entitled “Liberalism, Self Respect, and the Cultural Aspects of Ghetto Poverty,” delivered by Tommie Shelby, a professor of philosophy and African American Studies at Harvard University. Shelby discussed several of the challenges that face the so-called “liberal project” of social reform among the black, urban poor, namely that they entail an assumed program of moral reform that seeks to impose itself upon the African American community from without, i.e., from the dominant culture that is different from the culture that it seeks to reform.
Shelby talked about the individual structures within a community that can or do function as these so-called “programs of moral reform.” Some of these programs included social work programs, the police, local church organizations, and, of course, schools. Very briefly, Shelby touched upon the distinction that exists between external programs that attempt to impose moral reformation upon the African American community from without and organic organizations that are formed from within the community that that are controlled and managed by members of the Black community.
From the perspective of a special education teacher, I am concerned with the integration, collaboration, and cooperation among and between the external structures – as represented by the public schools – and the internal community organizations that have been constructed by community members. We, as teachers, more often than not fail to reach out and work with these groups. Included amongst these groups, in Champaign-Urbana, are various Christian youth groups, the Boys and Girls Club of America, and family shelters, as well as “half-and-half” groups, cooperatives formed through alliances between the University of Illinois and local community groups, such as the Education Justice Project and Books2Prisoners.org.
Shelby talked about the individual structures within a community that can or do function as these so-called “programs of moral reform.” Some of these programs included social work programs, the police, local church organizations, and, of course, schools. Very briefly, Shelby touched upon the distinction that exists between external programs that attempt to impose moral reformation upon the African American community from without and organic organizations that are formed from within the community that that are controlled and managed by members of the Black community.
From the perspective of a special education teacher, I am concerned with the integration, collaboration, and cooperation among and between the external structures – as represented by the public schools – and the internal community organizations that have been constructed by community members. We, as teachers, more often than not fail to reach out and work with these groups. Included amongst these groups, in Champaign-Urbana, are various Christian youth groups, the Boys and Girls Club of America, and family shelters, as well as “half-and-half” groups, cooperatives formed through alliances between the University of Illinois and local community groups, such as the Education Justice Project and Books2Prisoners.org.
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