Michigan DUers: what's your view of this story from Saginaw schools?

[bobbieinok]

Michigan community grapples with racial tensions following school incidents


By SARAH KARUSH
The Associated Press
3/30/04 12:15 PM


SAGINAW TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) -- When a 13-year-old black student was accused of bringing a loaded gun to school, his apparent reason shocked residents: The teen said he wanted to fend off racial harassment.

The incident last month, followed by a similar one less than two weeks later involving a knife, has provoked soul-searching about how this bedroom community just outside the city of Saginaw has dealt with diversity.

more


http://www.nj.com/newsflash/national/index.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?a0605_BC_ConfrontingRacism

[bif]

1. The incident doesn't surprise me

Racism seems to be makign a comeback. I've herd the N word more in the last year thn I['ve heard in a long time. It seems to be becoming acceptable. And Michigan is a pretty segretated state. .

[AP]

2. As an aside, I believe the UofM gives people more points in the admissions

formula for being from the Upper Peninsula than they do for being non-white.

So it's interesting to note that some of those kids this black kid thought were threatening him have a leg up on a lot of black kids from the Detroit area in terms of getting into one of the 20 best schools in the country.

[brainoverload]

3. check a map

Saginaw is nowhere close to the upper peninsula.

Your broader point is well taken, though.

[notadmblnd]

4. I think Saganaw is just like any other urban industrial city

with the both affluent and poor neighborhoods being very diverse. It's the middle class who are struggeling to maintain their middleclassness (I apologize for teh bushism) that continue to struggle with race.

[seabeyond]

5. we cycle and for me is clear

we are going thru the right fundie kkk nazi party hold on america. when it gets bad enough, and the bigots are loud and in number enough, the regular people will wake. just takes time for it to all evolve. have been watching since reagan but really newt in early 90's