History

Rant- Just a warning.

While searching for something worthwhile on television I came across the Marva Collins Story. I saw this picture when I was younger, and thought I would watch it again. Had I not seen this picture before or even knew who she was I might not have watched it. Why? You may ask. Well although it was on TVONe which is supposed to be the newest station targeted towards African Americans it had this description for what this womans life's work was about.

Chicago teachers opens own ghetto school.

Which leaves much to my imagination. Are you kidding me? Why would I want to see a picture about a Ghetto school? Not that being in the ghetto was the premise of this remarkable story.

Mrs. Marva Collins began the very first black owned,preparatory school in Chicago Illnois in 1975, Westside Preparatory School. After teaching for fourteen years she became disillusioned with the Chicago public school system then decided to open and fund herself; a one room school in her home. Her first students being two of her own children and 4 other children who were labeled learning disabled, problem, borderline retarded or just unteachable by the school system. Although she meant adversity at ever turn, sometimes even from the children parents she was not discouraged. By the end of the first school year Mrs. Collins had these children and 14 others testing 5 levels above their grade. Which was elementary.

Today her school is still in operation and is now called the Marva Coillins Preparatory School. Mrs Collins won many awards for her unique, sucessful teaching method and was even offered the position of Secretary of Education by the Reagan Administration. She declined.

Given, they could not put all of this in the descripiton but what they put was ridiculous. This is not the first time I've seen this either. Another picture called Something the Lord Made had this description.

Black man helps white doctor with surgery.

This was the story of Vivian Thomas,although he never recieved a medical degree from any college was a black ,man who was a pioneer in cardiac/pulmonary procedures/disorders/corrective surgey. He was until he retired the Instructor of Surgery at Johns Hopkins University for goodness sakes!. What is going on? It really bothered me to see this. Maybe in February we will get more than a sentence.

It's Monday people.I'm going to drink my coffee and relax, relate, release...