The Good And Bad Of Ashay

Royal Gazette Opinion, 24 February 2005

Last week, a concerned parent sent me the student workbook used to teach the Ashay Rites of Passage programme at Dellwood Middle School.

The school had repeatedly refused my requests to see the curriculum. Initially I was told that I was not qualified to evaluate it; later, they said that unless I also saw how it was taught I might misunderstand it. However, I don’t believe an entire programme can be evaluated by a pre-arranged visit to a single class, a view echoed by CURE executive officer Myra Virgil last week, although she was generally positive about the programme otherwise. “Without having access to the programme content as a whole, we are not in a position to promote its further applications, to critique or to offer a critical perspective on its potential,” she said.

Ashay was created and is taught by Melodye Micere Van Putten. It’s based on a programme she developed in the United States in 1986 called Black History Workshops for Children (BHWC), customised for Bermuda. Mrs. Van Putten created BHWC after her son’s school told her that there weren’t enough blacks there to warrant more focus on African history. The private workshops were attended by African American children and rapidly gained national recognition and acclaim from, among others, Time magazine, the NAACP, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Senate, and the City Council of Philadelphia.

With this pedigree, it’s hard to imagine that there could be anything objectionable in Ashay. Indeed, a look through the student workbook reveals much to like. It’s clearly designed to instil a sense of self-respect in black children; it cautions against “negative behaviours” such as smoking, drinking and materialism; and it stresses the importance of working together.

The programme is not religious. Ma’at, the principles of the ancient Kemetic religion, are studied as values, not religious tenets, and have universal applicability. Neither could it be described as racist. When discussing slavery, it acknowledges that “all of the world’s people have participated in the history of slavery, including Africans”. It recognises the contributions made by “some whites” in the Underground Railroad. And it clearly states that “to be pro-black is not to be anti-anyone else”.

Nonetheless, the workbook was not written with non-blacks in mind. In the introduction, Mrs. Van Putten writes “We, as black people don’t know who we are”. There are many references to “our history”, “our people”, “our African ancestors” and so on. Perhaps this is a result of Ashay’s adaptation from the BHWC programme (there are also references which assume the reader is an African American), but these should have been eliminated from a workbook which is used by non-blacks too.

The tone is sometimes strident and emotive; in places I was left with the impression that Mrs. Van Putten is trying to create an army of revolutionaries. “We are racing against a world that does not need [African people],” she says on page 44. “YOU are needed in the struggle.” It’s also insular. Rather than presenting the Underground Railroad (the network of people that helped slaves in the American South to escape to the North and Canada) as a solution to a problem, the workbook suggests it shows that blacks “need our own network to share information, goods and services which benefit us” and “need to learn how to trust each other and make our plans for freedom in private”.

There’s one notable example of political bias too. Citing examples of the practice of the seven principles of Kwanzaa, Mrs. Van Putten asserts that “‘Creativity and faith’ inspired the masses of Bermuda to elect the PLP as its government in 1998”.

The issue of reparations is not dealt with even-handedly. Only arguments in favour are presented. The main page on the subject is titled ‘It’s time to get paid’. A study question asks “what should African Americans be demanding that is rightfully ours?”. The vocabulary section defines reparations as “Money governments pay when it has hurt a group of people. African Americans must fight for reparations.” This is editorial, not a definition.

Some will claim that all this is permissible because for a long time there was little black history taught in Bermuda’s public schools. However this is no longer true. The social studies curriculum (which does not include Ashay) now contains much Bermudian, Caribbean, African and African American history (ironically, much of it introduced by Mrs. Van Putten a couple of years ago). A balanced curriculum is required, not one that simply replaces one bias with another.

Ashay seeks to raise the self-respect of black children by teaching them more about their heritage. While non-blacks can learn much from the programme, they are not its target audience. Moreover, the way some of the material is presented seems more likely to perpetuate divisions rather than heal them.

The programme, which may have been right for an African American child in a private lesson in the US, needs further modification to make it appropriate for a multi-racial public school classroom in Bermuda.

Comments

[Fornicator on 24.02.05 at 09:45]

"The programme, which may have been right for an African American child in a private lesson in the US, needs further modification to make it appropriate for a multi-racial public school classroom in Bermuda."

Phil,

I'd agree that some of the comments are off by about 15 years, (if they ever did hold merit).

I'd personally like to commend you for taking this extra step to dig into this. There is much obvious (and not so obvious) benefit to your investigative style of column writing.

Well done.

[Intrigued on 24.02.05 at 09:56]

Very well written piece. Having read through the many posts on your blog, some resorting to histrionics, you have managed to do what no one else has. Offer an even keeled review and opinion. It sounds to me like the program has merit in our schools, but needs some tweaking. And it alsoi sounds like this tweaking can be done relatively cost effectively and quickly so as not to sideline the program for any period of time.

This is a strong argument for school boards with non-educational beauracrats on them. It is too easy for well meaning, zealous members of the educational system to overlook some of these issues when implementing programs. A sober second look could perhaps help "tune" some of these new initiatives.

[loki on 24.02.05 at 09:57]

And there's still a legitimate issue as to whether schools should be teaching ideology.

[Intrigued on 24.02.05 at 09:59]

BTW I look forward to Melodye's response.

I hope it isn't dismissive. You do realize Phil that you have none of the qualifications necessary to critique this program.

[Martin on 24.02.05 at 10:11]

Not sure whether Phil and his wife have, or are planning to have children...but being a parent is qualification enough to be a critique.

[Intrigued on 24.02.05 at 10:14]

Forgot the sarcasm button.

[Fornicator on 24.02.05 at 10:21]

"And there's still a legitimate issue as to whether schools should be teaching ideology."

Sigh. Schools always have been teaching ideology(and always will).

[Paul on 24.02.05 at 10:26]

This school sounds like a school of propaganda ? Is it?

[Andrew on 24.02.05 at 11:12]

Sure is great that someone is taking Ashay to task. Any reasonably educated person would be qualified to critique the programme too determine if it teaches history or ideology. What has disturbed me for a long time are people who are bent on perpetuating the division of races and as you have pointed out Ashay probably does. I can remember school yard fights between kids of different nationalities because of how history books portrayed their ancestors, so Ashay is reason for real concern. Unfortunately I fear there will be at least one generation of Bermuda children who went to public school and were taught an ideology that could change the future of Bermuda, not for the better. Now Bermuda can see what other parts of the world has come to know from ideological teaching. Good luck....you will need it.

[Fornicator on 24.02.05 at 12:57]

I wholeheartedly agree with your concern. I just ran into a teacher who told me that it was the PLP Youth League that got it put in schools, and that there are plans in the 2005/2006 year to make the program mandatory for all students. Apparently they are going to run Saturday classes as well.

[loki on 24.02.05 at 13:31]

"I wholeheartedly agree with your concern. I just ran into a teacher who told me that it was the PLP Youth League that got it put in schools, and that there are plans in the 2005/2006 year to make the program mandatory for all students. Apparently they are going to run Saturday classes as well."

LOL :-)

[Fornicator on 24.02.05 at 14:10]

:-)

[demeter on 24.02.05 at 15:43]

Excellent article.

"I wholeheartedly agree with your concern. I just ran into a teacher who told me that it was the PLP Youth League that got it put in schools, and that there are plans in the 2005/2006 year to make the program mandatory for all students. Apparently they are going to run Saturday classes as well."

That's a joke, right?

[gombey on 24.02.05 at 16:48]

>>That's a joke, right?

>>

whats a joke,is this racist gombey plp passing
off their social engineering as history!

while every other Bermudian ethnic group is ignored

[jake on 24.02.05 at 17:18]

Understanding the problems with the program, I am disappointed to see how now the PLP are to blame for everything yet again.

Calling the PLP racist gombeys is ok. Debating calling me a nigger is ok. The only thing not ok is to teach black children that reparations are a good thing. That is why black people harbour such innate mistrust. Too many times lines are crossed which are important lines for us. Some blacks will try to right the balance with programs like Ashay in an attempt to give their children the head start they were denied. Fornicator was right in saying that ideology has been taught in schools all this time. It is so pervasive that we accept it as the norm.

I do not agree with reparations, nor am I proponent of division between black and white people, much less children. What bothers me is the knee jerk reaction on this site to anything proactively black, except when it eminates from the auspices of the UBP. Basically, it is only acceptable from white people.

How sad a commentary that is.

[ace on 24.02.05 at 17:27]

Way to generalise there Jake.

"Calling the PLP racist gombeys is ok. Debating calling me a nigger is ok. The only thing not ok is to teach black children that reparations are a good thing."

I never called anyone a racist gombey or a nigger...but just as you accuse whites of doing you have just assumed all white people feel this way.

You are wrong.

[loki on 24.02.05 at 17:51]

That's a really unfair comment Jake: you're basically tarring all the whites on the board with the same brush: nice generalization.

"Calling the PLP racist gombeys is ok." Really? One person said that (and a refugee from the HateSpeechForum, at that), and suddenly you think that it's been deemed okey dokey by most of us?

"Debating calling me a nigger is ok." Really? My recollection was that every post, other than the one written by Galt's wife, basically ridiculed Galt for even suggesting this.

"The only thing not ok is to teach black children that reparations are a good thing." Again, no - I think the general concensus, among black and white contributers, was that reparations were not necessarily a good thing and, indeed, that the government shouldn't be promoting them (intentionally or otherwise) via its educational programs.

"Fornicator was right in saying that ideology has been taught in schools all this time. It is so pervasive that we accept it as the norm."

That's not the same question as the one that I posed: SHOULD we be teaching ideology in schools. I think not: I think that ideology and values are something that fall under the domain of parents, not the state. I do accept that the indirect teaching of values and ideology is inevitable in any school system, since all teaching comes from a particular viewpoint and that viewpoint will have inherent bias. I accept that. What I do not accept is the intentional teaching of ideology.

For what it's worth, the arguably objectionable parts of the ASHAY would seem to be fairly minor parts which, as Phil points out, will be ironed out with a bit of tweaking.

[jake on 24.02.05 at 18:16]

And now it is unfair for me even to point out that I think the Ashay coments have been unfair. Did you (ace and loki) read my comment or just react to it. I accused neither of you. I pointed out Gombey's comment and was referring to Galt's line of reasoning. The comments on the site are too numerous to respond to and nothing I said covered white people generally. In fact, the only reference to white people was that they collectively trust change only when it emanates from a white source. Phil pointed that out when he said that the selection of Dodwell was a good one because it would permit the discussion being held.

Seriously, why are you being defensive when I am not attacking you nor white people as a group?

Please stop taking my comments out of context and then seeking to condemn me for your miscontrued interpretation.

[ace on 24.02.05 at 18:29]

I read it Jake...now you appear to be trying to squirm out of what you said:

What bothers me is the knee jerk reaction on this site to anything proactively black, except when it eminates from the auspices of the UBP. Basically, it is only acceptable from white people.

This after you made the very general (ie you did not address Gombey directly) comment I quoted.

[loki on 24.02.05 at 18:34]

I accept that you did not intend to generalize, but as ace points out, it reads like a generalization.

[The Limey on 24.02.05 at 18:54]

jake - I suggested that Dodwell was a good choice because racial reconciliation requires a dialogue between blacks and whites and I think Dodwell is a good representative for the 'white side' because he seems to be pretty well regarded by everyone. That's not the same as suggesting that whites will only trust change when it comes from other whites.

But let's try not to get sidetracked into the usual generalised debate about race or politics here.

[The Limey on 24.02.05 at 19:19]

Rumour has it that LaVerne Furbert has taken a sudden interest in me as a result of today's column. I fear a guest appearance in the Workers Voice may soon follow.

In the event that this does indeed happen, judging by the treatment she meted out to Christian Dunleavy recently I confidently predict that:

1. She will make no attempt to actually speak with me before writing her article.

2. I will be called a racist.

3. I will be called a foreign racist to boot.

4. If my column is quoted at all, only the criticisms will be mentioned.

5. Those criticisms will not be addressed.

6. I'll be told to shut up, or to stop talking about subjects about which I know nothing, or something along those lines.

Let's see how well I do.

[loki on 24.02.05 at 19:30]

Oh, and she'll probably blatantly lie about the content of your article, just as she did about Christian's article. Usually, I would steer away from using such libel action-encouraging absolutes as 'liar', and would usually settle for 'craven harpy', 'wacko-bitch', 'asshole' and, for good measure, 'vacuous non-entity', but she BLATANTLY lied about the content of Christian's article.

[Fornicator on 24.02.05 at 19:31]

"That's a joke, right?"

Yes. At the expense of people who should know it's a joke.

[loki on 24.02.05 at 19:49]

Jake: a serious question -

I just took a look at the HateSpeechForum, and the bile and shameless racism was stomach-churning: is this how most blacks think white people behave behind closed doors? Good God, I hope not. If that is the case, we've got a hell of a long way to go to improve race relations.

[jake on 24.02.05 at 20:14]

Ace,

You have been on this site long enough now to know I have no need to squirm down on anything. Be honest. I did not make any generalization about white people in that post, or ever.

What you don't realize is that as radical as you perceive me, I am not that radical. Imagine then those who actually do paint you with a common brush. I read quite closely the rebuttals to the bile I read here. Yes, it does come from Limey, ace, tiger and loki. I even have back and forths with those people. They give as good as they get and we all grow from it. It is trite to paint my comments with what I perceive as your fear of criticism of whites. I suspect that you are well aware of extremes in your community and do not want to be associated with it. Fair enough.

But I am not the tool for that channelling, so don't bother trying to use me.

loki, I have never been to the bermudafreespeechforum and I need not go. Their hate is not my concern. Most people with such extreme feeling are compensating for their own inadequacy and so they claim the greatness of individuals who have similar racial backgrounds so as to touch that greatness. I have done enough in my own life to be happy with my friends family and self. I am happy to be black - yes. But I need not seek out those who hate me to confront them.

That is why I post here. We disagree and we learn. I as much from you as I hope you learn from me. If you read the post I actually wrote, you might learn something about how and what black people in general think.

We are deeply hurt beyond what I can express to you on subjects like racism, words like nigger, issues like slavery, lynching and political disenfranchisement. It hurts when those real pains are dismissed because we feel them, and when they are not acknowledged we then associate that lack of acknowledgement as agreement with the treatment.

From this site I am learning that sometimes the people are good, but they have bad ideas - about us and for us, and it is for black people to speak to those issues and people so as to remove some of the ideological barriers between us.

If that grates on your nerves at times - good. If I provoke you to thought that is my aim fulfilled. I don't require agreement.

[big bad wolf on 24.02.05 at 20:16]

I want Anglo Saxon History.....forget about the Normans even though they just harp on about 1066. Even better why don't they go back to Normandy and give us our land and castles back! Its time we had pay back from all those Normans and their Oh so French ways.Nobody knows how to swing an axe anymore....its all this talk about bows and arrows. Dam that Doomsday book...I actually thought I was King of the World!! Yes the best Anglo better be a Saxon.

[demeter on 24.02.05 at 20:18]

For the record - there is no PLP Youth League - the young people's branch is called Progressive Youth and its leader is a friend of mine. I just got off the phone with him and he didn't even know what Ashay was, I gave him a short description so given our opinions are all over the place, let's keep the facts straight, please.

Limey, piece of advice (take or leave) from one former target of Laverne Furbert's - don't respond - she'll attack you, not your article and I was advised and happy I never gave her credence by responding. She claims that under an independent PLP government, I would be guilty of treason and shot...I laughed at the entire article. WV is a photocopied 6-8 sheets of PLP propaganda for those unfamilar (I was until someone told me about the attack!) and it sells, (poorly) at the Phoenix. Furbert is an angry woman who many try to distance themselves from - she and others like her are a minority but a large reason the PLP has trouble attracting non blacks as members.

[J Galt on 24.02.05 at 20:29]

"Most people with such extreme feeling are compensating for their own inadequacy and so they claim the greatness of individuals who have similar racial backgrounds so as to touch that greatness."

You should really try to get your hands on an Ashay Student Handbook, I felt the same way after I read it. Right on the money with that one Jake.

[loki on 24.02.05 at 20:31]

Thank you for your comments, Jake.

"If you read the post I actually wrote, you might learn something about how and what black people in general think."

Not to flog this one to death, but I did read the post and, even in hindsight, stand by my comments: if you did not mean it to be a generalization, you could have articulated that far more effectively.

[Fornicator on 24.02.05 at 20:54]

"For the record - there is no PLP Youth League - the young people's branch is called Progressive Youth and its leader is a friend of mine. I just got off the phone with him and he didn't even know what Ashay was, I gave him a short description so given our opinions are all over the place, let's keep the facts straight, please."

Demeter,

I don't know if you are playing sarcasm off of my sarcasm (see what you've started, Phil), but it was a jooooke, primarily directed at Andrew and Paul. In China they have The Communist Youth League, and students are required to attend propaganda classes to learn love of The Party.

"I just took a look at the HateSpeechForum, and the bile and shameless racism was stomach-churning: is this how most blacks think white people behave behind closed doors? Good God, I hope not. If that is the case, we've got a hell of a long way to go to improve race relations."

Loki,

I've been to the BFS forum, and I can confidently say that a significant number of blacks think that whites still think the absolute worst of them. The lack of interaction among the two groups is the major contributor, but there is a lot else that fuels the "behind closed doors" phenomenon.

[jake on 24.02.05 at 21:37]

J Galt

I agree that the statement of mine quoted by you applies to both black and white people.

I also think that it applies to people who appeal to petty dogma, taking complex ideas and carrying them to absurdity to appear intelligent.

Your commentary on calling black people nigger makes me suspect that it applies to you.

loki,

You read what you read. I wrote what I wrote.

I am content in that.

[ace on 24.02.05 at 21:57]

I think you wrote what you wrote on purpose with a view to getting the reaction you did.

You are too smart to do that by accident.

[J Galt on 24.02.05 at 22:25]

"Your commentary on calling black people nigger makes me suspect that it applies to you."

Did you even read my posts? At what point did I say or call a black person a nigger? The discussion was free speech, I asked about the word nigger. Then went on to ask should white people not be allowed to use it, most people objected and even delighted in the thought of violence directed toward me, if I where to use it "walking down Court Street at ten at night and using it as a greeting to all....". I have to conclude because of my race most of you have decided it is not acceptable, which I find sad and very telling, because here we have an instance where the majority will justify discrimination, because emotion tells them it is correct, not logic.

But that is neither here nor there if you wish to continue that disscusion lets do so on the relevant post, here we should really focus on the Ashay program.

Has anyone else been able to see a copy of the student hand book?

[BermudaCedar on 24.02.05 at 23:11]

J Galt - yes, I have a copy of the student handbook.

Cedar

[J Galt on 25.02.05 at 00:25]

BermudaCedar,

Would you agree with Limey's post? I believe the way he presented it, people actually get the impression that it needs only slight modification to be acceptable,

I would be interested in your thoughts

[Fornicator on 25.02.05 at 07:40]

"I have to conclude because of my race most of you have decided it is not acceptable, which I find sad and very telling, because here we have an instance where the majority will justify discrimination, because emotion tells them it is correct, not logic."

Galt,

On any other occasion I would have been happy to articulate an opinion on the use of nigger, but I chose not to. Why? Because throughout this forum you venture into controversial topics without the least bit of empathy, and in most cases you are clearly trying to antogonize readers with some ideology (which most here think is half-baked).

I personally don't want you to get your head kicked in, but I'm not exactly going to feel sorrowful for some asshole who gets his jollies off by debating the use of nigger. I respect myself way to much to engage that kind of person in conversation. If you aren't genuinely interested in understanding, then you'll be talking to yourself real fast.

Succinctly, the history of "nigger" is not fun and games - it's not just some fucking abstract concept that's up for intellectual debate. And discussion of the word certainly isn't going to begin with how "unfair" and "discriminatory" it is that whites can't say nigger too! If you can't respect that, then fuck off. But if you try to be a bit more human, and exercise some concern about how people outside of your head feel, I can guarantee you that you won't see people wishing you a swift kick in the head.

Peace.

[J Galt on 25.02.05 at 09:11]

Fornicator,

You dance very well around the subject, while plucking the strings of your heart, and many here will dance to that tune, but in the end the music will stop and the cold silent truth will remain, Thank you for your emotional response which offers little to the question I asked.

If you or anyone else would like to debate use of the word "nigger", I will do so on the "Free Mojtaba And Arash" thread.

Lets stick to the topic here which is Ashay.

[demeter on 25.02.05 at 09:21]

Fornicator

Sorry about that but I don't know you guys and I guess we all need to use the sarcasm punctuation when appropriate!

Happy Friday everyone.........

[boogie on 25.02.05 at 10:59]

Has anyone noticed that with this post The Limey has officially taken his place as a journalist? He's done something that the mainstream media has not even looked at with a critical eye. Kudos.

And where is Melodye?

[NewLimey on 25.02.05 at 11:35]

Reading this stuff, as a relative newcomer from UK, I am perennially surprised by the monochrome debates that seem to hit Limey's comments pages.

Here's a great opportunity to debate the teaching of ideology under the guise of history in schools, and instead the thread degrades to blacks' interpretation of whites, and whites' interpretation of blacks. A highly subjective area, which only universal patience and tolerance will quiet.

What about the broader issues here? Teaching ideology in schools (eg. religion), US history vs Bermuda history, even the Americanisation of Bermuda. Forgive the crap pun, but can we think in colour here, rather than just black and white?

[Tony Prior on 25.02.05 at 12:11]

Reading comments here clearly goes to show that we are still dealing with the old racist attitudes. It's a real shame!

We cannot change history! But we can shape the future! Forget about reparations. That won't undo or alter history. What do these people want? Financial compensation and a return of all black peoples of the world to be returned to their ancestral lands to start over? Totally stupid!

If this Ashay thing is so good, then teach it to all races in the shcools but remove any such material that might be viewed as exciting tensions between races.

In this day and age, it's about time we all get past colour and language. Don't forget the past, but don't use it as a tool for hatred.

" Make love not war "

Tony

[BermudaCedar on 25.02.05 at 13:28]

NewLimey - well said. My impression is that the curriculum is most definitely teaching an ideology.

J Galt - You asked my comments - I would agreed one of its goals is to instill as sense of self-respect in black children. A worthy and needed goal I do not see met in this curriculum. I feel it would take more than "slight modifications" to make this curriculum appropriate. And with the "strident" tone throughout could we not find a better curriculum to teach culture and values. (Which is how is was listed in the 2004 budget).

Is it racist? Yes, some would feel that the "exclusion" of other races is racist, and other reasons. And other extremes presented.

I would assume Limey is not personally religious so may not have a sensitivity to religious things. However I do feel Ashay is religious.

Page 1 - "I must first acknowledge the Divine Energy that has placed me on this sacred path".
P 8 - "Ashay's study of values begins with the people of Kemet." The Greek historian Herodotus said the Kemetic people were the most religious in the world. They did not even have a word for religion because for them it was such a part of their lives.
P10, and many more refer to Ma'at - "Kemetic society based itself on Ma'at ... both a concept and a deity." She was goddess of truth, balance, order, a judge in the Egyptian underworld, daughter of Ra, a temple dedicated to Ma'at is in ruins at Karnak. ww.touregypt.net/godsofegypt

P.11#7 "Do I know God by practicing Imani(Faith)?"
P20 "The Ancestors would not be pleased ..."
P23 - the symbol of the "Ankh", which she gives only one interpretation of this symbol. It is "The symbolic representation of both Physical and Eternal life. It is known as the original cross, which is a powerful symbol that was first created by Africans in Ancient Egypt". www.swagga.com There are many proposed meanings.

(My personal favorite) P.40 -
"In 1998 Mwalimu Micere and 10 other Africans (from America, Caribbean and Africa) went to the James River to ask the Creator to remove the curse of Willie Lynch. The 11 people represented all the Africans on the planet. There was much lightning in the sky as the 11 waded into the water holding hands, crying and praying. The group asked God to remove the curse of Willie Lynch, heal African people worldwide and restore us to greatness."

P 56,57 and 58 - Libation
Ms. Van Putton presents a libation as a significant cultural ritual. "Libation acknowledges and honors our Ancestors". She shares the libation she wrote for the 2002 Emancipation Celebration - "If recited regularly, it helps all members of the community remember their history". A libation is "A drink offering to god", Oxford dictonary. Do they perform this ceremony in the class?

P. 61 - Lift Every Voice and Sing (a song) "We honor our Ancestors every time we sing it".

P. 10, 63 and others - "Nguzo Saba" or Seven Principles of Blackness, part of Kwanzaa. "Kwanzaa has a spiritual,social, economic and political message".
P. 72 - cover page "Gye Nyame - Adinkra symbol meaning "Without God I Am Nothing".

* * P.96 - "Ashay Pledge"
"I agree to follow the rules and regulations of the ashay programme. This includes the teachings of the Nguzo Saba and Ma'at."...
There is a signature block for signature of student, parent or guardian, ASHAY teacher.
Do we want our children being asked to sign a pledge like this?!

Limey feels the tenets of Kemetic religion used in the curriculum are studied as values that have universal application. These same values can be taught without the Kemetic religious tenets. I have taught Ancient Egyptian history and its many values and contributions, we studied the gods and beliefs without the need to adopt those beliefs.

If would feel more comfortable if they would at least make this class an elective and not mandatory for all students.

[Susan on 25.02.05 at 21:01]

I think it is important that we examine our Bermudian history and culture before we import another country's way of dealing with its history and culture. The African American, indeed any American, experience is not ours, and I think we cheat our children by adopting wholesale a foreign perspective on a cuilture and history that is not ours. Certainly, we can feel empathy, outrage, sympathy for what has happened elsewhere, but we can't can't really own it.

I've been trying to figure out why this programme was making me feel so angry, and I think its because it's a kind of easy fix. Let your kids sit in on this programme and they don't have think about what it is to be Bermudian or think about how we got to where we are and just what that is.

I remember segregation. I found it bewildering. I didn't understand why I was discouraged from having black friends when my school was desegregated. I cried because I wasn't allowed to visit a black girlfriend's house. And my parents offered no explanation. I can't be the only Bermudian who had these experiences.

Because I still try to figure out what happened all those year ago and is still happening today, I feel that the Ashay programme devalues who we are. Or even worse, ignores who we are.

[Martin on 25.02.05 at 22:35]

Susan...

An excellent posting. A voice of reason and logic.

[Fornicator on 26.02.05 at 14:38]

"If you or anyone else would like to debate use of the word "nigger", I will do so on the "Free Mojtaba And Arash" thread.

Lets stick to the topic here which is Ashay."

Galt,

Now you are just being pathetic. You made a comment on how people responded to your nigger query. All I did was provide the reasons why I wouldn't engage YOU in such a query. The subject does not bother me - it is your poor intentions that bothers me. Don't get all whiny because I responded to your false impressions.

[J Galt on 26.02.05 at 17:00]

BermudaCedar

Thanks for the informative and on topic response.

"In 1998 Mwalimu Micere and 10 other Africans (from America, Caribbean and Africa) went to the James River to ask the Creator to remove the curse of Willie Lynch. The 11 people represented all the Africans on the planet. There was much lightning in the sky as the 11 waded into the water holding hands, crying and praying. The group asked God to remove the curse of Willie Lynch, heal African people worldwide and restore us to greatness."

Willie Lynch, sounds like an Urban myth to me. Limey your thoughts on this, is this one of the things that you think needs slight modification?

[The Limey on 26.02.05 at 17:57]

Galt

I'm not about to criticise Mrs. Van Putten's own religious beliefs. My reading of the workbook does not lead me to believe they are the focus of Ashay.

As for whether the story of Willie Lynch is true or a twentieth-century fabrication as some seem to believe, I have no idea. Do you?

[BermudaCedar on 26.02.05 at 18:28]

Galt -

While I think the Willie Lynch letter could be true, I also like to know when there is reasonable cause to question. Go to www.ferris.edu/news/jimcrow/question/may04.

BermudaCedar

[J Galt on 26.02.05 at 21:12]

BermudaCedar,

Very informative link. I for one don't think there is any real proof that Willie Lynch was real or the speach, so why is this being taught as fact??

A google on Lynch law gives better clues to the origin of the word lynching.

Come On Limey,

Tell me you don't think its slightly disturbing that Ms. Van Putten and 11 other people thought hey lets go swim in the river and ask God to break the curse of Willie Lynch.

I can see Paula Cox interviewing her for the Job.

PC Well your Resume is very impressive, can you tell me a little more about yourself? Any Hobbys?

MVP Why yes, when I'm not fighting for reparations, I swim in rivers pretending to represent 1/12th of the worlds africans and after aome praying and crying we ask God to break the curse of Will he Lynch!!!! I think it worked because there was a lot of lighting last time we did it.

[Coleman on 01.03.05 at 14:25]

It looks like most of us agree that the programme is incredibly suspect. Not always unredeemably wrong, mind you, but suspect in a way that French, Mathematics and even History (maybe) do not approach these days.

Can anyone tell me what specific body is responsible for saying 'yes, that curriculum is okay?' Is that a Ministerial responsibility, or is there a person or group of persons whose names are public knowledge that this got passed onto and who then passed it through? Based on what I have seen, the curriculum is wrong in its intention, but then again so am I, often enough. But the fact that MY tax dollars paid someone I don't know to pass it through to kids...that is
a crime. Ms. Vanputten cannot be soley targeted for her lack of worldly experience, nor for her focused agenda. She's wrong, I estimate, but essentially harmless.

Someone, however, gave her a microphone, and locked Bermuda's kids in the room with her. I pay that someone's wages. We all do. And that's the crime, as I see it.

[Susan on 02.03.05 at 06:03]

I share your taxpayer's concerns Coleman.

For every subject taught in the public school system there is a person at the Ministry HQ that has overall responsibility for that curriculum. However, I'm not sure exactly which subject heading the Ashay programme falls under.

[J Galt on 02.03.05 at 09:16]

Susan,

It actually doesn't fall under the Ministry of Education but comes under the Ministry of Magic and Make believe. While funded by our tax dollars it also is sponsored by the letters D,K oddly enough the exact effect the program will have on our childrens mind.¡

For those of you interested in learning more of the Ashay program are inivited to the Dellwood Middle School field this Saturday, where the children will attempt to reconstruct to scale a model of one of the Great Pyramids. There is no addmission charge but people are asked to bring any old newspapers and egg cartons they can, as event organizers are concerned they might not have enough materials to complete the papier-mâché pyramid. Prizes will be given for the best Osiris costumes. Bring the family and make the day of it. We will also need 3 people who will represent all of the Bermudains with out homes and one child to represent all the Bermudain children being let down by the Ministry of Education, who after praying, huggin and crying will jump into the marsh and ask God to break the unaffordable housing curse.¡

[ace on 02.03.05 at 09:23]

"While funded by our tax dollars it also is sponsored by the letters D,K oddly enough the exact effect the program will have on our childrens mind.¡"

Okay...I laughed.

:)

How do you get the "Irony point" to show up Gault?

[Milo on 03.03.05 at 08:54]

The ¡ is an ASCII character. Number 161 to be precise. If you hold the ALT key and type 0-1-6-1 on the number pad it will magically appear. To then make it bold you use regular HTML tags: <b>¡</b> and the result is ¡.

[demeter on 04.03.05 at 09:57]

Limey, I see Alvin Williams has attacked you in the Mid Ocean today and I for one, think his comments are off base. I thought you gave a very objective viewpoint, although, as an opinion piece, you don't need to be that way! Any comments on his for this site?

[The Limey on 04.03.05 at 17:25]

For those who haven't seen it, Alvin Williams' column can be found here.

I'll respond in due course.

Wish I'd thought of that title though.

[Fornicator on 04.03.05 at 18:30]

Holy hell... Did he read anything in your column, or is he just using it as an excuse to express his own blinkered points of view?

[demeter on 05.03.05 at 13:38]

Chances are that Tim Hodgson titled it... he usually does with all the feature/opinion pieces so I won't even give Alvin credit for that...well put Fornicator...

[jake on 06.03.05 at 09:15]

I think some of his questions - the phrasing of them - paint your commentary unfairly, but I suspect he is reacting to what he perceives as a ready willingness on the behalf of many of the writers on this subject to question programs such as this, without regard to their merit. The shame is that his criticism, quite relevant to many of those writers, will appear empty when targeted at you, Phil. A shame because I believe that the more radical and intolerant hide behind your effort to write balanced reviews and then point to your comments when they are called to answer.

I too have on occasion levelled my attacks in the wrong direction, so I would suggest this: Read Alvin's comments, and give them the rebuttal they deserve since they aim in the wrong direction. However, also read them in the context of the general frustration the black community feel toward the inherent suspicion with which programs for self definition are viewed by their white Bermudian countrymen.

Also know Phil, that many of your irony points, whilst funny to a certain audience, when taken as a whole do not promote trust from other audiences. We are not all so fortunate to have had the opportunity of reading your work for the last year, so please keep that in mind.

[The Limey on 06.03.05 at 09:20]

Fair points, jake. Duly noted.

[The Limey on 06.03.05 at 14:40]

My response to Alvin Williams' column can be found here.

[J Galt on 06.03.05 at 19:02]

"However, also read them in the context of the general frustration the black community feel.."

In other words let your emotions dictate to you and forgot logic and you can "understand" where he is coming from.

Still doesn't change the facts Jake, he was wrong.