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Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2008 > January > 21 > Entry
MLK Day march: Where are the burbs?
(Chaminade-Julienne High School students at Monday’s MLK Day march.)
I took my daughter to today’s march and rally in downtown Dayton in recognition of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. This was the first time in my working career that I had the day off, so I enjoyed the opportunity to participate in the day’s festivities.
And Dayton had a very good event, including Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland as the keynote speaker. There were lots of children involved, too. Many kids from Dayton Public Schools were there, including the winners of the MLK oratory contest. About 100 kids from Chaminade-Julienne Catholic High School were there singing, too.
What was noticeably absent to me, as someone who now lives in the suburbs, was any sign of participation by suburban school children. Perhaps they were attending events in their own communities?
The Dayton event begins with a march from all corners of the city — east, west, north and south. The symbolic coming together occurs at Courthouse Square in the center of downtown. It’s a great event. But I couldn’t help thinking it could be enhanced with participation by more schools from more parts of the Miami Valley.
(Image credit: Peter Wine, DDN)
Permalink | Comments (11) | Categories: Teaching and Learning
Comments
By DavidSS2
January 22, 2008 8:43 AM | Link to this
Having watched a long multihour review of civil rights efforts in the 60s and 70s I marveled then how King’s message of nonviolence and honesty has been changed by those who took over after him, annointing themselves as his successors. It’s so awful he was murdered; there was so much he could have done. But it’s sad how the message of equal opportunity became a message of something completely different these days. Maybe someone in the suburban area will start an MLK recognition oriented around his real philosophy.By joe_mamma
January 22, 2008 7:53 AM | Link to this
Way to pat yourself on the back guys and gals… I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that most people that work in private industry were at work.By Eve
January 22, 2008 5:57 AM | Link to this
I think it’s a hoot that DavidSS2 is afraid of getting hit by a bad driver but complaining about red light cameras. More seriously, here’s a question. From the activities roster it appears someone involved in coordinating the planned activities contacted DPS and Dayton Catholic schools. Did they also reach out to suburban districts? If not, why not; and if so, what kind of responses did they receive?By steve
January 22, 2008 5:48 AM | Link to this
Man Dave what a bitter man you are! I love it when people rationalize to make themselves feel better about doing the WRONG thing. Boy Dave I sure hope you don’t have kids! With a philosophy like yours I can only imagine how scared those kids must be of something that don’t exist. BTW wasn’t that one guy gunned down by the Dayton Mall about 2 months ago? LOoks like the WTPD is slipping! Why didn’t they stop those perpetrators? Yes the Mayor does wear silly hats NOT glasses and she was there yesterday along with the governor of the state. But the way you talk he is our governor not yours you would of rather had good ole Kenny Blackwell the bushie buddy! Forget my last post you just stay in suburbia. You serve a much better purpose there!By City Resident
January 22, 2008 1:15 AM | Link to this
David, While sharing the I Have a Dream speech with young students today, I had a ‘nightmare’after reading your blog. In my dream YOU actually came into the city….NOW you understand why I found it to be a nightmare. Please, please David, promise me you will continue to keep your hate and negativity out of Dayton city limits. It is always hilarious to me when someone who spews ignorance actually has the audacity to think their superior. In keeping with Dr. King’s legacy I’ll pray for you sir, you need it!By DavidSS2
January 21, 2008 9:25 PM | Link to this
Having watched a few decades of a few people using MLK as a way of furthering themselves in the political games of playing blame, blame rather than work to succeed, work to succeed, I’ll stay in the suburbs. I’m busy working to pay the increased Human Services levy cost, the county tax that went to subsidize DPS ($500,000 to pay for counselors, etc.), and to pay the other costs of subidizing a city that does things as poorly as the mayor and council or Dayton. Did the mayor show up with her silly glasses? Did she worry about the basketball team from UD (her #1 priority for the year)? Lots of problems there. And I don’t want to get mugged and I don’t want to get hit by a bad driver getting in/out of the city. But they have red light cameras making things safe; no policeman driving around randomly who might catch crimes in progresss, but we have red light cameras… Want more reasons not to come into the city?By steve
January 21, 2008 8:18 PM | Link to this
It’s a no brainer… Suburbia don’t care about MLK day. Most in Suburbia view this day as a sleep in and go to the mall while we get paid holiday. They could care less as long as they get a holiday pay. How many people were at the march today? I do find it funny that people will use the weather as an excuse, however, I agree with Old Prof that the MLK speeches often forget what Dr King was about.By School Supporter
January 21, 2008 4:54 PM | Link to this
While broader participation would be nice, it’s not my first concern but suggestive of deeper problems. The NEA is a member of the Leadership Conference for Civil Rights, so, in theory, “NEA Today” could solicit participation in MLK Day activities (e.g. publish a web address for locating nearby activities). Of course, that assumes that NEA’s participation in LCCR implies a commitment to civil rights, rather than support for a front organization of the Democratic party. (Since Marc Dann’s OEA-approved complaints contradict the NEA’s complaints in Pontiac v Spellings, one might reasonable suspect mischief is afoot.) Educators genuinely concerned with civil rights might review the course of study at their schools to determine if it adequately addresses the prerequisite knowledge required for making sense of King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” Odds are against that, if the model lessons approved by the State Board of Education are a fair indication—leaving “nonviolent” out of “nonviolent civil disobedience” is a disservice to King’s legacy. BTW, I did see the Bellbrook Diversity Club at the last Peace Bridge event.By Riverdale Ghost
January 21, 2008 4:13 PM | Link to this
Where are the suburbanites? You can’t be serious. See that imaginary line on the map that the hoods race to reach because that’s where the police stop — theoretically? Suburbanites can’t build suburbia unless they stay on the suburban side of the line.By Mary
January 21, 2008 3:30 PM | Link to this
Scott, good for you for taking your daughter. However, as many have already observed, a lot of these holidays, whether Veteran’s Day, President’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, or Christmas are for people to rest up, shop, and eat. That is the Amerian way. I did watch an interesting documentary on CNN last night about Martin Luther King while many were probably watching football games. Growing up white in the segregated South was my childhood so I could relate very strongly to specific incidents shown in the program hosted by sometimes tearful CNN reporter Soledad O’Brien. I found my own eyes watering as well. My college classes in downtown Atlanta were cancelled because of Martin Luther King’s burial and we were advised to stay in our dorm rooms. I vividly remember when the four young girls died in the Birmingham church bombing. I vividly remember drinking out of whites only water fountains. I vividly remember blacks riding at the back of buses. I am not so sure I have taught my children as well as I should about what that period of our history was like.By Oldprof
January 21, 2008 2:51 PM | Link to this
Don’t know about the suburbanites, but this Dayton resident finds the weather far too unforgiving on most MLK day marches. And too often I’ve found the standard MLK day observances to be taken as an opportunity by featured speakers to express sentiments that Dr. King did not share. Among holidays intended to bring the community out to celebrate—July 4, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day—this holiday seems to have not yet developed a compelling, community-oriented, seasonally appropriate ritual that does involve everyone in the celebration. Given time, perhaps it will.