The other day my oldest came home after taking the TAKS Test.
(I have no idea what the hell TAKS stands for other than The Administration Kills Schools.)
Apparently when you take the test the school puts your race on the form. On my sons form they have him down as Hispanic. WTF!?!?!
I have been fighting a battle with the Texas school system since first putting my oldest in school. On the registration forms they have a place for race but I believe the only options are: Caucasian, Black (Not of Hispanic Decent), Hispanic, Asian, and Native American. That’s it.
When registering my kids I always check both Caucasian AND Black, because that’s what they are. I’m black (shut up) and Mike’s white. Every year the school calls me to INSIST that I pick one race and I always refuse. My children are not ONE race they are two and I’m not picking between the them.
We always go around in circles until I tell them that if they feel the need to pick one they can go right ahead but I will not. I will not disrespect Mike by excluding his input into his children and choosing Black. And I’m definitely not going to disregard the 60lb weight gain during two different summers (both kids were born in July), stretch marks and many hours of natural (HA!) painful child birth on my part by excluding myself and checking Caucasian. I shouldn’t have to.
If I checked my calendar correctly, I believe we are in 2006 not 1706 when one drop of black blood made you unclean and considered black. (And no I’m not saying being black is unclean).
In response to my defiance, every year the school system has picked the race of my sons for them. It changes from year to year. Last year my oldest was considered white while my youngest was black. Which I thought was crazy enough, but now Hispanic?
Can someone please explain how African, Native American, English, German, Scottish, Irish and French translates into Hispanic?
What was even better was this all went down on May 1st. Maybe I should have let him stay home from school that day to protest with his new people.
I just wonder what they’ll be next year?
If you talk to either one of my kids they’d opt for Japanese.
Do I let him take the day off to celebrate with is people?
May 7, 2010 at 7:58 pm |
This is nuts, I have never had to worry about that because I am so white that I am almost clear. I am a Caucasian – Norwegian – Scottish – American. I do get a kick out of the fact that most people don’t know where Norway is on a map and some people think Norwegians are from Norweagia. Also, Scottish people are not Scotch. That is a drink.
May 8, 2010 at 4:29 am |
THERE SHOULD BE A BOX THAT SAYS MY GREAT GRAND PARENTS CAME HERE FROM SOMEWHERE I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO OR REALLY UNDERSTAND… I GUESS THERE NEEDS TO BE A BOX FOR TAX PAYING AMERICANS THAT ARE BROKE .
May 11, 2010 at 4:18 am |
Well, you can tell them you are hispanic and have no passport, ID and money. Your kids will get right into school with no questions asked! Your worries will be over!