principal Archives - The Race Card Project

“I didn’t expect to see you”

March 25, 2024March 21, 2024 African American, expect, Livingston, Mandarin, Mensah Cone, NJ, principal

Mensah Cone
Livingston, NJ

I’m the owner of a start-up Mandarin school. After completing a presentation of my school’s offerings to a principal in an urban school, the principal said, “Mensah, that was a fantastic presentation”. She expressed sincere interest in the program for her students. While packing my materials, she said, “I didn’t expect to see you”. We both are African Americans. Her comments underscore the conditioning that we’ve underwent into believing that certain professions or businesses are limited to certain demographics. I myself , am a student of Mandarin for 4.5 years, and successfully passed a Mandarin proficiency test issued by Han Ban.org The principal was a wonderful host. My six word comment faces challenges within a race, in this case, blacks.

I have been alone among many

October 20, 2021January 9, 2022 14 years old, 1959, albeit minority, alone, anxiety, CA, clear, economically dominant, ethnic group, first experience, foreign language, French, Gordon Lee Pattison, HI, High School, Honolulu, hostle, isolation, jr. hugh, Los Angeles, principal, privileged, school, society, vulnerable

Gordon Lee Pattison,
Los Angeles, CA.

In 1959, when I was 14 years old, I moved from Los Angeles to Honolulu. I had just started taking French as a foreign language at my junior high school in Los Angeles and wanted to continue. However, there was only one junior high school in Honolulu at that time offering French in the 9th grade, so I got permission from the Honolulu school district to enroll there even though it was not located where we lived. I don’t think we realized it at the time, but I came to find later that it was located in one of the rougher parts of the city. When I enrolled, I met with the principal who warned me that because I would be one of only two haole students at the school, I might encounter trouble from the other students because of my race. What he was telling me was to watch my back, at the same time making it clear to me that I was on my own. I was about to have an experience that every white person in America should have. I know what it is like to be subjected to the mostly curious, sometimes mocking, and occasionally hostile stares and harassment that minorities often endure. I know the feeling of isolation, vulnerability, and anxiety that comes with that. I also know as a minority member what it is like to walk into a room of people and find myself instinctively looking around the room to see if there is anyone who looks like me. I do realize, however, that my experience had one major difference from that of many other minorities in our society. I was a member of an economically dominant, privileged, albeit minority, ethnic group in Hawaii. Nonetheless, it was a very instructive experience. It shaped my life and social outlook ever afterward and gave me empathy for the minority experience in America, and for that I have always been grateful.

Too white to teach Maya Angelou.

June 3, 2013 Columbus, I know why the caged bird sings, Lacey, Maya Angelou, OH, principal, students, teach, white

Lacey
Columbus, OH

During my first year of teaching, I was basically told by my principal that I couldn’t teach “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou to my all African-American students because I was white.