STATEMENT BY THE NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE REGARDING "BLACK AMERICAN STUDENTS IN AN AFFLUENT SUBURB: A STUDY OF ACADEMIC DISENGAGEMENT"

New York, NY, Dec. 4, 2002-In response to news that an upcoming book by John U. Ogbu, "Black American Students in an Affluent Suburb: A Study of Academic Disengagement," argues that research shows that African-Americans' own cultural attitudes towards achievement are to blame for the achievement gap between black and white students, Ronald Ross, the Dr. Israel Tribble, Jr. Distinguished Fellow in Urban Education Reform for the National Urban League, stated the following:

"Why ask an anthropologist to explain what is wrong with education? Why not an educator? A few extreme Black conservatives are given prominence far in excess of their proportionality to the total Black community.

The League holds that it is useless to waste time and energy with those who would blame the victims of racism.  Blacks in a white environment, whether middle class or not, still suffer overtly and/or covertly from racist attitudes of teachers and/or students.  Profiling exists in many forms; not just cops stopping Black drivers. It is also white teachers and their fears of and lowered expectations for Black students. 

Teachers are at the heart of student achievement. How competent are they in their pedagogy?  How well do they motivate their students? What they expect of each child is at the heart of student achievement.

Black students in particular need to be validated by their teachers. Did Ogbu ask or delve into how the students felt their teachers felt about them?  This would be imperative for developing more accurate and worthy contributions to the discussion of student achievement.

Finally, there are no definitive studies to show Black students do not have high expectations and a lower desire to achieve. In fact the opposite is true."

Ron Ross was named as the first Dr. Israel Tribble, Jr. Distinguished Fellow in Urban Education Reform for the National Urban League on August 1, 2002.

Statement by the National Urban League
"Black American Students In An Affluent Suburb: A Study Of Academic Disengagement"

As Superintendent of the Mount Vernon school system from 1998 to 2002, Mr. Ross won national recognition for the dramatic and swift turnaround in the achievement levels of elementary school children in Mount Vernon.  As recently as 1999, only 35 percent of the city's fourth graders passed the New York State exam in reading.  By 2001, the proportion of youngsters passing the exam had soared to 75 percent.  

As Distinguished Fellow, Mr. Ross advises and assists Urban League Affiliates and their local school district partners in developing effective strategies for significantly boosting student achievement and school performance, with particular emphasis on improving the reading proficiency and academic performance of youngsters in inner-city schools.

Mr. Ross operates out of the National Urban League's headquarters in New York City and is affiliated as well with the National Urban League Institute for Opportunity and Equality, the organization's research and policy center in Washington, DC.