On Tuesday morning a friend of mine asked me to DVR BET’s wildly successful progra
m, Keyshia Cole- The Way Life Is. I have heard of the program, but I had yet to sit down and watch it fully. Being a fan of R&B music, I appreciate the work Keyshia Cole has done and how she has shown significant growth as an artist over the course of two albums, so I was excited to watch this program.
I watched the program and was left feeling not only angry, but a little disgusted.
The point that angered me was the attack of Keyshia’s mother Frankie on America’s public schools system. Keyshia Cole’s sister Neffe (I think this is spelled correctly…shoot… I’ve never seen this name before…) is considering sending her daughter Brianna (a seemingly bright and very charismatic young lady) to Atlanta’s Southwest Christian Academy.
When providing reasons as to why the move from a public elementary school to a private middle school should occur, Neffe (the child’s mother) cited smaller class sizes and more parental involvement, both of which are admirable reasons for wanting to send a child to private school.
When the two spoke to grandma Frankie about the private school option, she provided numerous reasons that were not only offensive to me, a product of public schools, but down right elementary (where Brianna just finished school) in reasoning.
Frankie said, “You need private schools because it will help you have a better future. Public schools gone take you way off of your goal…It’s important to me that Brianna have a solid education. Neffe didn’t have a solid education, Keyshia didn’t have a solid education, and it’s important to me that someone break the family curse.”
An educator’s response (If only I could sit my home girl down, adjust that lace front and those teeth and say…)
Frankie, what are you talking about? Keyshia and Neffe did not struggle in regards to education because they attended a public school. Not only did students graduate from whatever public school these young women attended and go on to college, but some of them became teachers, lawyers, ministers, doctors, and successful entrepreneurs. The curse these young women were afflicted with is the same curse too many young people are afflicted with and that is being born into a family where a parent or parents fail to make decisions that will positively impact their children.
Frankie is a reformed crack cocaine addict, the mother of numerous children (by numerous fathers), many of whom were reared by foster care because Frankie was neglectful and a prostitute. And while I am glad she reformed her life for the better with help from her inspirational daughters, Keyshia and Neffe, I don’t think she is the best sounding board for her granddaughters future. And the number one detractor against private schools, oddly enough, was Frankie herself. She went, for a little while she claims, to private school. And look where she ended up.
The entire episode can be seen at:
http://www.bet.com/onblast/default.html?chan=3&id=2462&i=4&sub=&itype=e
A final note:
On the show, one can routinely see Frankie’s love interests. All of these men are tall, a lil rugged around the edges and young… extremely young. Frankie is clearly not a young woman. Clearly, Frankie is not a playful little pussycat. She is actually too old to be a cougar. She’s more like a saber tooth tiger. And no, I am not making fun of her false teeth. I am simply saying she is too old to be on the prowl off of Bankhead Highway (Hollowell Parkway in these modern times) looking for ‘lil thugsters and dime bags of weed.
m, Keyshia Cole- The Way Life Is. I have heard of the program, but I had yet to sit down and watch it fully. Being a fan of R&B music, I appreciate the work Keyshia Cole has done and how she has shown significant growth as an artist over the course of two albums, so I was excited to watch this program.I watched the program and was left feeling not only angry, but a little disgusted.
The point that angered me was the attack of Keyshia’s mother Frankie on America’s public schools system. Keyshia Cole’s sister Neffe (I think this is spelled correctly…shoot… I’ve never seen this name before…) is considering sending her daughter Brianna (a seemingly bright and very charismatic young lady) to Atlanta’s Southwest Christian Academy.
When providing reasons as to why the move from a public elementary school to a private middle school should occur, Neffe (the child’s mother) cited smaller class sizes and more parental involvement, both of which are admirable reasons for wanting to send a child to private school.
When the two spoke to grandma Frankie about the private school option, she provided numerous reasons that were not only offensive to me, a product of public schools, but down right elementary (where Brianna just finished school) in reasoning.
Frankie said, “You need private schools because it will help you have a better future. Public schools gone take you way off of your goal…It’s important to me that Brianna have a solid education. Neffe didn’t have a solid education, Keyshia didn’t have a solid education, and it’s important to me that someone break the family curse.”
An educator’s response (If only I could sit my home girl down, adjust that lace front and those teeth and say…)
Frankie, what are you talking about? Keyshia and Neffe did not struggle in regards to education because they attended a public school. Not only did students graduate from whatever public school these young women attended and go on to college, but some of them became teachers, lawyers, ministers, doctors, and successful entrepreneurs. The curse these young women were afflicted with is the same curse too many young people are afflicted with and that is being born into a family where a parent or parents fail to make decisions that will positively impact their children.
Frankie is a reformed crack cocaine addict, the mother of numerous children (by numerous fathers), many of whom were reared by foster care because Frankie was neglectful and a prostitute. And while I am glad she reformed her life for the better with help from her inspirational daughters, Keyshia and Neffe, I don’t think she is the best sounding board for her granddaughters future. And the number one detractor against private schools, oddly enough, was Frankie herself. She went, for a little while she claims, to private school. And look where she ended up.
The entire episode can be seen at:
http://www.bet.com/onblast/default.html?chan=3&id=2462&i=4&sub=&itype=e
A final note:
On the show, one can routinely see Frankie’s love interests. All of these men are tall, a lil rugged around the edges and young… extremely young. Frankie is clearly not a young woman. Clearly, Frankie is not a playful little pussycat. She is actually too old to be a cougar. She’s more like a saber tooth tiger. And no, I am not making fun of her false teeth. I am simply saying she is too old to be on the prowl off of Bankhead Highway (Hollowell Parkway in these modern times) looking for ‘lil thugsters and dime bags of weed.
6 comments:
ok, so... i never thought i'd say this but i agree with Frankie (to a certain extent!). yes, of course, there are excellent public schools. i went to them my entire life before entering a private college. that being said, we know there are a lot of public schools (particularly those in low income communities) are failing our kids. just looking at the fact that 4th graders in low income communities are already three grade levels behind their peers in high income communities makes that painfully oblivious. of course, parental involvement can be lacking, but i just can't believe parents and their choices are the major reason for this gap.
that being said, i still believe in public schools and if i have children, i'll send them to public schools. Frankie shouldn't have made such a sweeping generalization, but you also have to consider her experience. it's very possible her daughters attended sub-par schools.
ok, sorry for the long comment. i just couldn't help but chime in!
Hey Zackory!
You've been MIA for while. Good to see you back in the blogosphere.
Now, onto business...
I am surprised to be writing this, but I agree with Frankie. Yup! As a product of Chicago's awful public school system, I was lucky enough to go to one of the magnet schools. Bill Clinton even said that my magnet school was just as good as any private school in America when he visited it in the spring of 1992. Thankfully, I was admitted the following fall.
But the typical public school is NOT that good. So, it wasn't an attack on good teachers like you but the system as a whole.
You might not agree with her, but you can't fault her for actually caring about her granddaughter's future.
although Frankie is loath to provide advise to anyone, especially an impressionable young lady in the show (yeah, i've been watching the show through clenched teeth... but that's another matter), i agree with her on a very high level. like you, i was a product of a public school education and have done quite well for my family... BUT i currently send my daughter to a private school and would rather have her graduate from a private school rather than a public one.
from the environment which this young girl was born into, she would do well and more than likely prosper in a school that provides more focused teaching, increased parental environment, and discipline than she would find in ANY metro Atlanta middle or high school.
i know a number of public school teachers right here in DeKalb County who would not allow their own kids to go to the school where they teach!!! i understand the author of this blog is a school teacher, but don't take the attack of Frankie as being on the teacher, but more on the system that makes it difficult for but the most diligent of parents' children to succeed. anyone who has sprung from the loins of Frankie and Neffe' will need a private school education to break the cycle of low esteem, low expectations, lack of discipline!
they show the girl on the show going to a school in north clayton (?)... hmmmm, didn't clayton county lose accreditation earlier this year? i felt it was a mistake to even open the decision as to whether she would go to SAC on the show... if it were up to me, she'd be enrolled there RIGHT NOW!
smh.
i disagree with the ex-"lady of the night"
public schools, i believe, do not hinder a child any more than a private school.
I appreciate the public visibility of my company name, Intellectual Pursuit, Inc., www.ok2bsmart.com We are about making students feel smart and capable. Look us up in Philadelphia, PA. Students that are help seekers achieve and flourish regardless of wether they are in private school or public school. Give Frankie her props. She needs the love from her family to stay on her path. Let her give her 2 cents.
Good day !.
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