Douglas C. Lyons The Sun-Sentinel

October 17, 2011

Douglas C. Lyons
The Sun-Sentinel

RE: Photo IDs and a post racial society

Mr. Lyons,

An article by Jason Schultz in today’s Sun-Sentinel [Page 5B] on “boundary jumping” in Palm Beach County caused me to reread my October 8th note to you.

Was I showing my “cultural arrogance” by saying that requiring a photo ID of prospective voters need not be prima facie racist? After all, banks, DMV offices, liquor stores, and post offices require it.

`The article says that as much as 8% of the students in certain Palm Beach County schools may be “boundary jumpers”. Let us stipulate that “boundary jumpers” are enrolled in schools that they are not legally entitled to attend.

Brookdale School is 2 blocks from where I live. In addition to being an “A” rated school it had some serious renovations last year. By all accounts it is a desirable place to send your child to school

Since ethnicity is now an integral part of our Census data it is easy to profile citizens racially on a city, zip code, neighborhood, block, and an individual building basis. The evidence of your own eyes would suggest that there is a serious discrepancy between the students’ declared addresses and where they actually live.

I suggest that a parent motivated by his rational self-interest – a concept that is both alien and forbidden to worshippers at the Church of Modern American Liberalism – by being a “boundary jumper” is to be praised. Why should a parent settle for second best for his child when a bit of legerdemain could profoundly affect a student’s life?

It should be a self-evident fact that this educational osmosis will never see students jumping from a “good” school to a “bad” school. Why not offer bonuses – How does 25% sound – to teachers, “good” teachers only, to teach at the “bad” schools. If “bad” is too harsh a word, a word that could cause self-esteem issues, I’ll settle for “underperforming”.

If schools were to require photo IDs of parents and students would that be as racist as requiring them of prospective voters?


KEVIN SMITH
WARRIORBARDIT@BELLSOUTH.NET