The "mis-education of the Negro," first identified by African-American historian Carter G. Woodson in his 1933 book of the same name, is continuing apace in many Baltimore City schools — and to a somewhat lesser extent in Baltimore County as well ("State says high school graduation percentage is best in past 15 years," Oct. 1).
I can understand why "community members, students, principals, and city school officials wept and [Baltimore schools CEO Andrés] Alonso fought back tears" when the Maryland data on the High School Assessment tests were released recently.
Baltimore City's HSA pass rate of 70.1 percent is nearly 17 percentage points below the statewide average of 87 percent.
In Baltimore County, where 91.2 percent of high school students overall passed the HSA test, the Woodlawn and Randallstown high schools had pass rates of only 70.4 percent and 83.7 percent respectively.
Both these schools are overwhelmingly African-American. It's been 78 years since Woodson published his seminal work, yet the mis-education of far too many black youngsters still seems alive and well. How much longer must this situation continue?
Wallace L. Gatewood, Owings Mills