Thursday at 7 p.m.: Honoring Black History
Our Honoring Black History special report airs at 7 p.m. Thursday. You can watch it on WOOD TV8 and streaming in this article.
The News 8 team looked at sites from the 'Negro Motorist Green Book,' a vital tool that helped Black Americans travel during the era of segregation; visited a West Michigan artist's exhibition at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History Detroit; listened to a lost and found tape that shares the story of Martin Luther King Jr.'s visit to Kalamazoo; and more.
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Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
'Wildlife haven' nature reserve known for bluebells closes to visitors ahead of sale
A 'wildlife haven' nature reserve has closed to visitors as it is set to be sold off. Longspring Wood, in Toms Lane, Kings Langley, is described as a 'a wildlife haven... an oasis nestled behind houses' with a mass of bluebells as well as oak, ash, and hazel trees. The one-hectare site is managed by the Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust, but the charity has confirmed its sale is underway. A message on the trust's website says: 'As part of our ongoing efforts to maximise the impact of our conservation work, we have undertaken a thorough review of our nature reserves and how we can best allocate our limited resources. 'After careful consideration, the trust has made the decision to step away from managing Longspring Wood. 'The site is now under offer so we have closed our path while the sale is completed.' Access to the wood is closed. In total, the trust is stepping back from seven nature reserves across its area. Bluebells (Image: Alamy/PA) It has highlighted it is responsible for 700 hectares of land and the seven reserves represent three per cent of its total land holdings. Proceeds from the sale will be reinvested in its long-term strategy as it is running 'significant budget deficits' amid increasing costs. Each site will remain designated 'local wildlife sites', affording them special legal protection in the planning system. The trust added: 'Where the trust is exploring the sale of sites, we do so being explicit that we want to see the land maintained for its contribution to nature and will implement safeguards through the sale process to ensure as best as we are able that this is upheld.' No trains to run on entire length of Watford Junction line this weekend 'Safety concerns' spark cancellation of summer camp 'with ties to Iran'Other sites it is looking to sell are Rabley Pit, near Shenley, Royston Chalk Pit, and Uxbridge Alderglade. It is handing Oughtonhead, in Hitchin, Stocking Springs Wood, near Ayot St Lawrence, and Willowmead, near Hertford, back to their owners. Wildlife at Longspring Wood includes blackcaps, bluebells, wild cherries, blue tits, great tits, long-tailed tits, nuthatches, goldfinches, King Alfred's cakes fungi, and wood mice.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Are Black Mothers Ruining Their Boys?
I am my mother's oldest son. I love who I am today, and despite many issues, she shaped me. My father was gone for goodcby the time I was 10. Even when he was around, he only taught me what I didn't want to be. I love Black mothers, and what I'm bringing up here is a discussion, not a critique. Over years of observations and recent conversations, I've noticed a pattern. Some people may be familiar with the cliche: Black mothers raise their daughters and love their sons. I hadn't heard it before, but I immediately understood it when I did. Several women in my life believe their mothers favor their brothers. The girls were expected to achieve more academically, have more chores, and be more independent. The boys are coddled in a way the girls are not afforded. This isn't just some bias specific to these women. I've seen it with my own eyes. One woman, although the youngest child, was expected to cook, clean, and iron her mother's clothes while her brothers played video games. I remember her telling me that for Christmas, she received a pack of Oreo cookies while her brothers received something more substantial. Even as an adult, she is expected to solve every family problem. I've also seen this in the classroom when teaching siblings. Although this isn't always the case, I'm much more likely to see a mother struggle to believe her son is doing something 'bad'. 'Not my baby!' is a phrase I've heard from many mothers almost exclusively when I'm calling about their sons. I recently received a video in which a man argued that Black mothers were ruining their sons because they loved on them too much for too long. He argued they are raising boys, not men, and went on to say the mothers wouldn't even date the type of man they are raising. Love is a good thing. It is a crucial thing, but everything in moderation. Love your son, but don't hide him from the real world. Make him work. Allow him to fail. Have the same expectations for success you would have for your daughter. Research shows it is possible to love your children too much. A bit of frustration and struggle in childhood creates adults who are better able to navigate the real world. When kids are overly protected, they struggle on deciding career paths and relationships. Depression, anxiety, and emptiness are all common symptoms. The brother of the woman mentioned earlier is going through this right now. He is 40 years old, living at home, depressed, angry, and with no hope for the future. His sister is independent, career-driven, and financially successful. Is the cliche true? I acknowledge my bubble, and even within that, there are exceptions to the rule. If reading this, I would love to know your experiences, but I did decide to do a bit of research before throwing out my observation. A 2010 study broached this topic. They took 1500 kids with Black mothers, and the results show there are some significant differences between sons and daughters, especially if we ignore boys who are born first. Boys who are born first and girls end up with similar results, but boys who are born later stand out. 'The results showed that later-born boys had fewer chores, argued more with their mothers, lived in less cognitively stimulating homes, and were not allowed to make the same decisions as were the girls or firstborn boys at the same age. The later-born boys were also lowest in achievement and highest in externalizing behaviors.' -source Although again we are working with a smaller sample size, it does suggest there is some truth to the idea that 'boys are being loved too much.' But why do mothers favor their sons? There isn't an easy answer to any of this, but I've found a common thread in my personal bubble and online. There seems to be an attempt to shield these boys from a harsh, racist world. Some people argue Black men have it harder, especially when we look at the prison system. Police brutality is a rampant problem for everyone, but Black people, and especially Black men, are disproportionately the victims. The justice system was built to criminalize and punish Black men to the extreme. From this angle, it isn't hard to see why a mother would want to shield her son from that world. The way a mother perceives the world likely impacts how she treats her son, but the way she perceives Black men will likely have just as much impact. Centuries of propaganda and perhaps personal experiences may teach Black women to believe Black men can't succeed. They are going to end up in a gang, or jail, etc. Why push him to succeed if he can't succeed? One study shows Black mothers have lower expectations for their sons and believe them to be less academically competent. This study consisted of 334 African American mothers from diverse backgrounds. Some were married, some were from urban areas, etc. This supports what I generally see in the classroom. On average, Black mothers are more likely to push their sons when they are athletes. In relation to this mindset, mothers push their daughters so hard because of the same belief, men will fail you. Black women have to be successful, independent, and educated to conquer the world. Men raised by those same parents enter the world with only the goal of surviving and staying out of trouble. Sadly, in many situations, this mindset hurts everyone. Once they grow up, many of these successful daughters are expected to raise these sons, who were never raised by their mothers. Despite my claims here, every situation is different. This isn't an indictment on how anyone is raising their children. I also need to point out while doing research, I saw some pretty negative comments, especially toward Black women. I'm relatively certain those people just look for any reason to attack Black women because the comments didn't relate to the actual topic. To be clear, this is about Black people, and people in general, as a whole. I encourage people to join the conversation, but please keep your unrelated hatred to yourself. Motherhood is hard. They are expected to be perfect and receive most of the blame whenever something goes wrong. In comparison, fathers are rewarded for doing the bare minimum. (Have you ever seen a father go to the grocery store with the kids?) Mothers usually do the best they can with the tools they receive. I doubt any mother is consciously favoring their sons, especially if they understand how it may impact them in adulthood. Hopefully, this works as another tool, something to consider while navigating the most difficult job in the world. This post originally appeared on Medium and is edited and republished with author's permission. Read more of LG Ware's work on Medium. 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Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
IREAD scores improve to record level statewide
State education leaders are celebrating the biggest increase in third grade IREAD literacy scores in the exam's history, which dates back to 2013. During Wednesday's State Board of Education meeting, officials attributed the success, in part, to funding from the Lilly Endowment and the General Assembly to improve literacy, which has lagged behind in recent years. Based on spring and summer retests, results showed 87.3% of the state's 73,500 third graders demonstrated proficient reading skills. The DOE didn't release data on the number of third graders being held back. They represent the first group who could be impacted by a 2024 state law calling for them to be retained if they don't pass the IREAD. It could be significant in some of Lake County's urban schools, especially in the Gary Community School Corp. where all the elementary schools fell below the state proficiency pass rate and two schools — Beveridge and Williams — each posted pass rates of 48.6%. Officials said the retention data would be released in October. All of Gary's charter schools fell below the state pass rate, too, but performed above the traditional district's scores. Among charter schools, just Discovery Charter School in Porter beat the state pass rate. Exemptions were carved out for a student who's already been retained in third grade; a student with an intellectual disability; a student who passed the math portion of the ILEARN; and a student who received intensive reading help for two or more school years and already retained in second grade. Third graders in all seven of Porter County's traditional school districts eclipsed the state pass rate and in Lake County, 10 of 16 districts surpassed the state pass rate. In Porter County, four schools scored 100% pass rates — Jackson in the Duneland School Corp. and Jefferson, Central and Cooks Corner in the Valparaiso Community Schools. In the private Diocese of Gary, 11 of 17 schools in Lake and Porter counties posted 100% pass rates. They include Aquinas, St. John the Evangelist, St. Mary Catholic Community, St. Stanislaus, St. Mary, St. John the Baptist, Our Lady of Grace, St. Thomas More. St. Patrick, Nativity of Our Savior, and St. Paul. 'Indiana has made extraordinary progress from where we began just a few years ago, when nearly one in five Indiana third graders could not read, to today when literacy rates have increased by nearly five percentage points in just one year,' said Katie Jenner, Indiana secretary of education in a press release. State board member Patrick Mapes, the Hamilton Southeastern superintendent, hailed the progress. 'This is monumental as far as the state is concerned,' he said. 'The next thing is harder; how do we gain again in the next school year? It doesn't end; students can't take a break.' The state's goal is 95% proficiency on the IREAD. This year's results marked the first time literacy rates increased for all student populations, including 7.5% for Black, Hispanic and special education students. Officials credited requiring IREAD testing at the second grade level to help teachers identify if students are on track to read by the end of third grade. They also praised the Indiana Literacy Cadre, a partnership between the state, the University of Indianapolis's Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning and Marian University's Center for Vibrant Schools. The cadre provides early elementary teachers with instructional coaching and support in alignment with the science of reading, an evidence-based curriculum. The Lilly Endowment provided about $170 million for the cadre in 2022. To learn more, visit IREAD Assessment Results at: 2024 2025 State average 82.5% 87.3% Lake County Hanover Central 90.5% 93.4% River Forest 79.7% 86.2% Merrillville 79.5% 80.3% Lake Central 91.8% 93.1% Tri-Creek 92.2% 94.8% Lake Ridge 62.7% 65.5% Crown Point 92.4% 94.6% East Chicago 56.2% 62.6% Lake Station 80.3% 79% Gary 49.2% 55.3% Griffith 88.6% 91% Hammond 63.1% 69.6% Highland 85.2% 88% Hobart 82% 88.7% Munster 93.8% 97.6% Whiting 86.4% 96.6 Boone Township 89.9% 98.7% Duneland 93.1% 95.2% East Porter 87.8% 97.6% Porter Twp. 94.6% 94.4% Union Twp. 94.3% 96.5% Portage Twp. 78.1% 89.3% Valparaíso 94.4% 97.5% Charter School of Dunes 48.6% 71.3% Thea Bowman 89.1% 75% Gary Lighthouse 47.1% 77.9% 21st Century 60.8% 75.9% East Chicago Urban Ent. 79.1% 75.6% East Chicago Lighthouse 43.4% 69.2% Aspire 76.7% 72.9% Discovery Charter 86.3% 91.9%
