December 2015 DIGITAL EDITION AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM
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December 2015 AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM DIGITAL EDITION By John Cullen ‘16 has adopted 42 families. Every single larger community or family.” need in the metro Detroit community. C hristmas is on the horizon and homeroom, some individual faculty For those who don’t know, Focus: Consider joining your fellow students many are, no doubt, very excited. A day members, and also a number of clubs HOPE is an organization that was found- and participating this holiday season in spent surrounded by the love of family adopted a family as part of the pro- ed in 1968 by Father William Cunning- the Focus: HOPE Christmas Pro- and friends is truly a special gram. The program comes with the re- ham and Eleanor Josaitis. Their mission gram. Your efforts will help ensure that event. However, some in our communi- sponsibility to provide a complete was simple: “build a metropolitan com- less fortunate families in our community ty are not so fortunate. There are a num- Christmas celebration for the family, in- munity where all people may live in will experience the fun and joy of the ber of people who can’t partake and cel- cluding food, clothing, everyday necessi- freedom, harmony, trust, and affec- holiday season and you, in turn, will bet- ebrate the holiday the way they’d like ties, and a few wish list items for the tion.” Focus: HOPE has grown over 45 ter realize the true meaning of Christmas to. Even though it might be forgotten in children. Both the Mother’s Club and years and implemented a number of ini- and “Men for Others.” the midst of the celebration, Christmas is Dad’s Club also help out and take part tiatives that help to accomplish the said far from being a “free” event. Many less by purchasing clothing and providing mission. U of D Jesuit has been an im- fortunate families have trouble putting transportation, respectively. The Focus: portant partner to Focus: HOPE for more money aside for gifts, the holiday meal, HOPE Christmas Program is an exact than 20 years. In addition to the previ- or even everyday necessities during the representation of one of our school ously mentioned Christmas Program, our season. goals: being committed to doing justice. involvement with the organization That is where our school’s involve- Mr. Wilson, director of Service, stretches into their monthly food pro- ment in the Focus: HOPE Christmas said, “it’s about realizing that we’re not gram, the Walk for Diversity, and a Program can help. This year, our school isolated beings, but we are all part of a number of other initiatives to aid those in By Kamau Jawara ‘16 his year, U of D Jesuit more year), an all-black charter school As a teacher who spends consid- dumb black kid”. So clearly, this expos- adopted the new and on the east side of Detroit. I remem- erable time getting all of students on the es a detrimental belief that has sunk into elusive theme of bered struggling to converse with stu- same page, Mr. Davidson had found our culture. “United by Diversity.” dents who had never learned how to so- that black students put forth less of an U of D teaches us to find beauty And withT that, all social ailments of stu- cialize with black students. I remem- effort when it came to participation. in diversity, but this is not fully under- dents from different backgrounds were bered being considerably behind the To what can the rarity of black stood in the early years of our tenure erased. No seriously...let's talk facts. other students in every subject coming males raising their hand and asking here. This is crucial because most of A while back, I was looking at in. Heck...I had come from a middle questions be attributed? Like I said, a black male discouragement takes place our senior class at the start of our fresh- school where our science classes were lot of it has to deal with stigmatisms when other students are still ridding men year and came to the realization relegated to simple and monotonous that have been seemingly legitimized by themselves of stereotypes and prejudic- that almost half of the African- bookwork. I remembered taking Super- this nation’s culture. Stereotypes give es they may have believed for the ma- American students had transferred out vised Study instead of a science out of credence to the idea that blacks are less jority of their lives. This results in the of U of D by the start of junior year. fear of failing a science class my fresh- intelligent, and this heavily affects the occasional chuckle or joke at the ex- Soon after, I looked to the class of 2017 men year of high school. psyche of the black U of D student pense of a black male seeking help, and only to find that the very same disturb- According to freshmen/ within the classroom. can ultimately shape the academic expe- ing fact rang true once again. Dumb- sophomore English teacher Mr. Da- “I felt as if I wasn't on the same rience. founded, I began to count the number of vidson, the majority of incoming fresh- level as the rest of the class. Because of But now the million dollar ques- white students that had transferred out men that must come to his class in the this I was scared to ask questions,” Aa- tion comes to fruition… How do we of UofD just to prove that we weren’t summer before freshman year as a result ron Abney ‘16 said. Now isn’t that dis- fight an idea that has become almost unique. What I had found was that, of lower scores on the High School turbingly ironic? This is indicative of an permanently ingrained into the minds of while blacks transfer in similar amounts Placement Test are African-American. environment where black males do not many of our black males here at UofD? to whites, they transfer out at an accel- But why am I telling you this? feel safe asking for help because they Well, this first starts on a social erated rate due to their role as approxi- For black males, this can serve as just will be judged differently than others. level. As a student of another race, we mately 27-30% of the school popula- the first cog in the wheel as they enter As a result of their previous must not judge our peers for their disad- tion. their freshman year feeling academical- schooling, black males coming from vantages but must open ourselves up to Like any other students, the rea- ly inferior. Needless to say, the culture- public/charter schools enter U of D with them. We must understand the beauty of soning varies from academic to social, shock along with the academic rigor of a deficiency in core academic areas and the learning process and mustn't ruin it but why was this such a major issue? U of D alone can be quite the psycho- form an academic inferiority complex. for others. After all, this is what a Jesuit Well, it suggests that there is something logical hurdle for a black student in This must be understood because it con- education is all about. glaringly influential in their decision their early years at The High. tributes to a lack of confidence in the Second, we black males must that takes shape during their freshmen Travis Murray ‘16 described it classroom. take full advantage of our instructors and sophomore years at U of D. I under- as entering an “environment I wasn’t Mr. Davidson reasoned, “They and resources here at U of D regardless stood that this school isn’t for everyone, used to, coming from an entire school of can find an independent clause if you of what belittling jokes we may here as but what was making them hate U of D kids that looked like me to one with a tell them, but they are not taught to sen- a result. Believe it or not, often our so much? few”. But then it dawned on me. Could tence diagram and fully define the con- peers are just as confused as we are. The As a senior with a love for U of this maladjustment perhaps slip into the cept like in other schools, and this caus- minute we rid ourselves of negative ste- D, it became hard for me to remember realm of the classroom? es a disadvantage when it comes to fully reotypes that have permeated our socie- those early experiences here at The Addressing the relationship be- grasping the concepts as well as on ty for decades, we can combat the High, but as I looked back, it became so tween him and his students, Mr. Da- standardized test”. shockingly high rate of black males that much more clear. I remembered coming vidson said, “Of course as a teacher Lance Shackleford ‘16, a first transfer out and truly be able to claim to U of D in the fall of 2012 with just your job is to reach out to all of your honors student all of his years at The being united by diversity. one other black student from my middle students, but this is very difficult when High and a member of NHS even says, school (who transferred out after sopho- they don’t reach back.” “I feel like I’m viewed as just another Page 2 The Cub News, December 2015 Teacher Profiles By Cameron Keuning ‘16 about his freshman English teacher Mr.