Welcome To The 1800's: A Black Kid In St. Louis Isn't Allowed To Transfer To A New School Because He's Black

FOX- A St. Louis mother is in shock after learning her son’s skin color will keep him from attending the school of his choice.  Edmund Lee is an African-American 3rd grader at Gateway Science Academy, a charter school in south St. Louis.  His family is moving to St. Louis County this year.

State law allows some county residents the opportunity to attend a city charter school, but they must live in a district participating in transfer programs, and can not be an African-American.

“When I read the guidelines I was in shock,” said La’Shieka White, Edmund’s mother.  “I was crying.”

School officials say their hands are tied because of state regulations created decades ago.  The rules were designed to address segregation problems with St. Louis schools.  Leaders at Gateway Science Academy believe it’s time to revisit those rules.

“If this helps us start a conversation about maybe some things that could be different with the law, then that is as good thing,” said Assistant Principal Janet Moak.




​How long do you think segregation has been the last topic on the agenda at school board meetings in St. Louis County? I think that's the mark of a racist school system in 2016. When it's representatives just keep putting off discussing the modification of a law that reflects the ideals of 1960's white supremacy. "Ahhh, civil rights can wait. We'll get to it next week. I'm sure a black kid won't try to transfer here before then". Been playing with fire for fucking 60+ years and they finally got burnt.  Talk about deflecting. This district isn't prejudice, it's rule oriented. Wouldn't want to teach the Aryan Nation that's it's okay to break the law by letting African Americans share the classroom with them. That would be a horrible lesson for their youth. Instead they should stick by their guns and be the only institution of learning whose acceptance is based on skin color. They might be discriminatory, but don't you dare say they are undisciplined. 

All things considered, this is probably a blessing in disguise. Sure, an African American 3rd grader had to learn that racism is still very much alive, but at least he didn't have to show to a place he wasn't wanted everyday. Transferring is hard enough as is. You are automatically an outcast, you have to work super hard to maintain any semblance of a social life, and people are already looking for reasons to dislike you. Probably a lot more difficult when you are greeted on your first day by 500 white kids in hoods carrying molotov cocktails. I don't know how, but the Gateway Science Academy managed to get through those first couple of decades -when most schools were being pressured into treating others as equals- without tweaking their handbook. I think the statue of limitations might actually be up. If they want to be the segregative school then let them be, because the only thing worse than being the blatantly racist school that doesn't accept black transfers is being the subtly racist school that begrudgingly accepts them.