EDUCATION
The Midland Black Coalition placed great emphasis on representation in education. By the 1970s, thanks to the advocacy of the MBC, Midland Public Schools committed to hiring more Black teachers. It took decades of work to get the school district to recognize Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as holiday. Many people today are still advocating for representation in curriculum.
Commonly, most Midlanders remember only a few incidences of racism in elementary school, and the majority of those were born of ignorance rather than malice. However, by middle school the picture changed. Examples of racism proliferated, such as Black students hearing cracking whip noises made at them after watching Roots. By high school, students learned the art of microaggressions, which then persisted across activities, sports, and academics.
Racism in the schools has not abated, but there has been a growing expectation of accountability. Midland Public Schools has made national news twice for racist activity on the part of its students. In 2015, a former student posed with another student in a gorilla costume and captioned that the gorilla was Dow High’s star kicker Ashton Brooks, a Black woman. Comparing Black people to primates is a common racist stereotype. In 2016, a white student made a racist video targeting a Black student and his white friend. The video expressed violence against the Black student and against the idea of interracial dating. These and other acts created an outcry among Black and white parents and students alike who turned out for a school board meeting to demand better.
Like the MBC before it, ARM recognized the importance of education and soon after its formation petitioned the school district to:
+ Read The Demands
- Implement curricula focusing on Black History, racism,and white privilege
- Carry out mandatory diversity training for staff from an independent organization;
- Encourage its [district] peers in the area to do the same;
- Distribute a district-wide statement declaring race as an issue within Midland Public Schools;
- Ban the Confederate flag on district property;
- Make a public commitment to hiring more teachers and administrators of color and supporting current faculty members of color;
- Create a centralized, public, local reporting system to track racial or otherwise prejudicial incidents of discrimination or harassment;
- Develop workshops and provide resources for at home education of both students and parents;
- Allocate funds for mental health counselors across all schools in the district;
- Provide periodic public updates regarding progress towards outlined goals
The circulated petition garnered over 2,000 signatures before it was presented to the school board and superintendent. To date, the school has banned the Confederate flag and has made acknowledgement that race is an issue that needs to be addressed. The school districted hired De’Ondre Hogan as its first fulltime Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the end of 2020.
Oral Histories
Ernie Carter / Aaron Chatman / Avery Chatman / Johnny Chatman / Jonathan Haynes / Leonard Haynes
Ernie Carter
“If you want respect, you have to give respect… When you see there is a need to help someone, reach out.”
Ernie Carter was one of the first Black teachers in Midland Public Schools, (Ruby Helton Riley was the first) hired after MBC petitioned superintendent George Owen to hire more Black teachers. Ernie shared about his childhood in Mississippi, the importance of the civil rights movement, and why despite some racist incidents, he found his home in Midland.
Aaron Chatman
“Black was my identity. I was
‘Black’ beforE I was a person.”
Aaron Chatman recounts navigating school pressures. Despite being proud of who he was, he faced repeated negative racial comments throughout middle and high school. Even though he had friends and activities and was part of the overall school community, Aaron was never allowed to forget he was Black in a predominantly white school.
Avery Chatman
“As soon as you try to dismiss [racism] someone else is going to experience it, so you try to correct it right there; you try to have a conversation.”
Avery Chatman realized that teachers were not equipped to handle racism and the topic was rarely discussed in school. He shares how hard it was to not get angry about the daily racism he and his brothers experienced, and how the microaggressions, hurtful comments, and lack of intervention all took a toll. But he also recognizes that staying angry will not help bring about change, so he tries to have the hard conversations.
Johnny Chatman
“In Midland, I still know that I’m a Black man as opposed to just
being a man.”
Johnny Chatman provides insight about his experiences working as a Midland Public Schools teacher, raising a family, and living in Midland. Having grown up in Carrollton, he talks of the regional perspective of Midland as part of “up North” and also the ways in which Midland was a nice place to live. Johnny discusses the lack of progress in the schools, and the ways Midland mirrors the national pictures, including policing.
Jonathan Haynes
“I don’t think a lot of people who really love Midland understand how Midland is not always loving to people.”
Jonathan Haynes recounts his childhood, growing up in Midland, and becoming an activist leader during the racial unrest and awakening nationwide during the summer of 2020. Jonathan and fellow ARM leader and interviewer Afua Ofori-Darko discuss founding ARM, their goals, and why it is so important to advocate for Black students in Midland Public Schools.
Leonard Haynes
“You have to be willing to get out of your comfort zone and get to
know someone…”
Leonard Haynes came to Midland twice – first as a Northwood student and then as a Northwood coach. He reflects on how, as a student, he remained fairly secluded from the city. He did not experience racism until returning to Midland. He recounts disturbing experiences when strangers spewed their hatred. Leonard shares his sadness over his children’s difficulties in Midland Public Schools along with his deep pride in them for standing for their principles. He also discusses his involvement in Northwood’s Diversity Inclusion Group and their work to bridge gaps, help others understand race issues, and foster inclusion.