Analyzing Media Won’t Set a Problem Child Straight
After many years’ contact with abnormally aggressive, violent, narcissistic students, I cringed at the solution for their amoral, antisocial, self-destructive behavior offered by John Fernandez and Tara Yosso (“ ‘187’ Demonizes Latino, African American Students,” Counterpunch, Aug. 18). The remedy these writers create in this regard would be humorous parody, were it not so ironically pathetic.
The minority-group students whom teachers commonly call their dangerous, unapproachable ones will be deterred from acting out their antisocial impulses, these writers advise, if given opportunities “to deconstruct films and other popular culture media forms that polarize, alienate and scapegoat” them.
In the meantime, take heart, you tormented teachers. It is said there are “numerous committees” working feverishly to get you in touch with the therapeutics of Jacques Derrida, et al, to relieve your anguish. Once an otherwise degenerate student comes to learn that in truth he/she personally is the actual creator of meaning in all forms of communication, watch his/her SAT scores escalate!
PATRICK GROFF
Professor Emeritus
College of Education
San Diego State University
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