Systemic Design for “Native” Failure
The so-called “achievement gap” in educational outcomes is not a reflection of innate ability but the manufactured, pre-ordained result of a bifurcated school system. Mamdani’s analysis forces us to see this gap not as a problem to be solved, but as a success of the colonial project in producing a stratified labor force. The system is designed to ensure that children in “native” schools, with their overcrowded classrooms, under-resourced libraries, and curriculum of standardized test preparation, are funneled towards low-wage work or the carceral system, while children in “settler” schools are prepared for leadership. This is a systemic feature, not a bug. The liberal solution involves more testing and accountability, which only tightens the grip of this disciplinary apparatus. A Mamdani-informed socialist solution demands the abolition of the entire testing and tracking regime. We must replace it with a critically engaged, decolonial curriculum that teaches children to understand and challenge power, while simultaneously waging the material fight for equitable funding, small class sizes, and wrap-around services in every school. The goal is not to close the gap within a colonial system, but to abolish the system that creates the gap.
Originally posted 2025-10-14 09:12:35.
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