Does Skin Color Determine a Child's Potential?

Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu tackles that question in his presentation The Education Gap: A Critical Response to Poverty in America (The Ruby Payne Theory) as part of The Bush School's third annual Diversity Speaker Series. Free and open to the public, the talk takes place on Thursday, January 15 from 7-9 p.m. at Mount Zion Baptist Church at 19^th Ave. and Madison St., Seattle.  
In his presentation, Dr. Kunjufu dissects and refutes Ruby Payne's "poverty theory." The theory concludes that for students who are not white and middle-class, it will be very difficult to reach full potential. Dr. Kunjufu plans to demonstrate how the success of a child cannot be determined solely by race, income, family structure, or level of parental education. He will also highlight what successful schools are doing in low-income, high risk neighborhoods.
Dr. Kunjufu has been a renowned educational consultant for more than 30 years. He has written dozens of book on the education of children of color, and he lectures all over the country.
Over the past two years, The Bush School's Diversity Speaker Series has welcomed more than a dozen nationally recognized speakers to engage the Bush community, and the greater Seattle area in conversations about privilege and diversity.
For more information about The Bush School's Diversity Speaker Series, please visit www.bush.edu/diversity. For reservations or if you have any questions, please call Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr., Director of Diversity, at 206-326-7731 or [email protected].
The Bush School, in the Madison Valley neighborhood of Seattle, enrolls about 580 boys and girls in Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade. We balance a challenging academic program with experiential learning, service opportunities, and a wide variety of arts and athletics. The Bush School gives students the skills, knowledge, and experiences needed to succeed in school and in life, while making a positive impact on the world.