Dicken Elementary School in Ann Arbor decided to take only its African American students on a field trip to meet and listen to a rocket scientist, leaving all the white students behind. When the parents of some of the white students excluded from the trip complained, the school’s principal replied, in part:

“The intent of our field trip was not to segregate or exclude students as has been reported, but rather to address the societal issues, roadblocks and challenges that our African American children will face as they pursue a successful academic education here in our community.”

A good plan, except that this field trip was as wrong as a field trip could possibly be. I would think this is so screamingly obvious that it would require no elucidation, but it is increasingly clear to me that in today’s public schools, among today’s school administrators. nothing is obvious.

Let us count the ways this trip undermines exactly what it was—incredibly—intended to achieve:

• The ethical way to address the difficulties faced by African American children is not to give them special education opportunities that are withheld from other students. This is unfair.

• The ethical way to encourage good and respectful relations among races is for schools not to demonstrate apparent bias in favor of one c group over another. This erodes trust.

• The ethical way to encourage a multi-racial society with opportunity and respect for all is not to divide elementary school projects, trips or classes by race. This is irresponsible.

• The ethical way to avoid enmity and resentment between races is not to transparently favor one race over another. (The students returning from the field trip were reportedly booed by the students excluded solely because of their race.) This is incompetent, and unfair, untrustworthy, and irresponsible.

• The ethical way to build trust among races is to ensure that no special benefits are conferred on the basis of race. Principal Mike Madison, who approved the field trip, is an African American. This creates the appearance of bias, and is thus incompetent, unfair, untrustworthy, and irresponsible as well.

Why wouldn’t white students, as well as black, benefit from meeting an African American rocket scientist? They would. If the trip would inspire black students and help them be rid of negative stereotypes, it would both accomplish the same for white students. What was supposed to promote equality was inequitable; what was supposed to fight bias was biased, and what was supposed to promote racial harmony undermined it. The actions of the Dicken school defy logic, common sense, and ethics. Once again, such forehead-slapping ineptitude by teachers and school administrators raises the question: why are people like this entrusted with the education of children?