Frankly Speaking- They Just Won't Work
I was teaching at a Naval Air Maintenance Training Detachment at the Norfolk Naval Air Station. There were 15 of us in the detachment. A Master Chief Petty Officer in Charge, 3 jet mechanics, 3 airframes and hydraulics technicians, 3 aviation electricians and 5 avionics technicians. Our function was to train new maintenance technicians on the equipment specific to the SH-2F Lamps Helicopter as well as the aircraft itself.
I was at the time conducting a training class that was specific to the aircraft and its avionics systems. The general concept was to enable the individual technicians to identify defective assemblies, replace them and send the defective assemblies to an intermediate repair facility. This particular class was the most basic class we taught on the SH-2’s avionics systems. There was really no reason why an individual trained as an avionics technician should struggle with the course. It really was that elemental.
On Friday of each week a test was administered to check the student’s progress. The test questions were given to the students at the beginning of the course. All the student had to do was be able to answer questions he had from the course’s outset. Sounds simple, right?
As luck would have it racial discord in the ranks was an issue at the time. There was an African-American student in the class and guess who failed the first progress exam. The protocol was well defined and I proceeded to place the young man on academic probation. He objected citing that the instructor (that was me) had a prejudice against Black students.
I took the matter to the detachment office, advised the Chief in Charge. I wasn’t concerned that the matter had arisen. I felt certain the tension would ease and the class would continue as normal.
Everyone agreed that academic probation was the correct action to take and I returned to the classroom. The class for the rest of the day was a review of the test and any areas that the students felt needed further explanation. So there I stood in front of the class, suddenly, Bill entered the classroom and walked over to the podium, he laid his clenched fist on my lesson plan and without saying a word opened the fist to expose a black cricket. I cracked up! Bill walked back to the door and propped himself up against the door frame. One of the students then asked, “What’s so funny?” Right, I’ve got a class that includes a student that says I’m racially insensitive. Sure I’m going to tell the story!
Bill did now hesitate. He looked at me and said, “Tell ‘em Frank!” Well he did have several years seniority on me. Bill was a fishing buddy and just a generally nice guy. Interestingly enough he was also black.
Several months earlier Bill and I had gone fishing at a Naval Annex on the Colonial Parkway. The bait that we had used on the trip was crickets. We had tremendously good luck that day. Our catch was fantastic! The following Monday I was in the detachment office telling the rest of the guys how well we had done. Someone asked what we were using for bait and I told them, “crickets”. Another of the instructors wanted to know where we got them, so I told them where they came from and how much they cost. Someone piped in with the observation that we should have asked him and he would have given us all we needed from his house. I immediately asked what kind of crickets he had at his house.
I did not realize that Bill had entered the office and was standing directly behind me. The other instructor told me that the crickets at his house were all black. I advised him that the crickets we used were grey. He wanted to know what was wrong with the black crickets (I think the shell is too hard). But that is not what I said. With Bill standing silently behind me I said, “I don’t know they just won’t work.” Bill tapped me on the shoulder. “What kind of a racist comment is that Frank.” We joked and kidded about my racial prejudice toward black crickets.
When I finished Bill addressed the class. “Frank is a personal and professional friend. There is no favoritism or prejudice in his classroom. And, I don’t appreciate anyone saying there is. If this matter comes up again I will personally escort (obviously the language has been sanitized) the offending party out of this building and charge the person with dereliction of duty and conduct unbecoming a member of the United States Navy. Any question?” Hearing none Bill turned and walked off.
There were no further disruptions in the class and all students passed the class.
I was at the time conducting a training class that was specific to the aircraft and its avionics systems. The general concept was to enable the individual technicians to identify defective assemblies, replace them and send the defective assemblies to an intermediate repair facility. This particular class was the most basic class we taught on the SH-2’s avionics systems. There was really no reason why an individual trained as an avionics technician should struggle with the course. It really was that elemental.
On Friday of each week a test was administered to check the student’s progress. The test questions were given to the students at the beginning of the course. All the student had to do was be able to answer questions he had from the course’s outset. Sounds simple, right?
As luck would have it racial discord in the ranks was an issue at the time. There was an African-American student in the class and guess who failed the first progress exam. The protocol was well defined and I proceeded to place the young man on academic probation. He objected citing that the instructor (that was me) had a prejudice against Black students.
I took the matter to the detachment office, advised the Chief in Charge. I wasn’t concerned that the matter had arisen. I felt certain the tension would ease and the class would continue as normal.
Everyone agreed that academic probation was the correct action to take and I returned to the classroom. The class for the rest of the day was a review of the test and any areas that the students felt needed further explanation. So there I stood in front of the class, suddenly, Bill entered the classroom and walked over to the podium, he laid his clenched fist on my lesson plan and without saying a word opened the fist to expose a black cricket. I cracked up! Bill walked back to the door and propped himself up against the door frame. One of the students then asked, “What’s so funny?” Right, I’ve got a class that includes a student that says I’m racially insensitive. Sure I’m going to tell the story!
Bill did now hesitate. He looked at me and said, “Tell ‘em Frank!” Well he did have several years seniority on me. Bill was a fishing buddy and just a generally nice guy. Interestingly enough he was also black.
Several months earlier Bill and I had gone fishing at a Naval Annex on the Colonial Parkway. The bait that we had used on the trip was crickets. We had tremendously good luck that day. Our catch was fantastic! The following Monday I was in the detachment office telling the rest of the guys how well we had done. Someone asked what we were using for bait and I told them, “crickets”. Another of the instructors wanted to know where we got them, so I told them where they came from and how much they cost. Someone piped in with the observation that we should have asked him and he would have given us all we needed from his house. I immediately asked what kind of crickets he had at his house.
I did not realize that Bill had entered the office and was standing directly behind me. The other instructor told me that the crickets at his house were all black. I advised him that the crickets we used were grey. He wanted to know what was wrong with the black crickets (I think the shell is too hard). But that is not what I said. With Bill standing silently behind me I said, “I don’t know they just won’t work.” Bill tapped me on the shoulder. “What kind of a racist comment is that Frank.” We joked and kidded about my racial prejudice toward black crickets.
When I finished Bill addressed the class. “Frank is a personal and professional friend. There is no favoritism or prejudice in his classroom. And, I don’t appreciate anyone saying there is. If this matter comes up again I will personally escort (obviously the language has been sanitized) the offending party out of this building and charge the person with dereliction of duty and conduct unbecoming a member of the United States Navy. Any question?” Hearing none Bill turned and walked off.
There were no further disruptions in the class and all students passed the class.
posted by Frank at 4:39 PM
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