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alp227

(32,027 posts) Thu Feb 6, 2014, 11:47 PM Feb 2014

East Bay high school nixes plan to honor black history with fried chicken, watermelon

Plans to celebrate Black History Month with a lunch of fried chicken, cornbread and watermelon did not go over well at a private high school in Concord.

Administrators at Carondelet High School, an all-girl Catholic school, are apologizing to students and parents this week for proposing a menu that some complained perpetuated racial stereotypes, NBC Bay Area reported.

In a letter sent to the homes of students, Principal Nancy Libby wrote, “I’d like to apologize for the announcement and any hurt this caused students, parents or community members. Please know that at no time at Carondelet do we wish to perpetuate racial stereotypes.

full: http://blog.sfgate.com/stew/2014/02/06/east-bay-high-school-nixes-plan-to-honor-black-history-with-fried-chicken-watermelon/

and: http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/national-international/Controversy-Surrounds-Lunch-Menu-at-Concord-High-School-243851091.html

sure the bay area may be progressive as heck but it seems anywhere east of I-880 is where decency dies.

12 replies

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East Bay high school nixes plan to honor black history with fried chicken, watermelon (Original Post) alp227 Feb 2014 OP

Some other school did the same stupid thing last year Renew Deal Feb 2014 #1

Actually, it was a group of black workers who organized it. Nothing stupid about it. KittyWampus Feb 2014 #6

... TDale313 Feb 2014 #2

Rather than "honor" the month in a shitty, tastess manner... TroglodyteScholar Feb 2014 #3

Fried chicken is international. kwassa Feb 2014 #4

So is watermelon. I'm Asian and grew up eating plenty of watermelon and chicken. alp227 Feb 2014 #5

Not this asinine bogus outrage again… there is such a thing as soul food KittyWampus Feb 2014 #7

The problem is that such food is often used as a negative stereotype, not positive cultural trait. alp227 Feb 2014 #8

Okay, let me ask an honest question, because I'm not sure I understand. BlueCheese Feb 2014 #9

I think it's because of how the food played into the negative imagery of the Jim Crow era and before TroglodyteScholar Feb 2014 #10

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #11

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #12

Renew Deal

(81,861 posts)

1. Some other school did the same stupid thing last year

Reply to alp227 (Original post)

Thu Feb 6, 2014, 11:48 PM

Feb 2014

It amazes me how people never learn

KittyWampus

(55,894 posts)

6. Actually, it was a group of black workers who organized it. Nothing stupid about it.

Reply to Renew Deal (Reply #1)

Fri Feb 7, 2014, 02:02 AM

Feb 2014

TDale313

(7,820 posts)

2. ...

Reply to alp227 (Original post)

Fri Feb 7, 2014, 12:07 AM

Feb 2014

just... Wow.

TroglodyteScholar

(5,477 posts)

3. Rather than "honor" the month in a shitty, tastess manner...

Reply to alp227 (Original post)

Fri Feb 7, 2014, 12:26 AM

Feb 2014

Why not just have these two foods in the rotation throughout the year anyway? I think it's safe to say that most Americans like one or both of these foods. If my experience had been limited to my Southern upbringing, I would have thought everyone, everyone loved watermelon and fried chicken. Were there jokes about it? Yup. Did anyone avoid the foods because of what they represent to racists? Hell no!

Anyway, I just hope the bicycle stealing contest is still on....

kwassa

(23,340 posts)

4. Fried chicken is international.

Reply to alp227 (Original post)

Fri Feb 7, 2014, 12:49 AM

Feb 2014

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fried_chicken

Asia

Ayam goreng: various kinds of Indonesian and Malaysian dish of chicken deep fried in coconut oil, this Southeast Asian version is absent of batter and richer in spices.
Crispy fried chicken: a dish from the regional Cantonese cuisine of China.
Chicken karaage- a Japanese marinated and fried method of preparing fried chicken.
Salt and pepper chicken - (鹹酥雞 or 盐酥鸡 Cubes of chicken leg meat marinated and deep-fried, similar to karaage but flavoured with pepper salt and/or five-spice powder. Originating in Taiwanese night markets, it has also been popularized in North American Taiwanese bubble tea restaurants, sometimes given the name popcorn chicken.
Taiwan fried chicken fillet - Chicken fillet prepared in a similar way to salt and pepper chicken, as one large piece eaten in a paper bag. Popular in Taiwanese night markets.
Chicken katsu- (チキンカツ , a Japanese panko-breaded, deep fried chicken cutlet, adapted from tonkatsu, a pork chop variant.
Korean fried chicken: fried chicken pieces flavored with Korean ganjang sauce with garlic.
Buldak: fried chicken with Korean seasonings like gochujang.
Prawn paste chicken or "shrimp paste chicken": popular in Hong Kong-style restaurants in Singapore and Malaysia. Incorporates puréed shrimp and ginger juice into its breading mixture.
Sweet and sour chicken: deep-fried balls of chicken breast in batter.
Toriten: Japanese tempura style fried chicken
Chicken with chilies: (辣子鸡 , a Sichuan-style dish with small deep-fried pieces of chicken that are then stir-fried with chilies.
Chicken lollipop: An Indian snack of fried chicken drumettes, coated in a spiced batter and fried.

alp227

(32,027 posts)

5. So is watermelon. I'm Asian and grew up eating plenty of watermelon and chicken.

Reply to kwassa (Reply #4)

Fri Feb 7, 2014, 01:57 AM

Feb 2014

西瓜和鸡!

KittyWampus

(55,894 posts)

7. Not this asinine bogus outrage again… there is such a thing as soul food

Reply to alp227 (Original post)

Fri Feb 7, 2014, 02:04 AM

Feb 2014

And fried chicken and cornbread is part of it.

Picked this new release from the library last week:

http://www.amazon.com/Soul-Food-Surprising-American-Cuisine/dp/146960762X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1391753034&sr=8-2&keywords=soul+food

alp227

(32,027 posts)

8. The problem is that such food is often used as a negative stereotype, not positive cultural trait.

Reply to KittyWampus (Reply #7)

Fri Feb 7, 2014, 02:13 AM

Feb 2014

I don't know if the school explicitly used that term in the menu.

BlueCheese

(2,522 posts)

9. Okay, let me ask an honest question, because I'm not sure I understand.

Reply to alp227 (Original post)

Fri Feb 7, 2014, 02:16 AM

Feb 2014

On the face of it, serving Southern soul food, which was invented in the black community and has since spread throughout the country, would seem to be a very reasonable part of celebrating Black History Month. I would be much like serving Chinese food for Chinese New Year, or Irish food for St. Patrick's Day. Or having a jazz concert or something else recognizing the contributions that African Americans have made to our culture.

Is the problem that fried chicken is a little too obvious and not particularly thoughtful? (The first picture on Wikipedia for soul food has fried chicken, for example.)

This reminds me of a long ago thread when the NBC commissary served fried chicken in February. There was a minor brouhaha over it, until it was discovered that the chef and menu planner was an African American woman who was rather perplexed about the whole issue.

TroglodyteScholar

(5,477 posts)

10. I think it's because of how the food played into the negative imagery of the Jim Crow era and before

Reply to BlueCheese (Reply #9)

Fri Feb 7, 2014, 02:30 AM

Feb 2014

A simple Google search will turn up plenty of terrible caricatures and whatnot.

Response to BlueCheese (Reply #9)

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Response to alp227 (Original post)

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