Letters to the Editor

To the Editor:

As an African-American and an educator who has taught for the past 30 years in true inner-city schools, I find the opposition of the Amherst, Mass., chapter of the N.A.A.C.P. to ability grouping hypocritical and wrong strategically ("Amherst Schools Urged To Drop Ability Grouping," Oct. 5, 1994). It is hypocritical in that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has never opposed ability grouping in athletics. It is wrong strategically because it will force black and white parents who can afford private school tuition to take their children out of the public schools.

It was William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, a founder of the N.A.A.C.P. and a resident of Great Barrington, Mass., who pushed for ability grouping when he eloquently spoke of the "Talented Tenth." Historically, black leaders have fought only for opportunities to compete fairly--not...