CNN 2010-05-18（在线收听）

Principal says hey, these kids need role models. Let's go meet one. In this case, a black rocket scientist in Ann Arbor, a successful, smart guy with some good advice for the kids.

Here is the problem.  The trip was just for the black students. The white kids? Didn't get to go. That sound fair?

Take a look at this report from Kim Bora at WDIV-TV. Then let's talk.

It was supposed to be a field trip, a chance to meet a real-life African-American rocket scientist.

He showed us he's cool, like, lab and stuff he does.

What wasn't cool for some was how Principal Mike Madison chose to handle students in one class after some were heard booing African-American students who took part in this trip.  Parents say they were told the principal raised his voice at them, shaming the very students he excluded by not giving them a chance to go on this trip, but not all parents are convinced.

I think it was something that was very simple that was blown out of proportion.

I think it's very important for people to realize that the majority of parents at Dicken are very happy with Principal Madison.

In a letter addressed to parents the principal said in hindsight things would have been handled differently.  He wrote, quote, "I'm sorry if any kids were upset by the field trip or my discussion afterwards with them, and I have let them know that."

I think that and anything they're trying it is a good thing.

The fact that kids were booing the kids that were returning from the field trip in my opinion would have upset me had I just planned a field trip that I felt really good about and I just saw the kids being really excited by it and inspired by it.

And I think that there has been a lot of reactionary talk.  I think that the firing and the lawsuit discussion is pretty absurd at this point.

PHILLIPS: OK.  Here's the thing.  White kids need black role models, too, why? Because, let's face it, there's still racism in this country.  KKK members, white supremacists and less radical racists raising kids and the Internet with all kinds of racist poison out there; kids might believe that stuff unless they're challenged not to.  See it debunked right before their eyes.

Role models come in all colors, all genders, all professions; it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.  So I'm glad to hear that now that the school program in Michigan is being suspended so school officials can tweak it and make it more inclusive. Good thing because the segregated field trip might have violated Michigan law.