NPR: Eighth Grader Upbraids Detroit Councilwoman

Eighth Grader Upbraids Detroit Councilwoman

Some eighth graders -- NOT all or even most -- are disrespectful, drunk on hormones, and caught between childhood and adulthood.

But this tape from Detroit (below) shows one young lady who speaks a load of common sense to a woman who is probably three times her age.

That woman is Detroit Councilwoman Monica Conyers, who happens to be the wife of Congressman John Conyers. During a council meeting, she got into a neck-rolling battle with the city council president, and called him "Shrek."

For those of you who don't have film- and DVD-addicted children in your life, Shrek is an animated character: a stocky bald green troll. The insult was something even a five-year-old could understand.

So maybe it make sense that an eighth grader would be the one to show maturity, decorum, and manners ... and put her elder in check.

The additional irony is that this city council hearing was about the hijinks of Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. As the rest of the country gets a good laugh out of this video, I wonder if Detroit folks are fed up to the point of exhaustion with their leaders.

Farai Chideya

Tags: Detroit

12:05 PM ET | 05- 2-2008 | permalink

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The young girl was on the money! The Councilwoman wrong and needs to check herself. She was even getting upset with the young girl.

Sent by C.P. | 3:14 PM ET | 05-02-2008

The young lady was absolutely correct. The Councilwoman brought self down to the level of an eighth grader and seemed unable to recognize that she was setting a bad example for our young people.

Sent by Miss T | 5:31 PM ET | 05-02-2008

Wow! I would really enjoy having a student like that in my class. Her teachers and parent should be proud of her composure, ethical sense and ability to articulate a reasoned point of view.

Sent by Dan Schmit | 7:02 PM ET | 05-02-2008

Now that was hilarious. Kudos to young Ms. Bell for giving the councilwoman some perspective!

Sent by Ama | 3:49 PM ET | 05-03-2008

From the mouths of babes!

Sent by Matthew Scallon | 6:27 PM ET | 05-03-2008

Councilwoman Conyers. Repeat after me: "Young ladies, I was wrong. I was a rude, disrespectful moron and I'll take the coaching you so generously offered me and grow up. Thank you."

Sent by Lalita Amos | 10:38 PM ET | 05-03-2008

No one can walk on water but it's important for people to be humble and smart enough to admit if/when they are wrong (preferably by their own proactive recognition but especially when someone else points it out to them). Councilwoman Conyers' attempt to draw parallels to a child's behavior ("Have you ever done that at school?") and say "we're all human" was ill-conceived and foolhardy righteously condemned by the middle schooler. Thank you Ms. Bell for helping to restore everyone's faith in the real time critical thinking and reasoning skills of our future leaders. And Councilwoman Conyers this conversation would have been much shorter if you had simply observed the 5 steps of an appropriate apology: 1. Apologize sincerely, 2. Admit you are/were wrong, 3. Express remorse, 4. Assure that it won't happen again, and 5. Ask for forgiveness.

Sent by Whole9 | 10:14 AM ET | 05-05-2008

Young Miss Bell has the makings of greatness. Somebody open a scholarship fund for her - I will be happy to put some money in. This child is only in grade 8 and already has what it takes to go to law school.

Sent by Kristine Maitland | 10:12 AM ET | 05-08-2008

Oh my God, that was so funny, but also so very sad.

Sent by Peronia Brown | 2:31 PM ET | 05-09-2008

You know, I am a native Detroiter who now lives in the south. I am tired of the negative press Detroit receives, especially surrounding our African-American city administrators. I am so proud of this young lady, and I pray that she continues to champion maturity, candor, and accountability in local politics. Who knows? She may be one official in Detroit one day to turn things around. Good job!

Sent by Dawn Washington-Lanier | 11:34 AM ET | 05-28-2008

Its nice to see there is still some hope in our kids to set this nation right, obvioulsy this woman should go back to elementary school.

Sent by Joe | 10:10 AM ET | 06-04-2008

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