Finneran: Earned, Not Given
Tom Finneran, GoLocalProv MINDSETTER™
Finneran: Earned, Not Given

How is it that so many phonies speak of safe spaces, micro-aggressions, empathy, and tolerance yet act like so many little dictators? They are the least tolerant and least empathetic people on the planet. They are hypocrites of the highest order. And they need a good punch in the nose.
Allow me a comment over the word “privilege”, wielded so often today against ordinary and hard-working Americans by pampered bigots.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTApparently skin color now connotes privilege. White skin in particular.
Such is the verdict announced every day on almost every campus in America by tenured radicals, ignorant students, and frightened administrators, all desperately trying to rinse their “guilt” and their own very real privilege by attacking others.
The parents of soon-to-be college students would do themselves and their children a world of good by studying the course catalogues and the nonsensical sensitivity requirements of prospective colleges.
Western Civilization? NO. English Literature? NO. American History? NO. Math? NO. Sex Week? YES. Inane monologues? YES. How America pillages the world and destroys the planet? YES, of course……All this and more for the bargain basement price of 40-70 thousand dollars a year!
Those parents would do their sons and daughters a world of good by finding the few colleges who have avoided the poisoned swamps of political correctness, colleges whose idea of diversity is a faculty made up of roughly equal numbers of liberal and conservative thinkers. Today’s college campuses are more like ideological concentration camps where only one school of thought is allowed.
Once upon a time George Orwell’s 1984 was considered far-fetched. Not anymore. 1984 has arrived like a locomotive. The brave and thoughtful student who expresses some doubt about the prevailing political and social notions of the New York Times is immediately shunned, shamed, and bludgeoned into a meek and apologetic submission for his heresies. Perhaps an academic could explain the difference between these everyday campus outrages and Mao’s or Stalin’s show trials. Perhaps an academic could explain why conservative authors are routinely run off campus by crybaby students in need of safe spaces. Of course for the ultimate irony, you can bet that these crybaby student bullies all belong to some anti-bullying group. Self-awareness is not a strong suit of these overly-indulged brats.
Of all the nonsense tolerated, encouraged, condoned, and subsidized in these lunatic academic asylums, nothing quite tops the “privilege” war cry. A student who studies diligently, who earns good grades, who writes well and thinks clearly has a fair chance at gaining admission to a good school. I know two young men, high school seniors, who have earned admission to Boston College, Boston University, Fairfield, NYU, Brandeis, Northeastern, and Tulane. Those are pretty impressive schools and these young students are to be applauded for their efforts. Note the word---“earned”.
The parents of these students are not wealthy. They are not “privileged”. Their mothers work hard. Their fathers work hard. Every little bit of success in their households has been earned by such hard work over many years. The students themselves worked hard at their studies. They worked hard pumping gas and bagging groceries. They worked and worked and earned their so-called “privilege”. They are not trust fund kids. They are not prep school kids. And they are not “legacy” admissions based upon their parents’ connections to the admissions office. Yet it is likely that they will have to endure the arrogant lectures of trust fund fools and the sanctimonious poses of prep school kids, none of whom have ever earned a thing and whose experience with real diversity is nil.
I’m all for diversity—diversity in admissions, diversity in professors, diversity in thought. And any true application of such principles of diversity would lead to certain happy results---a lot less nonsense about privilege and a lot more respect for the concept of earning one’s way forward.
Remember the word---earned.

The Most and Least Diverse High Schools in Rhode Island
#49 Ponaganset HS
North Scituate, RI
Total enrollment: 722
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: <1%
Black: <1%
Hispanic: <1%
Two or more races: 0.0%
White: 99%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#48 Scituate HS
Scituate, RI
Total enrollment: 491
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 1.0%
Black: 1.0%
Hispanic: 0.0%
Two or more races: 0.0%
White: 97.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#47 Tiverton HS
Tiverton, RI
Total enrollment: 570
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 1.0%
Black: 1.0%
Hispanic: 1.0%
Two or more races: 1.0%
White: 95%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#46 Coventry HS
Coventry, RI
Total enrollment: 1,694
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 0.0%
Black: 2.0%
Hispanic: 2.0%
Two or more races: 1.0%
White: 95.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#45 Burrillville HS
Burrillville, RI
Total enrollment: 700
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 1.0%
Black: 1.0%
Hispanic: 2.0%
Two or more races: 1.0%
White: 95.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#44 Exeter-West Greenwich
West Greenwich, RI
Total enrollment: 652
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 1.0%
Black: 1.0%
Hispanic: 3.0%
Two or more races: 0.0%
White: 95.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#43 Chariho Regional HS
Wood River Junction, RI
Total enrollment: 1,136
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 1.0%
Black: 1.0%
Hispanic: 2.0%
Two or more races: 1.0%
White: 94.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#42 North Kingstown HS
North Kingstown, RI
Total enrollment: 1,454
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 1.0%
Black: 2.0%
Hispanic: 3.0%
Two or more races: 1.0%
White: 93.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#41 Mt. Hope HS
Bristol, RI
Total enrollment: 1,031
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 0.0%
Black: 2.0%
Hispanic: 4.0%
Two or more races: 1.0%
White: 92.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#40 Narragansett HS
Narragansett, RI
Total enrollment: 462
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 1.0%
Black: 1.0%
Hispanic: 4.0%
Two or more races: 2.0%
White: 92.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#39 Barrington HS
Barrington, RI
Total enrollment: 1,037
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 5.0%
Black: 1.0%
Hispanic: 1.0%
Two or more races: 1.0%
White: 92.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#38 Smithfield Senior HS
Smithfield, RI
Total enrollment: 772
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 1.0%
Black: 2.0%
Hispanic: 3.0%
Two or more races: 2.0%
White: 92.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#37 Portsmouth HS
Portsmouth, RI
Total enrollment: 974
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 2.0%
Black: 3.0%
Hispanic: 2.0%
Two or more races: 0.0%
White: 92.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#36 Lincoln Senior HS
Lincoln, RI
Total enrollment: 1,067
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 0.0%
Black: 2.0%
Hispanic: 6.0%
Two or more races: 1.0%
White: 91.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#35 North Smithfield HS
North Smithfield, RI
Total enrollment: 550
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 2.0%
Black: 1.0%
Hispanic: 5.0%
Two or more races: 2.0%
White: 91.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#34 Warwick Vets HS
Warwick Veterans Memorial HS, Warwick RI
Total enrollment: 992
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 3.0%
Black: 2.0%
Hispanic: 5.0%
Two or more races: 1.0%
White: 89.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#33 Toll Gate HS
Warwick, RI
Total enrollment: 982
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 3.0%
Black: 3.0%
Hispanic: 6.0%
Two or more races: 1.0%
White: 87.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#32 Pilgrim HS
Warwick, RI
Total enrollment: 1,078
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 3.0%
Black: 2.0%
Hispanic: 7.0%
Two or more races: 2.0%
White: 86.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#31 South Kingstown HS
South Kingstown, RI
Total enrollment: 1,095
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 3.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 2.0%
Black: 2.0%
Hispanic: 4.0%
Two or more races: 4.0%
White: 86.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#30 Cranston HS West
Cranston, RI
Total enrollment: 1,629
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 3.0%
Black: 2.0%
Hispanic: 8.0%
Two or more races: 1.0%
White: 85.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#29 East Greenwich HS
East Greenwich, RI
Total enrollment: 766
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 6.0%
Black: 1.0%
Hispanic: 5.0%
Two or more races: 3.0%
White: 85.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#28 Westerly HS
Westerly, RI
Total enrollment: 941
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 6.0%
Black: 2.0%
Hispanic: 4.0%
Two or more races: 3.0%
White: 85.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#27 Cumberland HS
Cumberland, RI
Total enrollment: 1,403
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 2.0%
Black: 2.0%
Hispanic: 8.0%
Two or more races: 4.0%
White: 84.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#26 West Warwick HS
West Warwick Senior HS, West Warwick, RI
Total enrollment: 982
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 2.0%
Black: 3.0%
Hispanic: 11.0%
Two or more races: 1.0%
White: 82.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#25 Johnston Senior HS
Johnston, RI
Total enrollment: 903
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 2.0%
Black: 5.0%
Hispanic: 13.0%
Two or more races: 0.0%
White: 80.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#24 Beacon Charter HS
Beacon Charter High School For The Arts, Woonsocket, RI
Total enrollment: 230
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 3.0%
Black: 6.0%
Hispanic: 10.0%
Two or more races: 1.0%
White: 80.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#23 Middletown HS
Middletown, RI
Total enrollment: 737
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 3.0%
Black: 7.0%
Hispanic: 9.0%
Two or more races: 4.0%
White: 78.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#22 East Providence HS
East Providence, RI
Total enrollment: 1,564
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 1.0%
Black: 13.0%
Hispanic: 5.0%
Two or more races: 3.0%
White: 77.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#21 Acad. for Career Exp.
Academy for Career Exploration, Providence, RI
Total enrollment: 207
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 1.0%
Black: 18.0%
Hispanic: 75.0%
Two or more races: 1.0%
White: 4.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#20 Central Falls HS
Central Falls, RI
Total enrollment: 838
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 0.0%
Black: 15.0%
Hispanic: 74.0%
Two or more races: 1.0%
White: 10.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#19 Cooley Health/Science
Cooley Health & Science Technology Academy, Providence, RI
Total enrollment: 717
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 5.0%
Black: 16.0%
Hispanic: 74.0%
Two or more races: 1.0%
White: 3.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#18 North Providence HS
North Providence, RI
Total enrollment: 998
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 3.0%
Black: 8.0%
Hispanic: 16.0%
Two or more races: 0.0%
White: 72.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#17 Times 2 Academy
Providence, RI
Total enrollment: 652
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 1.0%
Black: 32.0%
Hispanic: 55.0%
Two or more races: 4.0%
White: 6.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#16 Central HS
Providence, RI
Total enrollment: 1,101
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 8.0%
Black: 16.0%
Hispanic: 70.0%
Two or more races: 2.0%
White: 3.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#15 Mt. Pleasant HS
Providence, RI
Total enrollment: 884
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 4.0%
Black: 24.0%
Hispanic: 62.0%
Two or more races: 2.0%
White: 6.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#14 Prov. Career & Tech
Providence Career & Technical Academy, Providence, RI
Total enrollment: 568
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 5.0%
Black: 16.0%
Hispanic: 69.0%
Two or more races: 2.0%
White: 7.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#13 Dr. Jorge Alvarez HS
Dr. Jorge Alvarez High School, Providence, RI
Total enrollment: 563
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 9.0%
Black: 15.0%
Hispanic: 69.0%
Two or more races: 2.0%
White: 4.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#12 E-Cubed Academy
Providence, RI
Total enrollment: 360
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 3.0%
Black: 29.0%
Hispanic: 54.0%
Two or more races: 3.0%
White: 10.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#11 Hope Arts School
Providence, RI
Total enrollment: 1,035
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 6.0%
Black: 25.0%
Hispanic: 56.0%
Two or more races: 3.0%
White: 9.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#10 Woonsocket HS
Woonsocket, RI
Total enrollment: 1,736
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 6.0%
Black: 11.0%
Hispanic: 27.0%
Two or more races: 4.0%
White: 52.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#9 Shea Senior HS
Pawtucket, RI
Total enrollment: 905
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 1.0%
Black: 46.0%
Hispanic: 33.0%
Two or more races: 5.0%
White: 14.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#8 Cranston HS East
Cranston, RI
Total enrollment: 1,587
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 10.0%
Black: 7.0%
Hispanic: 32.0%
Two or more races: 4.0%
White: 47.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#7 Blackstone Academy
Blackstone Academy Charter School, Pawtucket, RI
Total enrollment: 165
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 3.0%
Black: 21.0%
Hispanic: 57.0%
Two or more races: 3.0%
White: 15.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#6 Jacqueline M. Walsh
Jacqueline M. Walsh School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Pawtucket, RI
Total enrollment: 167
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 0.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 2.0%
Black: 14.0%
Hispanic: 28.0%
Two or more races: 6.0%
White: 50.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#5 Rogers HS
Newport, RI
Total enrollment: 587
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 2.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 1.0%
Black: 25.0%
Hispanic: 20.0%
Two or more races: 3.0%
White: 49.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#4 The MET School
The Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center, Providence, RI
Total enrollment: 868
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 2.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 2.0%
Black: 15.0%
Hispanic: 42.0%
Two or more races: 4.0%
White: 35.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#3 Davies Career & Tech
Davies Career & Technical High School, Providence, RI
Total enrollment: 833
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 6.0%
Black: 13.0%
Hispanic: 39.0%
Two or more races: 4.0%
White: 38.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#2 William E. Tolman HS
William E. Tolman Senior High School, Pawtucket, RI
Total enrollment: 1,050
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 1.0%
Black: 18.0%
Hispanic: 37.0%
Two or more races: 6.0%
White: 37.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
#1 Classical HS
Providence, RI
Total enrollment: 1,113
Percentage of total enrollment
Amer Indian/Alaskan: 1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 9.0%
Black: 16.0%
Hispanic: 46.0%
Two or more races: 3.0%
White: 26.0%
Click here for this school's ranking on GoLocalProv's Top High Schools 2013
