There is a major problem in education in America. It's one that I've struggled with my whole career and one I'm passionate about in finding a workable solution. Back when I was in high school, not that long ago I may add, all of my minority male friends all had dreams, goals, and the knowledge necessary to pursue any pursuit they may have entertained. Heck, I'm thinking now of a good friend, and African American male, who through years of hard work and determination made his dream of being an actuary a reality. He's living the high life in New York, taking vacations when he feels the urge. Never, did I have the image of African American males as being "losers" or "without options." I know now I lived in a bubble, a most beautiful place free of prejudice and stereotypes. Lucky, I was....and I might add, I was in the minority student population in my school.
So, what the heck is going on with this high percentage of African American males dropping out of school, thus causing a domino effect that hurts all of us in the long run. The thousands of dollars we (I use this collectively) spend yearly to incarcerate these individuals is higher than attempting to keep these young people in school. President Obama is working now to find incentives and programs to get these minorities back on track. I'm all for this. In fact, I'm glad someone is taking a stand on an old issue. But how do we take these big government programs and make them work for these young men? That is the question I pose to myself every time I'm reading another article that says the same thing. Our African American males are in an endless cycle. How do we make them see that the way of life they are doomed to lead if they don't finish their education is one of joblessness and jail? How do we show them that life is so much more than that?
Obviously, I have no answers, only questions. I leave on this note. In my classes, I have many minorities: black, hispanic, etc. Many of whom want to be educated and want to have a future that does not include drugs, jail, drive-bys, or gangs. Whether it's because they have had teachers believe that they are capable of much more or parents who absolutely refuse to give into the statistics, I don't know. I do know, however, that I'm fortunate enough to have these students in my classes everyday.
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I think sometimes that the images blasted at our youth of whatever race / creed / gender have more to do with their perception of what they are supposed to be than it did when the media was not so readily available (cell phone, iPhone, internet, etc). Combatting that is difficult, especially if a culture sees authority (teachers included) as "the enemy." It will be a great day when parents believe that education is a necessary thing and will work with the school system instead of against it.
ReplyDeleteI share your frustration. I believe the problem, and consequently, the solution involve a complex set of interactions between the government/education system and its citizens and the African American community and its members. I can understand the complicated historical and social factors that contribute to a general malaise in my African American male students, but I only understand from a purely intellectual level. I am admittedly light years away from understanding an institutional knowledge throughout an entire community that either fosters or accepts a hopelessness that leads to internalized helplessness. I am encouraged by the new administration's goals and by African American leaders and scholars who are fighting the urge of young men to become what others expect them to be.
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