Issues Under Fire: African Americans Education and the Social Totem Pole

 

Issues Under Fire: African Americans Education and the Social Totem Pole

When we left several weeks ago, it was done out of anger and disgust over what was occurring in African America communities across the country. After incidents in Ferguson MO., Staten Island NY, Cleveland OH and elsewhere, when the Freddy Grey incident popped up, Baltimore became ground zero for this observer's attention.

I was on my way to find out once and for all, not only what the hell was really going on, but why and who was responsible. I felt it was imperative to understand the root causes of these race related incidents and what could be done to reduce the mounting numbers of African American men finding themselves at the business end of a police officer's service weapon.

However, as fate would have it, the trip became unnecessary when a NY Times article came across my desk reporting the high school graduation rates for African American males in New York city schools. An abysmal 28% of African American males were graduating from high school, meaning 72% were falling through the cracks. I was stunned. I was shocked. I wanted to know how this could happen in a city like New York, with an annual Dept. of Ed. budget of $25 billion. Was any of that money devoted to African American males I wondered?

When I looked at Baltimore's graduation numbers, they were actually doing better than New York city. Worse yet, New York city schools, actually had one of the lowest performing educational systems in the entire country. Upon verifying the results of the Times' reporting, I knew my search for answers should start in my own back yard. What I found was disturbing to say the least.

Forget Ferguson Mo. and Baltimore Md, for the depth of poverty, hopelessness and human degradation in East New York was astounding. There is no way to describe many of the people living in East New York other than desperate and aimless. From my observation, many had given up on a better life a long time ago, if in fact they ever could envision a better life for themselves.

This was life on the margins and in many cases, its been accepted. A good education and intact families have become luxuries poor people haven't been able to afford for generations.

Considering a good education and intact families are the most important elements to a successful life outcome, I began to understand why African American males have found themselves to be the low man on the social totem pole. The African American male (compared to others groups) is the least educated and least likely to live in or maintain an intact family.

Since the probability of securing employment or starting a business and sustaining one's self without basic educational credentials is literally nil in the 21st century, anyone attempting to do so, is on a fast track to nowhere. This is a verifiable fact. If one can not support one's self, one can not support a family. If one can't support himself or his family in America, one is destined for a life in public housing and dependent on public defenders. That's just the God Damned bottom line. Podcast Below!