Black Males Are Lagging Academically

Angela (10) 11 Feb 2007 11:35 AM

like you said this fact has been know for many, many, many years. My belief is that African-Americans were at a disadvantge from he beginning. That was fine as we were not even considered a race of people until recently(within the last 120 years) so why would they make accomodations to strengthen our educational systems? All that would do is allow us the opportunites own our on business and become self sufficient thereby strengthening our economic growth. Then who would be on the bottom food chain?

I take my hat off to you for your efforts and I will pray for you in your mission of raising not 1 but 3 children. See, you have a lot ahead of you. Please do all the research you can about our culture and inform them of thier history, so they too can understand why they are not given the same opportunites as everyone else. They need to understand that we were all created equal, but somewhere down the line (HISTORY) blacks had to fight and fight hard to be treated equally and even though much has changed, many things are still the same. Sad but True and now you get to be the voice for us (advocate for as much change as you can for your babies). You will soon find that, its' not only the education system, its also employment opportunties, housing/residential placement and just about everything they encounter...your boys will need to be ready/prepared..they will have to work twice as hard to get the same grade and never actually get the same respect. Please encourage them to never give up, like so many of our black men have. Keep thier eyes on the prize. May God bless you and your family

Fatherofeight (2475) 11 Feb 2007 12:54 PM

Thanks for your note, Angela. I know that it came straight from your heart. I am studying and learning. I have several trusted people that I can go to when I need advice. For the first time in my life, I can personally feel the descrimination that is around and it makes me mad. We appreciate your prayers. The boys are mixed, all have the same mother, four of them are African American.

cmonet (48) 12 Feb 2007 06:44 AM

I think most of America is in total denial in the area of race. What we don't know we don't have to act on. It's time we wake up! We are loosing our greatest resource, the next generation, black and whiite and every shade in between.

PATTI (580) 12 Feb 2007 11:58 AM

Dear Ed, I agree with cmonet. God doesn't care about the color of our skin. We are equally His children. Wake up people and don't judge your friend or neighbor by his or her color. Let's help each other! PATTI

Fatherofeight (2475) 12 Feb 2007 12:01 PM

Thanks to you both. We are so ahead in technology and still in the 1800's in this area. Hearts need to change.

Andrea Hermitt (5512) 12 Feb 2007 05:42 PM

Oh Ed. I went to a conference a few years ago. The speaker was a white man named Joel Freeman. He has a heart for making blacks feel valued and as intelligent as they are. (Look him up) He made a comment about the heartbreaking moment when a child realizes they are black. Some make the realization at 3, some at 10, my husband was fortunate enough not to have it until he was 23. Your post about seeing racism broke my heart as I feel you have had that moment too.

As far as education is concerned... it is a catch 22. Nothing is expected, so nothing is delivered, so nothing is expected. This is one of the many reasons that I homeschool. Nothing was expected from my child (in GA) when schools in other states said he was gifted.

Fatherofeight (2475) 12 Feb 2007 06:22 PM

You read my mind sometimes, Andrea. So now I have these feelings, do I get mad or what? I don't know what to do with the emotion. We are starting to talk about it at the house. If there has been anything said to any of them directly, they are not aware of it. One of our oldest's foster homes, the lady kept telling him he was going to go to jail. I suspect that was racially motivated although she was black also.

Andrea Hermitt (5512) 12 Feb 2007 07:33 PM

I worry about pointing out racism to young black children as it gives them an "excuse" to not be their best. Don't give them too much information too early.

What to do with the anger? Let the reality of the injustice set in... watch a few movies... "Do the right thing", "I know why the caged bird sings" "Look who's coming to dinner" ...then get over it. You can't help your kids if you feel defeated.

Fatherofeight (2475) 13 Feb 2007 02:21 PM

Not that I feel defeated but my "you better not mess with my kids" instincts sure have set in.

Keepsake (5) 23 Feb 2009 05:11 PM

I have a 17 year old African American adopted son - and two other sons from different ethnic backgrounds. My son was doing just fine from age 5 until we moved to a different state when he was in Junior High School. It was the first time in his life that he was around more than half a dozen black children at his school. After a short time in this new environment, he decided that being black meant looking like a gang banger, talking like a gang banger and disrespecting me and his teachers. He immediately dropped any desire to excel at school because it was no longer "cool" and he completely gave up his involvement in showing purebred dogs (which he was very good at as an AKC Junior Handler) because it was a "white" activity, and he no longer had any interest in it! By the time he entered high school he was lost to me - considering me to be just an old woman who he could exploit. He decided that his Hispanic adopted brother was inferior to blacks and not worthy of his respect. This boy who had been doing so well - went steadily down hill. When he turns 18, I will show him "the door" because I can no longer live in a house where a disrespectful lazy young man treats me like dirt. He became the racist because that is what "black" means in this geographic area. I cannot afford to sell the house or move in this economy - and I believe it is too late to rehabilitate him. He was never raised this way!!