New Education Study Shows Bleak Picture for Black Boys

Another study was released this month showing that educational achievement for Black males has reached a crisis level and may be worse than previously thought. The report, entitled "A Call for Change: The Social and Educational Factors Contributing to the Outcomes of Black Males in Urban Schools", was funded by The Council Of The Great City Schools. This is yet another report which indicates that the disparities in educational performance cannot simply be blamed on poverty.

From the New York Times:

Poverty alone does not seem to explain the differences: poor white boys do just as well as African-American boys who do not live in poverty, measured by whether they qualify for subsidized school lunches.

Perhaps the toughest finding from the report is the fact that Black male students with no disabilities, are barely even with White male students who are learning disabled. Read more from The Loop21. See a summary of the CGCS report (pdf).See the Full Report.

Hear an in-depth discussion about the findings of the report from NPR.

The CGCS report seems to confirm the Policy Bridge report from a few years ago, which had a similar focus and generally presented many of the same findings. However, I believe the CGCS report may be more extensive. It also echoed information from The Schott Foundation report. So just within the last 3 or 4 years you have 3 major reports on the same issue... from Policy Bridge, the Schott Foundation, and now CGCS which are all generally reporting the same findings. Not to mention all of the other reports and studies over the last decade.

The Black establishment focuses on "The system" and "poverty" as the culprits for these problems, but those arguments can no longer be used as excuses. I have stated here several times that the core problem has to do with culture, as the Policy Bridge Report points out. The problem also lies with parents. I think the Black establishment (Civil Rights Inc. etc) uses these excuses as a way to somehow protect Black culture or Black parenthood. I made my argument in a previous commentary regarding the Black male achievement gap. You can also find links to the Policy Bridge study there as well. So I won't repeat my argument again. But it is clear that the old arguments are not going to cut it anymore.

In terms of conclusions... I was a little disappointed to see that the CGCS report did not seem to focus on the cultural gap. It seemed to tiptoe around that issue... perhaps for the purpose of political correctness...who knows. This is where I think the Policy Bridge study really shined. It came out and addressed the elephant in the room... "culture".... today's "Black/Urban culture" in particular. Instead of focusing on the real causes... the CGCS report simply calls for "a White House Conference", and more studies (although this issue has probably been studied more than anything known to man). We don't need more huge studies or commissions... we need a cultural shift and parents willing to take responsibility for raising and educating their children.

Hear a discussion with Dr. Ron Ferguson of the Achievement Gap Initiative from Harvard University. (From KMOX RAdio in St. Louis)

Hear full discussion.

I am also annoyed by the effort to demonize teachers and use them as scapegoats. The Black establishment, and even "the system" have joined together to focus the blame on teachers. A teacher in California recently took his own life because the test scores for his students were released by a major newspaper (with no context whatsoever). The newspaper report (which I will not link...nor will I provide clicks for the newspaper in question) gave the impression that the teacher was not doing the best he could. It turns out...the teacher who killed himself was one of the hardest working and most dedicated instructors in his school and his district. The test score issue is a red herring, used by school administrators (misused) to intimidate teachers. The fact is, standardized test scores are not usually a good reflection of the dedication or quality of a teacher. This is especially the case in urban schools.

Teachers have a hard enough time already. They are undervalued and under-appreciated considering the role they play in society, particularly in shaping America's future. They are underpaid and they often have to work in awful work environments where their safety is in question and where they are not given the support they need from school administrators. It's the same nonsense at every urban school district in the Country (and even in some suburban districts). Sure there are bad teachers...but they don't make up the majority. There are ways to evaluate teachers and get rid of the bad apples (by sending in panels of experienced instructors from other schools to watch the teachers in class and provide objective feedback, and by getting feedback from peers and from students. It should not be done through test scores alone). In the case of the California teacher...he was also dealing with a language barrier...with a significant number of his students having trouble with English or not having English as their first language - yet another variable that is not taken into account.

A great example of the kind of insanity that I am referring to can be seen in the A&E program Tony Danza: Teach. The taping of the program takes place in an urban high school in Philadelphia. Unfortunately this show didn't get renewed for another season...but despite that, it provides insight into what is ailing the American public school system. In episode #7, one of Danza's Black students- Algernon- is given numerous chances to turn in a simple homework assignment, but fails to do the work. Can you guess who the school principal jumped on for that? Yep... the principal took a bite out of Danza's ass for the student not listening and refusing to turn in his homework. The student was coddled. The principal is the typical urban school administrator. This is the kind of nonsense that makes my conservative side kick in.... and it is one of the things that annoys me about liberals... sometimes their way of thinking goes too far to the left with no rhyme or reason. Overall... i'm progressive, but I have a few conservative tendencies. I don't embrace many of the positions on the far left. The proper, logical response from this principal (or any principal) should have been to call the parents in...and sit down together with the student, and the teacher to try to find a solution. This would be an opportunity to give the parents a kick in the ass (encourage them to get more involved... provide them with options...and challenge them). But instead of holding the student and his parents responsible for the students performance...she blames the teacher. INCREDIBLE! If this is going on all over the Country (and I know it is)... then America is screwed if it stays on this path. I know this is one reason why the turnover is so high for urban schools. Good teachers don't want to stick around to deal with that kind of nonsense. They pack up and leave for better suburban schools and private schools, where they get more support from administrators and where the working conditions tend to be better.

Watch The Full Episode:

This Just Broke My Heart

Javon R. Jackson, 23, was shot and killed,
less than a day after graduating from the University at Buffalo



I try and make sense of things. Some things, though, just make me so angry. I'm tired as hell of Black folks who are trying to make something positive happen in the world being snuffed out by the criminal element that would be better 6 feet under. The wrong folks are winding up at the cemetary. There's a Black talk show host that calls these folks 'Urban Terrorists'. I believe I see his point.

Hat tip: Bossip

From the NYDailyNews:

For Bronx mom of Buffalo graduate, son's death turns joy to horror
BY Stephanie Gaskell
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Monday, May 11th 2009, 4:00 AM
A day after proudly watching her son graduate from the University of Buffalo, a Bronx mom is now making plans to bury the brainy future engineer.

Javon Jackson, 23, was shot and killed just after 3 a.m. Sunday outside a bar in Buffalo as he celebrated his graduation.

Cops believe the gunman and three other men walked up behind Jackson and fired at least twice at the newly minted grad.

"This was supposed to be my Mother's Day gift," grieving mom Theresa Williams, told reporters in Buffalo. "I was so proud of him."

Williams and Jackson's father, who flew in from Chicago, both attended their son's graduation and were still upstate when they learned of the terrible news.

Even hardboiled cops were jarred by the parents' tragedy.

"His father and mother were so proud to have their son graduate from college," Chief of Detectives Dennis Richards said. "Now, they are distraught beyond words."

Jackson grew up in the Pelham Parkway Houses and graduated from Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics. Friends flooded an online memorial site with stories about his quick wit and big smile.

Childhood friend Alexis Dorsett said Jackson was always more interested in his studies than fighting.

"He's a good kid. Humorous, focused on school," Dorsett said. "He's a great kid. It's hard."

Williams said she last saw her son alive when he went out to see some friends.

"I never thought it would be the last time," she said, fighting back tears.

Jackson was crossing Main St., a stretch of road lined with bars full of students celebrating graduation, when he was gunned down.

Police believe they may have caught the shooting on a surveillance camera.

This Future Leader Speaks

Thanks to msmartin for this hat tip.



Gerra Gistand of MacGregor elementary won first place during the 13th Annual Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory. Finalists gave original five-minute speeches on the topic: If Dr. King were alive today, what do you think he would say about current events?

What Do You See When You Watch This?

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

(I know how to embed, but when I published the post, it came up automatically, and I can't stand videos that start automatically. So, that's why the link.)

Me?

I see a creative and positive way to reach these young men using the longstanding traditions of Black Greek organizations.

I hear principles of self-reliance, independence, reinforcing that they can use their minds to make it in this country. I hear the Old School Lessons.

But, maybe it's just me.

But, I guess for some folks, the only way they're comfortable with Young Black Men is with a ball in their hand, or in line getting ready for the prison bus.

The teacher behind this was suspended, by the way. Why do I suspect that if his plan for these young men had been playing basketball afterschool, nobody would be talking about suspending him?

The Rap On Culture & Why Cosby Was Right

Bill Cosby was strongly criticized by many African Americans for his call for Black introspection and the need to restore certain values in the "Black Community" such as Black pride, putting a high value on Education, Parenting and restoring the family, particularly regarding the need for Fathers to return to their role. Yet, evidence before and since suggests that Cosby was right. I think most Black folks know full well that Cosby was right, but felt uncomfortable with being slapped with reality. His arguments against the anti-intellectualism, thuggery, and the degenerate values embraced by the Rap culture just hit too close to home for a lot of people, and they were not ready to hear it, not even from Cosby. But I see signs that Black America is starting to accept the wake up call. Whether they will heed the call is another question, but folks are certainly beginning to pick up the phone, so to speak.


Now, the Policy Bridge organization, an African American advocacy Think Tank in Ohio which concentrates on issues surrounding Education and Public Policy, has just released a stunning new report about the Black youth achievement gap. Many of the criticisms offered by Cosby are rearing their ugly but truthful heads once again. But before we get to the Policy Bridge report, here is an interesting story to lead off with, from Mr. Bill Maxwell, a professor of Journalism at Stillman College, an HBCU in Alabama. His commentary is entitled "A Dream Lay Dying" and it hits right at the heart of what Cosby was trying to say and of some of the findings mentioned in the Policy Bridge report.

The 16 page Policy Bridge report, entitled "The Rap On Culture", looks at how Popular culture, particularly Rap culture, and the lack of guidance at home impacts low achieving African American students. The report goes beyond the old arguments about poverty being the primary factor for this problem and instead focuses on the role of Cultural conditions. The lack of family support and family structure also seems to play a role.

The Rap On Culture cites an Ohio Board of Education report that stated:

"Contrary to some beliefs, achievement gaps between Black or Hispanic students and White or Asian students cannot be completely explained by economic disadvantage".

I have never fully bought into the argument that being poor was a major excuse for the problem of underachievement for African American youth. I always believed that there were other factors, mainly cultural factors that were involved.

The anti-intellectual message of Rap culture...particularly the notion that being smart means not being "cool", "hood", or "thug" enough, has been a very serious problem for Black youth. Carrying books home from school when I was a youngster often meant that there was something wrong with your manhood. You were basically considered soft...a sissy. Today, the problem has gotten worse, because this message has been fully adopted by Rap culture and is also being accepted in the mainstream.

When I was a youngster, there was at least a sense of African American pride that was still alive in the Rap culture and beyond. That (for the most part) no longer appears to be the case, so todays Black youth are catching even more Hell. The peer pressure to behave like the Rap Minstrels on TV, in the music videos and in the songs themselves, is tremendous. The rap culture is like Poison to Black America, especially the youth.
The negative images from Rap culture are being internalized to a certain degree by urban youth, and folks like Bill Cosby were highlighting the product of that internalization.

The Rap On Culture leads off with the following:

The furor over radio talk-show host Don Imus’ slurs aimed at the Rutgers women’s basketball team sparked a national discussion of the racist and sexist language and imagery that pervade hip-hop and rap music and the urban culture. What seems to have been largely ignored in this debate are the anti-education messages that have led so many African-American youth away from the academic achievements exemplified by the talented Rutgers women. It’s interesting that this uproar over urban culture has erupted at a time when Congress prepares to debate whether to reauthorize the No Child Left Behind Act, which was enacted in 2002 to improve educational opportunity and accountability. In pushing his plan for education reform in 2001, President Bush spoke of the need to end the “soft bigotry of low expectations.” What if those “low expectations” not only refer to schools and teachers who fail to hold minority students to high standards of academic achievement, but also describe a devalued view of education in the black community itself? What if something about the culture enveloping black students, particularly those in low-income, urban environments, impedes academic progress?

Read the full text of "The Rap On Culture".
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Related Link

The Rap On Culture

Related Posts

Don Imus Under Fire

Don Imus Is Out at NBC and CBS: Now What About Us?

The Imus Distraction

The Return of the Minstrels

The Return of the Minstrels Part 2

An Interview With Juan Williams

Is Cosby Wrong?

The Black Minstrel Show Continues

Black Family Channel Folds