Most Chicago Public Schools and Charter Schools in the African American community are up against a culture where education is not a top priority. The average African American parent feels it is the responsibility of their children and the public schools to make sure their children do well in school.
Do you agree or disagree?
Marc Sims
773-517-4369
Brotha Marc, I am a product of the Chicago public schools. As a student back in the mid-70's attending Westinghouse, I fell through the cracks. To me, it was as a result of the lack of participation from my parents, as well as a lack of role models. I had two older brothers who attended Marshall High but never graduated.
ReplyDeleteMy mom, born in Mississippi, had less than a high school education. She always managed to keep a job, but we struggled. For a short period of time, our stepfather provided. He passed away in his sleep at the age of 37. I decided as a young parent that my child's education would be first and foremost. It paid off. Now, I motivate all to know that you do not have to be a product of your environment.
My 14 y.o., skipped Kindergarten, scored in the top 10% in Iowa testing (private Black-owned school). She graduated Valedictorian from her Catholic grade school and now attends Fenwick in Oak Park, as a Link Scholar.
I have no job and have not worked for several years. But GOD ... I needed this one to have a personal relationship with God, first. Then school.. It paid off.
I'm a very data-oriented person and that's an empirical question. So I'd need to see some data to answer it.
ReplyDeleteBut I can say that there are legitimate reasons that poor parents don't put education first and expect someone else to help educate their children. I think that if I were working as hard as some of these parents are to make ends meet and dealing with as much financial insecurity as they are, I might feel the same way.
Kelly
http://www.dominionofnewyork.com
http://kellyvirella.com
I would just like to say as a single mother of 2 sons I really don't agree with that statement. I have been responsible for my children. I look at their success as an investment in my future and the future of our community. They are ranked #2 and #3 in their total class rank. My oldest is graduating and going to college and I believe I as well as his teachers had a hand in that. I always have been there every step of the way. When I had them they were my responsiblity to feed, clothe, lead, guide and educate. There are some that don't take this responsibility seriously and leave it to others to do their job, but I am not one.
ReplyDeleteWhat else besides education is not a top priority? Very many things as I have seen, all having to do with the short term thinking imposed by immediate threats like hunger, dependable employment, shelter and violence to name but a few. Failure to have ever had the opportunity to need and use longer term planning skills doesn't help. The efforts of the few who do not suffer from this are impugned by being immersed in a culture that does and has learned to embrace it Stockholm style. It is not possible for better messages to take hold with the almost nonexistent support for enjoying the results of embracing those messages. For these reasons school remains both a brief refuge and an anomaly for the children of those communities.
ReplyDeleteI do not agree with the above statement as written. It is a movement to get the Chicago Public Schools out of the business of educating our youth and to create more Charter Schools for the sole purpose of making money for it's owners and not the purpose of educating our youth. In today's educational environment its all about not teaching our students on how to think, but, what to think. Example! In the above statement the words mention “AFRICAN AMERICAN” Question? What country do the African American people come from? Where do so called “BLACK” people comes from? Our people of color has been told and taught that they belong to a race of people called are called black people. The words BLACK or WHITE are a race, but the names are colors. Look up what black and white means. The family foundation are next to none. Most parents that are working looks toward the public school system as being baby sitters. We as a people allow all of our educational systems tells us what and how to do something, whats right or wrong, and what and how to think. All of the smart students and their parents are being told and taught to think that they would have a better education at a Charter School forgetting about the fact that the public schools help in assisting the student of becoming a A student. I am the father of 4 sons and 28 daughters with 26 have finish college so far with another entering a college yesterday and the others are working towards that point. We as a people has to stop all of our self hatred and stop others from define who and what we are as a people, until we are a lost race not thinking for our selves, but thinking what we are told to think
ReplyDelete