Educating Black Boys

[Alpha Blondy]

 

Tony Harris takes a personal look at Baltimore's inner city and an education system failing black Americans.

 

Baltimore, Maryland has come to be known as 'Charm City' because of its harbour, which attracts a vibrant nightlife and thriving tourism business.

 

But just beyond the harbour's calm waters is one of the toughest and most violent inner cities in the US.

 

Baltimore is also home to Al Jazeera presenter Tony Harris and in this episode of Al Jazeera Correspondent he takes us on an up close and personal journey to his old neighbourhood to witness the challenges facing black youth today as they struggle to get out of the dead end of life on inner city streets.

 

Most of the crime in Baltimore is committed by black males with other blacks as victims, making black males an easy target for the police.

 

And many believe that the stereotyping of black kids starts at an early age in the US - as early as grade school. In this film, Harris examines how the education system has failed black boys and reflects upon why he managed to make it out successfully while so many of his friends did not.

 

A visit to his former high school reveals the desperation felt by both the pupils and the teachers.

 

"School and criminal justice systems biased against black boys; all echoes of my childhood. But I managed to avoid the trap of Baltimore's cycle of poverty and violence," he explains. "But now I was going back to my hometown to get to the bottom of what I considered the new civil rights fight in America - educating black boys."

 

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interesting documentary. worth the watch.

[Che -Guevara]

It is the breakdown of nucleus family that is the source of many problems-something that is happening among Somalis as fathers aimlessly wander around and mothers are burdened with raising kids and struggling to work. When basic of unit of society becomes undone, everything follows.

[Alpha Blondy]

that's a little simplistic don't you think. there is also the systematic failures within the education establishment. poor public services in areas of high deprivation will continue to be stumbling blocks......

[GaraadMon]

I think the best thing a parent can do is stoke their child's quest for knowledge, whatever their interestss may be. There are activities like kite flying, model airplane/ train building etc.

 

My younger brother is only 13 and he's already certain of his career in mechatronics (specifically robotics).

[chubacka]

The challenges facing this town are massive, however letting so many children leave school not being able to read is criminal, it can happen, (I've seen it happen) but it shouldn't happen to hundreds of children. Getting services involved EARLY on with vunerable families so that there is some foundation when children are ready to begin school is important and has been proven to work. This does cost money though but so does imprisoning adults for many years later on.

 

Factors like single parent families will impact the child massively but it's not an excuse that schools and other services can use for failing their kids.

[5]

The western world has been so focused on the rights of minority women and girls and empowering them, that men have been largely forgotten, and this is very sad.

Not sure if I agree the problem is absentee fathers with Somalis.... during and after the second World War, European countries were practically kept alive by women. Many lost their fathers and husbands either to the war or to alcohol and depression resulting from the war. Women were still able to raise their children despite the absence of a father figure. We need to dig a little deeper and try and understand what the root of the problem might be, we're loosing far too many young Somali boys and men to the wrong side. It cannot be blamed on "absentee fathers" entirely, although that can definitely contribute to the problem.

[N.O.R.F]

The Wire Season 4

[Alpha Blondy]

5;885823 wrote:

The western world has been so focused on the rights of minority women and girls and empowering them, that men have been largely forgotten, and this is very sad.

Not sure if I agree the problem is absentee fathers with Somalis.... during and after the second World War, European countries were practically kept alive by women. Many lost their fathers and husbands either to the war or to alcohol and depression resulting from the war. Women were still able to raise their children despite the absence of a father figure. We need to dig a little deeper and try and understand what the root of the problem might be, we're loosing far too many young Somali boys and men to the wrong side. It cannot be blamed on "absentee fathers" entirely, although that can definitely contribute to the problem.

excellent post!

[Haatu]

Che -Guevara;885759 wrote:

It is the breakdown of

nucleus

family that is the source of many problems-something that is happening among Somalis as fathers aimlessly wander around and mothers are burdened with raising kids and struggling to work. When basic of unit of society becomes undone, everything follows.

Isn't it nuclear?

[Alpha Blondy]

^ LOL..... Che was educated in India dee....