OUR BLACK BOYS THEIR EDUCATION & OUR FUTURE

I will start this blog off with a snippet of an article by Steve Perry in the November issue of Essence Magazine.



"Educator Steve Perry says parents must take a bold stand to reverse the shocking number of Black males who aren't graduating with their class.



Its a wake-up call that every Black parent should hear: more than HALF of our boys didn't graduate from high school in 2008. Overall 53% of young brothers in the United States didn't graduate on time, and the numbers were alarmingly high for those who didn't march in a cap and gown in New York, Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia."



Statistics from the article: 98% of black boys graduate in the state of Maine, 28% of black boys graduated in the state of New York!



I am not sure how many black boys graduate in the state of Illinois however I do know that the high school graduate rate in the city of Chicago over all is between 48 to 52%.



I am the mother of a black boy and the auntie to 3 black boys. I am confident and secure in knowing that all 4 of them will graduate high school as well as college/trade school and go on to become professionals and entrepreneurs (that is my faith speaking).



However it is not enough for me or anyone else to take on the me and mine mentality. We have to take a genuine concern for others and ensure that their needs are being met. Of course there isn't a quick fix answer and I will not pretend that I have one.



While I don't agree with the me and mine it does start at home, educate your children, read to them from birth, teach them colors, letters, etc. even before they begin to speak. With the knowledge that many of the schools in our communities are sub par it is our responsibility as parents to find every resource that is available to us and use them. Not relying on the excuse of blaming the school system.



Reach out and volunteer, give of your time and talents to help others. Visit shelters, find out about programs in and around your community and beyond. Right now I am the pen pal to a little boy in another state through www.in2books.com I paid a $6.95 fee so they could do a background check and I now read and discuss books every school year with a child. Reading is an important and necessary tool. There is a govenor that predicts his future prison population off of 3rd graders reading scores!



The black man is essential and vital to the black family and the black community. The family unit is important in society in general.



We as African Americans sometimes wonder why we have not advanced more as a people. Of course many of us have advance and great strides have been made after all Obama is President. Since he has taken office police crimes against black males have risen (taken from Louis Farrakhan talk), the Tea Party has emerged and those who were closet racist have come out of the closet.



So while there are African Americans that can say oh we have made great gains...there is still work to do which is evident in the graduation rate of our black males. Yes all children are capable of learning and succeeding, New Hampshire boasts a 83% graduate rate for black boys which is higher than the 78% of white counterparts.



That is evidence in itself that all of our children are capable of learning. If given the proper tools and the right head start from their parents our children can learn, excel, compete, and function in society.



Unless we as a race address the attack on our black men we as a race will always lag behind. It is time to take action, get involved and care for our future and the future of the generations to come after us.



Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials