Wednesday, July 23, 2008

"Hard Times at Frederick Douglass High School"

Thoughts From: B. Brown

Let me first commend HBO (Home Box Office) for airing such a moving and realistic view of urban - predominantly black high schools. I use the plural form because Frederick Douglass High School in Baltimore, MD is not the only high school that faces the issues and concerns that were shown in the HBO Documentary. I can name you five (5) or more high schools just like that in Metro Atlanta, GA. Oh yeah, we have a serious problem America!

Accountability! Accountability? What's that? Being responsible for one's actions and duties. It's amazing that all these people in high positions in education across the country refuse to take a stand and do what is right for the children. You see, it has to be some kind of plan in place to continue to allow our national public schools to spin downwards toward our current 48.6% dropout rate and that number is going to continue to rise if we don't do something now to correct the problem. What is the actual problem? I believe the problem is that we are attempting to educate New Millineum Kids with "The Leave it to Beaver" educational blueprint. Guess what everyone, it's NOT WORKING!!! Our Local & State Guidelines are unrealistic! If I didn't know better, you would actually believe that they just don't know what is going on on the front lines at our schools. Obviously that is not the truth, because we see the proof every day!

The Powers that be must creatively come up with Parental Outreach Programs that will help the parents. That's the key! We have to help the Parents! A lot of our kids are caught in vicious cycles of self-hate, poverty & see no value in education. They are looking for ways to survive, not how to do geometry. The Parents do not know how to get out of the vicious cycle. Let's invest money into programs that will attract the Parents to shool with their children and let's help both of them at the same time. Let's put value back into education and then let's see how our communities improve.

Now, I am one of those people that believe a college education and above is not for everyone, but a basic high school education IS for everyone!

Let us all remember that we live in a Capitalist Society and for their to be very Wealthy people, there has to be very Poor people. It's that simple and the powers that be know this fact. So now the choice goes back to the parents and the individual when that individual gets to a certain age where they can make decisions on their own about their education.

Let's keep working towards a better place!

One Love!


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