Are Young Black Men Expendable?=20 A recent study by Northeastern University=E2=80=99s Center for Labor Market= Studies=20 shows that in Chicago, 45 percent of the black men 20- to 24-years-old are o= ut=20 of school and out of work. The authors of the study think this number=20 reflects national trends on this issue. One of the authors, Dr. Neeta P. Fog= g, says=20 the dropout rates for young black men are increasing and that dropping out o= f=20 high school is economic suicide. Being out of school and out of work makes young black men more susceptible t= o=20 illegal activities that might cause them to spend time in jails and prisons.= =20 So far, the black community has not responded sufficiently to this catastrop= he=20 involving its young black men. Each day without an adequate response sends=20 more young black men into crime, drugs, gangs, violence, jails, prisons and=20= even=20 to their death. While the problem of black male failure in education and high unemployment=20 for black youth are huge and complex issues today, it is still a solvable=20 problem; but it may not be in 10 to 15 years. A large part of the solution i= s a=20 return to the basics of family living with parents, families and communities= =20 taking the primary responsibility for educating black male children. The suc= cessful=20 education process starts in the home, the family and the community, and=20 continues in school and in life. The extent to which black parents become ac= tively=20 involved in the education of black male children is the extent to which the=20 destruction of potentially millions of young black men will stop. The United States has started not to tolerate young black men being either=20 nonproductive or counter-productive to the goals of mainstream society. Toug= h=20 questions need to be asked and tough decisions need to be made. Some of the=20 questions are: =E2=80=98What is the value of young black men to our society?= What do they=20 contribute to our society? What should we do with young black men? Are young= =20 black men expendable?=E2=80=9D
Fixing this problem will take 20 to 30 years. While many individuals and=20 institutions have a powerful role to play, the black community must supply t= he=20 leadership, energy and resolve to fix this problem, and the government must=20 provide the financial resources and the legislative will. The cost to fund t= his=20 initiative should be diverted from the Department of Justice and front-loade= d=20 into the Department of Education. This issue must become a 24 hour a day, 36= 5 day=20 a year issue. The proper and successful education of young black men must=20 become America=E2=80=99s next civil rights movement. The brunt of this effort will fall to the black community. This includes: =E2=80=A2 Getting black parents, black families and the black community prop= erly=20 involved in the education of black male children; =E2=80=A2 Designing and implementing a way to create and maintain nurturing,= =20 effective, supportive, child-centered two-parent families; =E2=80=A2 Reconnecting black male fathers to their children; =E2=80=A2 Creating a strong culture of education for young black men; =E2=80=A2 Developing positive community structures, principles, values and a= ctivities=20 to help young black men develop socially and=20 =E2=80=A2 Finding strong, positive role models for young black men. Every time anyone encounters a black male child or teenager (whether a=20 friend, relative or stranger), ask him (1) how is he doing in school; (2) wh= at=20 college does he plan to attend and (3) what are his career interests. Additi= onally,=20 the importance, value and power of education must be reinforced constantly=20 for these young men. While this is a tough problem now, it may/will become insurmountable unless=20 action is taken immediately. Young black men want and deserve their piece of= =20 the American pie. That=E2=80=99s the American way! But who is going to tell=20= these young=20 men that because they grew up in a single-parent household, because they=20 attended lowly performing public schools, because they don=E2=80=99t have go= od academic=20 skills, because they have dropped out of high school, because they can=E2= =80=99t find a=20 job, because they have been to jail ... there is no pie for them? Have these= =20 young men become expendable? For more information about engaging black parents and the black community in= =20 the education of black children, please call the Illinois Black Parents &=20 Educators Association at 312-8423527. Or write to Phillip Jackson, Director=20 Illinois Black Parents and Educators Association, Box 20, 1333 South Wabash=20= Avenue,=20 Chicago, Illinois 60605. =E2=80=A2 Bonnie Bracey [EMAIL PROTECTED]
