The Community Role in the Education of Poor Black Children
Education is an important element that makes man different from other primates and is an avenue through which mans intelligence is sharpened by analyzing nature and occurring phenomena. Education however, is not a stand-alone concept as many other rudiments come in to play in determining how education and knowledge is imparted on the learner. The components of education and other sociological, demographic, geographic, gender, financial and psychological factors also come into play. Therefore, discussing education without including the significance of these factors is incomplete. In the American context, ethnicity and economic factors tend to play the biggest role in education. The American history of racism and slavery, to the disadvantage of the black community, occupies a fundamental place in all discussions pertaining to education. Conventionally, black people in America have been perceived as victims of discrimination who are not positioned to enjoy the same opportunities in life same as the whites owing to their history.
Prior to the American Civil War, most southern states prohibited any form of advanced education for slaves majority of them blacks (Bell 2001 Isom 2007). Nonetheless, this history alone is not to blame for dismal performance by blacks in school academically. An article by Arthur Ashe in the New York Times as cited in Bell (2001) absolves slavery from absolute blame for causing poor academic performance of black children in school and career wise and directs some blame to less commitment to the virtues and value of education by African Americans. Attaching value and importance to education is a task that solely lies with parents and the community in general (Bell 2001). Black parents have in the recent past recognized the value of education and are doing away with some social and cultural beliefs that limit education of their children. The author adds that the education system and the government should not strive to establish schools such as catholic based and protestant based as parents are not giving much attention to that but to the core function of a school formal education. In this respect therefore, the community plays the largest part in making education valuable in the eyes of young children.
Education is perceived as one of the best ways of achieving equality among races and communities. Governments, non-governmental organizations, churches and community groups have been involved in efforts that advance provision of education among poor black children. But the manner through which education is being delivered is oftentimes dependent on factors such as familial routines or backgrounds, family income, and most especially, ethnicity. The community is the best placed in facilitating some of these problematic elements that limit education of the black children.
Nevertheless, the community cannot achieve much alone as it needs the help of other stakeholders. Anyon and Fernandez (2007) state that educational institutions are best placed in supporting the community to promote education. Unfortunately, not many educational institutions are located in poor black neighborhoods where the problem is most prevalent (Rowe n.d).
La Veist and McDonald (2002) take a different stand and allege that ethnicity is not the core issue in explaining poor education standards among black communities. The authors cite Wilson (1987) who perceives poor education standards as a symptom of a myriad of problems that affect the black people, more so, those living in the inner city neighborhoods. He argues that it is the compounding of multiple disadvantages in these urban communities, not race per se, that produces a unique form of dislocation from mainstream social institutions (La Veist and McDonald, p 832) education being chief among them. In this respect therefore, to improve education of black children, it would be more effective to adapt a broad based program that addresses problems that afflict black people. La Veist and McDonald (2002) note that analysts have in the last thirty years attributed the dismal education standards among the black people to poverty. However, a comparison study that they conducted on African American and white individuals born in the late 1950s and early 1960s in the same hospital, hence an assumed similar economic class confirms that have a central role in determining education standards among the black Americas. The authors reported that We find that black men and women are substantially more likely than their white counterparts to graduate from high school, and that black women are more likely than white men, black men, and white women to graduate from high school and college La Veist and McDonald (2002 p. 833).
The educational accomplishment of African Americans grew substantially during the 1960s and 1970s something attributable civil rights movement. Several civilian rights laws and Supreme Court decisions replaced earlier ones that limited education of the black people (Farley, 1977, 1997 Katz, 1995 Lewin-Epstein, 1986 NCES, 1995). Carswell et al (2009) seconded the earlier propositions of other scholars that although alternative apprenticeship programs abide to abound in scope and admeasurements throughout the United States, with approximately 20,000 such programs currently in place (Barr Parrett, 2001), limited empirical analysis is accessible apropos the achievability of these programs or the types of acceptance to the people they are directed at (Aron, 2006 Barr Parrett, 2001 Foley Pang, 2006 Hosley, 2003 Powell, 2003 Zweig, 2003).
Barr and Parrett (2001), view that the perception of favors and pity by black children in schools extended to them by a number of programs have a negative impact, contrary to what they are intended to achieve. They say that children feel disadvantaged and inadequate to compete on the same level as mainstream students. This they assume contributes immensely to a low self esteem and confidence in life that leads to poor career choices thereby making the problem of poverty cyclical in such communities. Milner (n.d) confirms these findings and says that male black students are over represented in special education classes and under represented in the gifted programs. This however, does not imply that black males cannot perform equally well like their white counterparts. In an empirical study on a number of Midwestern public schools during the 19941995 academic year by Skiba et al as cited in Milner (n.d.), they noted a differential pattern of treatment, originating at the classroom level, wherein African American students are referred to the office for infractions that are more subjective in interpretation (p. 317). This suggests that black children are victims of social stereotyping to which they are not adequately equipped to challenge.
Repeated stereotyping has created a black male image that is not real and does little to promote education among young black males. Isom (2007) investigated this issue and discovered that adolescents experiences in poverty, crime and violence among other vices positioned them to expect nothing out of themselves beyond what was ordinary and expected. He borrows heavily from psychologists to bring out gender and race as a social constructs that have dealt young black men and societies a big blow. Takaki (2004) as cited in Isom (p. 409) says those initial impressions of Africans as savage, over-sexed heathens have yet to be shaken in the centuries that have followed and such notions have subconsciously spread to the later generations to their disadvantage. They have to define themselves in the terms of others rather than their own terms.
Farrel et al (2007) explain the issue of indiscipline among adolescent blacks by saying that as they grow up, they experience a number of stressors that dispose them to the risk of poor adjustment to different situations. They say that exposure to crime, violence, drugs, family disruptions, neglect and poverty affect youth and child development negatively. In communities where adult violence and crime artes are high, so are the youth and adolescent crime rates. A survey by Kids Count (2004) in Richmond as cited in Farrel (2007) on youths and adolescents in that city showed that the youth under 18 years committed crime four times higher than the citys average at 39 per 10000 persons. Therefore, with such high crime rates, higher than even for adults, it implies that the community in that city has failed in bringing up well mannered and disciplined children.
In an essay constructed by Richard Milner (n.d.), he relayed observation on the American black child and said that
As a faculty member in a teaching and learning department, and as an educational researcher, I often find myself amazed and a bit disappointed by the enormous list of excuses available for why Black male students are not succeeding in school. Black male students can and are succeeding in all types of schoolsurban includedand the time has come for those of us in education to stop making excuses and to teach and empower Black males to reach their full capacity in urban schools across the nation (p. 240).
And by his vision to contribute largely in the growth of education for marginalized black children, he created a promising five principles that educational institutions can adapt and that is to envision activity above their present situations, appear to apperceive themselves in relation to others, allege achievability and not destruction, affliction and authenticate that care, and change their cerebration to change their actions.
Family and association captivation in apprenticeship is affiliated acerb to improvements in the bookish accomplishment of students, better academy attendance, and bigger academy programs and quality. Family and association captivation additionally is associated with bigger apprentice behavior and academy discipline (Michael et al, 2007 p. 568). Families, irrespective of cultural background, education, and income level, can positively influence their childrens learning and behavior. There is an addiction for lower socio-economic status families to be blind of their rights and roles in the academy for a cardinal of reasons. Oftentimes, lower assets parents are reluctant to get complex in their childs education because they may not see themselves as allotment of their childrens educational process.
Rowe (n.d) generalizes that the black community has a weak family bond that gives rise to a loosely constructed community. However, he also notes that where the family bond exists, it is very strong and extends to the extended family. Statistics from Census Bureau on the other hand shows that black children are facing a problem in disrespecting the family bond in that many are born out of the marriage institution. Sixty nine percent of African American births are to unmarried women while 55 percent of African American children live with single parents (US Census Bureau, 2003 cited in Rowe n.d.). Such families are often afflicted by problems such as stigmatization and financial problems which breed instability. The frequency of marriage has been decreasing among the black community and so has academic performance. As aforementioned by La Veist and McDonald (2002) that blacks were performing better in school in the 60s and 70s, the family institutions were stronger back then. It can therefore be deduced that the family institution had a role to play in imparting the value and virtues of black children in school. Furthermore, it is important to note that this period of good academic performance by blacks, in fact better than whites, was immediate after abolition of the Jim Crow rules. The family unit might have been critical in extending the excitement of the end of segregation by encouraging children to take advantage of more quality schools available to them.
The community therefore has a role to play in ensuring that there are stronger family units that will be there to support black childrens quest for education. Rowe (n.d.) argues that stability in the family extends to a childs perception of life and self esteem. He writes that children with low self esteem have shown poor participation in class discussions which predisposes them to poor performance. The author cites a popular African proverb that when you follow in the footsteps of your father, you learn to walk like him (Rowe n.d. p.19). This proverb directly links the failure of parents in guiding their children through life which also entails school. By ensuring that there are stable family units in the community, then there is subconscious promotion of education and life values for young black children. Hanson et al (2009) also notes the role of the family in ensuring discipline and attaching value and virtues to education by encouraging black adolescent learners to attend two hour bi-monthly family gatherings at their respective schools.
Family and community violence also affect academic performance by children and the youth. Viosin (2007) summarizes a number of authors findings and says that exposure to family and community violence is often associated with negative psychological outcomes (e.g., higher levels of depression and anxiety or low self-efficacy) increased school and academic problems, juvenile justice troubles, heightened drug use and greater HIV related risk behaviors (e.g., engaging in sex without condoms, sex with multiple partners, and using drugs during sex) (p 52),
Therefore, the family institution as the founding block for a community plays an integral role not only in promoting education but also averting other bad habits among the youth. Habits such as drug taking have to a large extent been associated with poor academic performance by blacks in schools. Viosin (2007) notes that many adults psychological problems commence in childhood and extend into adulthood if not detected and handled appropriately early. As such, childrens exposure to violence compounds other community problems that all combine to hinder black education
Partnerships between schools, families, and communities can encourage sharing and help maximize use of resources and expertise that will encourage the healthy development of students, their families, and their community. Family and association captivation contributes to the success of academy bloom programs beyond the country. Although ancestors and association captivation is an important basic of a academy bloom program, it should be chip with and answer by the added componentshealth education, concrete apprenticeship and activity, bloom services, brainy bloom and amusing services, diet services, advantageous and safe academy environment, and adroitness and agents bloom promotion (Anyon Fernandez, 2007).
Maternal education according to a number of psychologists determine a childs perception of education and life in general (Suizzo Stapleton 2007). The same authors add that parental captivation is conceptualized as the agency by which parents abutment their childrens apprenticeship and development, and it has been apparent to affect absolutely childrens bookish accomplishment and academy acclimation (Fehrmann, Keith, Reimers, 1987 Hill et al., 2004). Parents abutment and facilitate their childrens apprenticeship at home through several means agreeable them in learning-stimulating activities, discussing academy and ancestors issues, and carrying educational expectations. Thus, family accomplishments is a afterlife of co-mutual factors including ancestors size, ancestors structure, indigenous origin, and socioeconomic status, anniversary of which may abnormally access home-based affectionate captivation processes (Carlson Corcoran, 2001 Ladd, Birch, Buhs, 1999 Marjoribanks, 1999).
As a result of poor family background, lack of proper life skills, many black children do not graduate from college and perform poorly even in elementary school. Stereotyping and low self esteem and low confidence levels resulting form a number of issues discourage black students from continuing with education making them drop out of school. Stereotyping, as reported by Skiba et al (2002) single handedly makes black students to be perceived a trouble makers in school. Minor discipline issues are taken more heavily if they involve black students. This in the long run may contribute to higher chances of black students, especially male to be expelled from school.
In realization of this, the government has enacted alternative education programs (EAP) to cater for students expelled fro school and those who have discipline problems (Hanlon et al 2009). If left unchecked, such students expelled from schools lose hope in life ad are likely to engage in violence, crime and drugs (Grunbaum et al 2002 cited in Hanlon et al 2009). Western Pettit, (2000) as cited in Hanlon et al 2009) say that black students expelled from school are incarcerated in their lifetime. The community is therefore charged with the responsibility to put this incarceration to an end. School drop out should not be criminalized but should be encouraged to seek alternative ways through which they can achieve their dreams and live responsibly. The EAP is a viable means of providing education and a socialization platform for the youth who have incapacitating characteristics, are impecunious, andor are viewed as a threat to the social, emotional, andor behavioral stability in the traditional school system.
Haberman (2007) takes a controversial stand and argues that poor learning in school by blacks will remain for a long time to come as politicians gain from the phenomenon. He argues that the problem creates an opportunity for political forces to claim their actions by promising to improve education colored children of which most are in public district schools which perform dismally in general. The size alone of these schools implies that there are inadequate teacher student ratios unlike in private schools where small ratios ensure that students receive enough attention and assistance from their teachers. Apart from politicians, Haberman (2007) identifies the following as possible beneficiaries of a failing public school system
Employees of central offices, Students outside of the urban school districts competing for college admission and preparing for work, Parents outside of urban school districts, Those serving special needs students, Parents of special needs students, Parents and community co-opted with jobs, Lawyers suing urban districts, lawyers defending districts, and outside consultants, Vendors of supplies, equipment, and food contractors and builders, Transportation systems and employees, Higher education certifying institutions, Organizations that contract to operate charter and voucher schools, Federal, state, and locally elected officials and school board members, Superintendents, media, professional organizations, Unions of teachers and other school employees, The helping professions and those who train them, The test manufacturers, Employees of the U.S. Office of Education, Universities and other agencies receiving grant funds and the criminal justice systems (Haberman, p. 180-183).
To Haberman (2007) therefore, the section of the community as listed above actively promotes poor academic infrastructure poor learning environments for black children for their own selfish gains. For instance he says that lawyers enjoy opportunities of suing urban school districts which they perceive to be monies and potential cash cows.
Haberman (2007) defends his pessimism towards the system and say that campaigns and programs to promote the education of the black child have been in pace for over 25 years and little has been achieved. The community has also failed in stemming family violence and ensuring that the marriage and family institution are respected and maintained to facilitate stability in developing children (Suizzo Stapleton 2007 Viosin (2007). Suizzo Stapleton (2007) notes that family members and community heads should receive training on role modeling so as to impart the same values to black youths. It is assumed that the issue of black violence and crime remains high because the adult population does not take part actively in shaping the developing kids due to high cases of family interruptions and negligence.
While a section of the larger community celebrates and promotes poor academic by black children, the family unit should fill the void and demand and campaign for better educational facilities in public school districts which where majority of black kids attend school. Unfortunately after 25 years of such efforts, there arises a question on the efficiency of the policies being used to address the problem (Carswell et al 2009). The government is central in addressing the issue. There is need for more research to evaluate the efficiency of programs such as the AEP. Majority of research has given weight to finding out the causal factors on poor performance of black students in schools rather than evaluating the existing programs to promote black children education (La Veist and McDonald 2002). Further research need to be extended in this direction to mitigate the efforts of those who actively promoted poor education fro black children.
The role of the community in ensuring adequate black children education has been extensively researched and discussed. The family unit as a basic unit of a community has the greatest role to play in improving the education of black kids. In one way, the community needs to encourage family values and the marriage institution to create stability in children life and afford them assurance and hope in life at an early age. Although educational institutions have played a great role in promoting education through interaction with their surrounding communities, they have not exhausted their potential. Universities and colleges can promote black children education by one promoting education itself through various programs and also serving as an inspiration to young kids.
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