I sometimes like to listen to satellite radio, and on many of these radio talk shows, I will listen to African American parents who call in and complain about how the educational system in America, is doing black children wrong. Now this is very interesting because several of these same African Americans who are calling in and  making such complains, probably do not invest any valuable time or effort in their children’s educational development. I know this to be the case, because as an educator, I have done a great deal of volunteer work in the public school systems in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and what I noticed was that, the children in the suburban areas, were not necessarily smarter than the kids in the inner cities, as some would have us to believe. It was the fact that the suburban children’s parents were highly involved in their educational development, as compared to the kids in the inner city areas. I noticed the same-thing, when I lived in Columbus, Ohio, Atlanta, Georgia, and Montgomery, Alabama. Parential involvement was the key factor in the success of the children in the suburban areas. What many African American parents need to start doing is, getting more involved in their children’s educational future, by going up to these schools, and siting in on some of  these classes, to see what they are teaching their children. Yes, I am very much aware that many of these inner city kids, live in single parent households, and many of these parents work, and thus, cannot afford to take off from their  jobs. But, what about those parents who are not working and are living on welfare?  Why are they not participating in their child’s or children’s education development?  I will tell you why. These parents do not value education, nor do they truly understand it. They send their children to schools out of habit because they have been socialized to do so. Just like many folks go to church out of habit. They do not go to church to seek a great God, who is the Master of the universe, who created space, matter, and time. No, they go to church because their mothers and grandmothers went. Well, the same analysis is applicable to many parents who send their children to school. The point that I am making here is that, many black parents and others, need to stop complaining about, how the public school systems across the U.S., are doing black children harm. Instead, they need to get up off of their behinds and do something about it. Education is only an extension of what parents are teaching their children at home. Home is the cake, the public school system is the icing. Home is the cake, church is the icing. Home is the cake, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, are the icing. Home is the cake, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Simba, are the icing. However, far too many parents do not understand this, especially in the inner city areas. To those African American parents who believe that the public school systems are doing more harm than good to your child or children, get up and do something about it.

The Bowtie Professor Speaks!

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