Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 22 October 2004 — Page 9

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2004

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

PAGE A9

EDUCATION DOES MAHER

We can no longer leach our young people lo be jusl average

By LEROY ROBINSON

%

As I sit and watch the days go by.attemptingto reach many of our AfricanAmerican youth through my ca-

reer choice as a

public school

educator, 1 often wonder what will become of many of them when they leave the halls of public school of education. As they go through their teenage years, oblivious to the pains and perils that lie ahead, all I can do is pray that there are others out there assisting in this daunt-

ing task.

The task, overwhelming at times, seems to be a never-end-ing one, but one that many of us in the Field of education know all too well. Our young AfricanAmerican males and females are slipping away, slowly but surely, and it is taking a great deal more of an effort to rein them back in. Knowing that a quality education, along with a positive attitude towards life itself, almost guarantees some form of future personal and financial success. But what we have today is a large generation of school age young people who do not value their education or fully understand how' it can determine their future success. To a large degree, a lack of education can also have an adverse effect on their future plans as well. Many of those w’ho are in low-wage earning work related fields, which many are underemployed or have found themselves unemployed over the last few years, have a low academic achievement level. Similarly, studies indicate that many of those who are incarcerated also have low' academic achievement

levels.

Using government data, a national study released on Monday, by the Pew H ispan ic Center,

reported that the huge wealth gap between white families and Black and H ispan ics grew larger after the most recent recession. The report indicated, after analyzing data from the United States Census Bureau, found that white households had a median net worth of greater than $88,000 in 2002. This net w orth was 11 times more than H ispanics and 14 times more than Blacks. A person’s net worth accounts for items such as the ownership of homes, cars, checking and savings accounts, andstocks, minus theirdebts such as mortgages, car loans, personal loans, and credit cards bills. The report also found that

nearly 33 percent of Black families and 26 percent of Hispanic families were in debt and had no assets, compared with only 11 percent of white families. One interesting point the study revealed is that Hispanics made employment gains in lower-pay-ing jobs and in lower-skilled areas such as the service and construction sectors. But it was the Black workers that were hit hardest with job losses in the manufacturing industry and professional fields. The manufacturing industry w'as the hai dest hit with job loss, as many of the factory jobs were sent out of the country, and it was the Black

communities that were decimated by these government policies. Closing down factories and automotive plants has left many Black communities throughout the South and Midw'est in a desolate condition. All research indicates that the manner in which one can assure some form of future job security and career success and longevity, is to pursue as much education as possible. Honestly, the education can come in the form of academic, professional or technical higher learning, as long as it is more than the “average" person. We can no longer teach our

young people to be average, since we are often the “last hired and the first fired,"our job skills, training, and education attainment levels need to be at their highest. The lackluster and irresponsible attitude that many of our young people are taking today will be sadly documented in the U.S. Census data that comes out in the 2014 report, if we do not find a way to turn the tide and help to refocus and rededicate our young people. To be a poor man is hard, but to be a poor race in a land of dollars is the very bottom ofhardships. — W. E. B. Du Bois

AuthorofVoluntary Servitude: Breaking the Chains: Mental and Psychological Slavery, cutrently on sale at X-Pression Bookstore and Gallery, located at 970 Fort Wayne Ave., Indianapolis (317) 264-1866. Leroy can also be heard each Thursday from 5-7 p.m. on his weekly radio show, “The Robinson Report," locally on-line at: newblackcity.com. For speaking engagements or education workshops, contact him at: educationdoesmatter(& hotmail.com or write him at: 9701 E. 63rd St., Indianapolis, IN. 46236. His contact number is (317) 502-0272.

Imaginejvhat it's like to be this child

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u Jr

Secondhand smoke poisons the

air with 43 cancer causing

chemicals. African American

children are even more

susceptible to health risks when exposed to secondhand smoke.

They can develop asthma,

bronchitis and even pneumonia. Remember. When you smoke, they smoke. Everyone, including your children, has the right to

breathe smoke free air. For information on how to protect your family, visit

www.WhiteLies.tv

'AWW.WhiteljeS.tv

You’ve been moving toward that place all your life. How you get there is different for everyone, but it is the same place. The good news is you don’t need to stay there. There is a place where dedicated professionals are ready to help you move to the next place. It’s a place where you can get clear, honest and up-to-date information on all of your mortgage options; a place where you can get a free and confidential mortgage assessment—within 24 hours. This place is a not-for-profit organization with a single purpose—to help people attain home ownership. For more information, call the place at 317.610.HOME or visit www.inhp.otg.

INHP

The Key to ft» American Dream

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