POINTING FINGERS

WARNING: THIS IS A SECULAR POST

    I have recently been reading about the dismal performances of our young black men in schools across America. I have a problem with this because the blame is totally misplaced. I'm about to get really unpopular here. The professional critics would blame the schools and teachers. However, I'm going to go Bill Cosby and put the blame where it squarely belongs: ON THE PARENT(S). There, I said it! The school only has your child for 7 hours a day. What are you doing to ensure your child succeeds in school? Are you reading with them from a young age? Can you read YOURSELF? Are you instilling in them the need for a good education, that succeeding in education is NOT "acting white". Are you giving them positive role models to emulate ?Ok here comes the argument, "well there aren't many in the Black community" blah blah blah!!! STOP MAKING EXCUSES!!! Get over the rappers, ball players and gangsta's, and look to talented authors, actors with character like Denzel Washington, Hill Harper.  If you are a single parent you can still make a difference even working 2 and 3 jobs. Are you faithfully performing well on your job? Do you set a good example to your coworkers? Or do you just show up and act like the boss should be grateful you came?! 
    If you are a single parent, are you giving the impression to your children that its better to lay on you back and pop out( or be a sperm donor for) babies year after year, stay illiterate and ignorant,  and the the government take care of you forever, or are you picking up a meaningful book, trying to add to your math skills, looking diligently for work, no matter what kind of work that it is ($7/hour is better than $0/hour). Are you speaking correct English in your house or are you lost in the devastating grip of Ebonics?

    The school system is not going to raise your child. Show up to parent teacher conferences. If you cant show up, call! Fight for your kids. That means when your kid cuts the fool, you discipline him/her accordingly and don't take their side in wrongness. It is 2010, people.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!