Just recently the Chidren’s Defense Fund and the Harlem Children Zone held a press conference to release the findings of a study regarding the state of Black children in America. The results were not surprising. Black children rank the lowest when it comes to graduation rates, especially Black males. It was stated several times by Marian Wright Edelman, the founder of the Children’s Defense Fund and Mr. Geoffrey Canada, founder of the Harlem Children Zone, that Black children are in a crisis. That, for example 85% of Black children are not proficient in reading and Math by the 4th grade. That some of our children don’t even know if they will live to see their 18th birthday.
This information was alarming to me and it should be alarming to you. However, if we are shocked about this and don’t do anything about it, we are only having a snooze button experience. We are surprised that things have gotten this bad, and we may mention it to a friend or two, but the next day we have forgotten about it as if it were solved.
It is time that we stop acting like ostriches and begin to confront this problem that is right before our eyes. It’s time that we wake up and get involved in making things better for our children. If you don’t have time to be at the school on a regular basis, volunteer to be a mentor. If you are good in math, offer yourself as a tutor to children who are struggling. I just ask that you stay awake and not hit the snooze button. Our children’s future depends on it.
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