Disenfranchised

Numbers can really slap someone across the face. After reading Toby Jenkin's Mr. Nigger: The Challenges of Educating Black Males Within American Society, I was depressed by the statistics of the drop out rates of high school and college aged Black males in America. I was depressed by the fact that Black male youth have a 50% higher chance of dying by the mere age of 20. And while I know that America has over 300 years of higher education history, seeing in print that it was illegal for Blacks of any age to be taught to read was less than 150 yeah ago really got my attention. I guess it is naive to say, but I never truly realized the dichotomy between the "White world" and the "Black World" until reading this week's assignments. Everything from the past, the family dynamics, the societal pressures, as well as societal trends--the hip hop culture, and the educational space has an impact on the Black male youth of today. As Jenkins points out, its imperative that society as a whole do something to change not only our education system, but also helping to shape a new cultural environment while creating a space where youth feel safe.

Along the same lines, bell hooks writes about the lasting affects of shaming in her article Moving Beyond Shame. Self-esteem is not only needed to be fostered in home through positive encouragement, but the student must continue to receive encouragement in their educational setting as well. When the feeling of shame attacks the person's emotions, hooks writes that it can be forever associated with upbringing, with an experience with a teacher, or even with a colleague. The cycle of shame must be broken in order for our students to feel equal in the classroom, and the first step is for an overhaul of our mass media. Our news systems and cable networks need to critically evaluate what is being aired and the message that is being portrayed. Anthony Keith pointed out in his article about CNN's special reports on "Black in America". This portrayal of African American's as a subset of humans is perpetuating the problem.

Anthony Keith's Reframing Male Homosexuality as Critical Spaces to Explore Black Masculinity raised a lot of excellent points but also evoked me to call attention to some of what was suggested as being socially accepted patterns of Black masculinity, I believe to be true of most American males.Even my closest guy friends would gripe about sharing a tent with another guy, and most certainly would not sleep in the same hotel bed. Not because they are homophobic, because they have gay friends, but really because they do not feel comfortable with that level of physical closeness.

While each culture in society has something to add, I would venture to guess that Americans are typically more individualist than Tanzania. So the half-hugs, half-hand shakes and maintaining a spatial territory, I would say is probably true of most Americans. Afterall, I did give two college students the stink today because they were standing entirely too close to me in the Taco Bell line.

I hope our society is able to move forward and help all students, regardless of color, religion, or gender. With a President who himself is the epitome of diversity, I would like to hope that we are further along than maybe our society really is.