If I Were A Poor Black Kid Response
My lengthy comment to this article:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/quickerbettertech/2011/12/12/if-i-was-a-poor-black-kid/2/
I have to say that this is probably one of the worse articles ever written. Why? Because it’s based on opinion without facts to back it up. Sure it’s hard to provide facts on anything that may involve institutional racism, but the first think to do is NOT place sole blame and responsibility to a “poor black kid”. And as an African American Studies major, I just have to point everything out that is wrong with this article.
1) Even before you start to lay your opinions, why do you assume that only black kids are in the inner city? What about Latinos, Asians, or even yes, White kids?
2) Way to imply a general statement that all poor black kids don’t want to read. That isn’t always the case. Have you thought that we need better teachers to engage the students to help them read? Or up-to-date textbooks that can help the students in that regard?
3) For a family that has never thought of buying a computer for the house, when do you think your telepathic powers will reach them so they’ll come up with the idea to buy a computer (which by the way is compounded with their limited income, being from a poor family and all). Also, if they don’t have a computer already to do technology research, how will they know about websites like Dell and TigerDirect. They don’t target the poor with affordable computers. It’s not the poor family’s fault for a company’s lack of marketing.
3) The time for a student that uses a computer in school is limited. And if it wasn’t, how many available computers do you think an average inner city middle school has? Also, how many teachers knows about those websites and how to apply them in their curriculum? A poor black inner-city kid can’t choose what they learn while in class. Why aren’t you questioning the school board instead?
4) I thought one of your main points was to get a computer, know you want to get web cameras as well? Now that means you need internet and that also cost money. There is supposed to be talks of subsidized broadband for families in the inner city, but it’s not well know as of yet. Have you heard of these choices? If you haven’t do you think these poor inner city families have? Also, who is going to teach these families about online software such as this?
5) Of course you know about the magnet schools, but how can the families know if they don’t have a computer with internet? If it’s so important, why aren’t there recruiters from these schools going to the inner city to target bright students. Oh I guess it’s the poor black kid’s fault that the faculty of *insert Talented and Gifted school* school decided to not venture in West Philadelphia.
6) Who is the guidance counselor? How will they know? And if said guidance counselor introduces him or herself, then it would make more sense. Besides, the guidance counselor is PAID to help create a success plan for these students, not to wait for student to walk through the door. But the sole responsibility is on the poor black kid.
7) You don’t seriously think that a poor black kid that has no computer at home or teachers that have coding classes in the school will decide to code on their own? It’s no impossible, but the probability is extremely low. Even in my school, we had to learn code from a freakin book. It wasn’t even Java, C, or C++. It was Basic. The book was from the 80s I believe. And our school was a public one with ok amenities.
There are many more flaws with this article. A person who hasn’t taken any sort of social science class that involves racial implications can’t hope to make a sound argument based on opinions alone. I’ve yet to see it happen and you have continue that trend.
If you are concerned about these poor black children, then start a non-profit to help them. Or even so, volunteer your afternoons or weekends to help them where they are lacking. Be a mentor to a young person and change their lives. Being a mentor to incoming black college freshmen, I can tell you that it’s very rewarding.
Siting behind your computer to bash students who doesn’t know more than half or all of these things that you speak of doesn’t make you a smart man. Also, to not place any responsibility to the school board, schools or teachers makes me question your real intention and mindset in writing this article. Even if you placed partial responsibility towards the parents/guardians of the household, I would have gave you some leeway, but you didn’t.
Did your kids become born with the knowledge of what you written in the article? If you can explain how they were able to learn everything that you spoke of, then apply the same to the poor black kids. This article is simply unfair.
