Prevention or Cure?

Research has demonstrated that:

1. African American boys drop out of school at a catastrophic rate
2. Most dropouts end up in the penal system
3. The proven prevention for a life in the penal system is good education
4. The #1 reason for dropping out of high school is poor math skills

National data reflect a deepening crisis for young black men. The share of young black men without jobs has climbed relentlessly, with only a slight pause during the economic peak of the late 1990’s. In 2000, 65% of black male high school dropouts in their 20’s were jobless — that is, unable to find work, not seeking it or incarcerated. By 2004, the share had grown to 72%, compared with 34% of white and 19 percent of Hispanic dropouts. Even when high school graduates were included, half of black men in their 20’s were jobless in 2004, up from 46% in 2000. Incarceration rates climbed in the 1990’s and reached historic highs in the past few years. In 1995, 16 percent of black men in their 20’s who did not attend college were in jail or prison; by 2004, 21 percent were incarcerated. By their mid 30’s, 6 in 10 black men who had dropped out of school had spent time in prison. Among black dropouts in their late 20’s, more are in prison on a given day – 34%– than are working – 30%, according to an analysis of 2000 census data by Steven Raphael of the University of California, Berkeley.

All the negative trends are associated with poor schooling, studies have shown, and progress has been slight in recent years. While a growing percentage of black girls graduate high school and go on to college, a large percentage of black boys either fail to graduate or do not go on to college.

• According to standardized test results, 8 out of 10 Black and Latino boys living in low-income, urban communities fail to demonstrate proficiency in basic literacy or math skills.
• Nationwide, Black boys represent 9% of public school enrollment, but account for 22% of all expulsions and 23% of all suspensions.
• Young men of color under 18 are 3.5 times more likely than White males to be incarcerated and are more likely to receive their GED in prison than graduate from college.

Sociologists, led by Orlando Patterson, attribute this profound lack of academic success among African American young men in part to the “cool-pose culture”: hanging out on the streets after school, shopping and dressing sharply, sexual conquests, party drugs, hip-hop music and culture – all of which young black men find too gratifying to abandon. For these young men, this lifestyle is almost like a drug and is reinforced by the large number of superstar athletes and top entertainers who are black. Their behavior raises the questions: Who else do they have as role models? Are there any other African American men from whom black boys can garner an understanding of other kinds of achievement?

In order to successfully manage the rigors of high-school and beyond, a foundation in math, English and science must be laid in middle school. Sadly, this is the time when the culture of “cool” becomes prevalent among black youth – and studying requires discipline and isn’t cool. As a consequence, rather than focusing on laying the basic foundation for their future education and career, they are more oriented toward “being cool”. Parents of these young men are often unable to control, let alone motivate, the children and in the ensuing teenage battle schoolwork falls to the bottom.

M³ was founded to counter this destructive pattern among young African American males in the Bay Area. We have identified success in math as a key to success in school. Success in algebra, in particular becomes a gate keeper to college prep classes in high school and future progress in a student’s academic career. In most urban districts, school resources are limited, and the challenging nature of the math curriculum makes it difficult to find staff and volunteers who can provide support both in and outside of the classroom. At home, many parents struggle with helping students with the math curriculum or do not see the relevance beyond simple arithmetic.