Young B-Ball Star Skips His Senior Year Of High School To Play Overseas And Takes European Money - Good For Him?

Regardless...it will be a learning experience.

I understand at least his father endorsed the decision.

The guy is young.

Hopefully, he can recover if it turns out to be 'not good'.

PEACE

Jim Chester

Interesting that someone who calls himself/is a doctor would so strongly advocate for a young black man to forgo an education in favor of money.

While it initially sounds like a "no-brainer" type choice ... I think the reality of the scores of once-rich, now-broke/bankrupt athletes with limited/no life skills or experience to sustain themselves .. would be an *eye-opener* towards better, more sound advice.

Quote by ER: "Interesting that someone who calls himself/is a doctor would so strongly advocate for a young black man to forgo an education in favor of money."


Quote from JWC: "understand at least his father endorsed the decision."

JWC, that's the problem. His father should have made the decision and that decision should have been not no but hell no.

You will first graduate and get your diploma next year, no if, ands or buts and then we will explore college or Europe.

Sorry punk ass parents who have their eyes strictly on the coin and materialism and not the education and development of their son. They are willing to risk his senior year in High School, become a drop out and go play overseas in Europe?

I guess this will become the new avenue for potential high school b-ball players who attain a college basketball scholarship but cannot pass the SAT to get into college and skirt the NBA age (19) and experience requirement: Drop out of High school, go to Eurpoe and pray for the best.

The parents have been poor their entire lives. What's one more year?

And the worst part? The parents probably have no business experience/acumen to understand the multi-million dollar contract and the sport agent's, sports management agency & the basketball league's trickery. All this while living in a foreign country where they don't understand the language or the culture.

They all will be dependent slaves to these bottonfeeders just like their son.

And if the young man goes pro and gets seriously injured (a career threatening/ending injury)? Sorry folks, the deal is off and it back to the "poorhouse" a place in which, educationally anf financially, they never left.

Parents's thinking: I love my baby. Forget about the high school diploma, he is too good and too dominant a high school B-Ball player as a junior, to wait one full year, finish his senior year, graduate with his class with a diploma and then explore the overseas B-ball market and once proven, a transfer into the NBA.

No, WE WANT & NEED THE MONEY NOW.

I watched ESPN's "Outside The Lines" and watched their interview on this young man.

He said that "he is bored" and that he wants to give his mom "a big house and a new car." "She has never had a big house or a new car." "School has no age limit and you can always go back and get your degree".

Young man, you mean GED.


Sonny Vaccaro

Sonny Vaccaro, an American former sports marketing executive, probably best known for his tenure with Nike, Inc., and signed Michael Jordan to his first sneaker deal, IMO is basketball's bottomfeeder who exploits these young men & their families.

During this ESPN segment about this young man, while debating with a college professor, he said "forget about the high school diploma, this young man has an opportunity to live the dream, have a career, make money and take care of his family.

His example and point of argument? LeBron James, and we all know that for every LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett, who made the successfull transition (they all graduated) from High School to the NBA, there are, and continue to be, thousands upon thousands of young men (past & present) who did not make in professional basketball, who now walk around with an inferior (liitle or no) education and walking these American streets dreaming about what could have been.

Vacarro never once mentioned or concerned himself about this young man's education, his future maturity & development from a child to a man; the main concern that the African American college professor had and his main point. For Vaccarro, it was all about the money and his quotas.

If this young man crashes and burns? Life goes on but mentally he's scarred. And for Vacarro? Out of sight, out of mind and it's on to the next high school superstar, no matter the elementary/junior high/high school grade level.

Forty million dollar slaves. The intentional and systematic corporate dumbing down of the Black man in America.

Proven case in point: "Sir" Charles Barkley.

I wish Jeremy Tyler well.

The youngster is not making a difficult choice. He can always get his High School Diploma, but him getting paid his Senior Year whill his classmates are playing for free is a win win situation for him and his family.

The NBA don't want him to enter the League early because they don't like to see young Black Youngsters making big Dollars. You don't hear the other League's that aren't mostly Black changing their rules.

Another Team Sport is Baseball where 16 & 17 year old sign big Bonus Contracts right out of high school. They don't mention Tennis, Swimming, Ice Skating, and those others where the age goes back to the early Teen's, and are mostly participated in by Whites.

leart

quote:

Originally posted by leart:
The youngster is not making a difficult choice. He can always get his High School Diploma, but him getting paid his Senior Year whill his classmates are playing for free is a win win situation for him and his family.

The NBA don't want him to enter the League early because they don't like to see young Black Youngsters making big Dollars. You don't hear the other League's that aren't mostly Black changing their rules.

Another Team Sport is Baseball where 16 & 17 year old sign big Bonus Contracts right out of high school. They don't mention Tennis, Swimming, Ice Skating, and those others where the age goes back to the early Teen's, and are mostly participated in by Whites.

leart

Quote by leart: "He can always get his High School Diploma"

He will be classified as a High School drop out. You really mean his GED and it's really all based on the 50/50 chance that he susceeds, if he susceeds.

It is not the same as leaving college early, going back to college and getting a degree.

Just another possible statistic: uneducated young Black man and his family/hanger-ons, all smelling the $$$ and I guess that the "money" makes it all equal?

Wait one more year = HS diploma. He fails? No money, no diploma. Back on the block.

GED? Maybe.

When did the pursuit of money = intelligence?

quote:

Originally posted by leart:
The youngster is not making a difficult choice. He can always get his High School Diploma, but him getting paid his Senior Year whill his classmates are playing for free is a win win situation for him and his family.

The NBA don't want him to enter the League early because they don't like to see young Black Youngsters making big Dollars. You don't hear the other League's that aren't mostly Black changing their rules.

Another Team Sport is Baseball where 16 & 17 year old sign big Bonus Contracts right out of high school. They don't mention Tennis, Swimming, Ice Skating, and those others where the age goes back to the early Teen's, and are mostly participated in by Whites.

leart

I hope you *NEVER* have the opportunity to offer advice to any young Black man about how to plan their future. Do you seriously think the parents of teens who participate in "winter sports" would even contemplate letting them do it if they had to drop out of high school to do so? Drop out of high school to take a shot on a sport where a single injury can end your career instantly, as a young Black man, in this economy?

Immature, filthy rich, and dumb as a doorpost. The perfect sucker client.

I think you are confusing yourself, the youngster is not droping out of High School to look for a team to play for. He droped out of School to sign a Contract and start playing, so what are you talking about when you indicate if he get injured, he's under Contract, and I don't know if you know it or not, but most of those contracts in Europe are Guranteed. But that doesn't have anything to do with what you are talking about.

This is not the same situation like you hear of in this Country where an Athlete can put himself into the Draft, but if he doesn't hire an Agent he can go back to College if he can't get a deal worth his time. But even with a situation like that, that type of player hasn't started to play yet, so there is no chance of suffering any injury.

I really don't know what i'm responding to, because I really don't get your point. It's simple, you don't play if you aren't under Contract, so there is no way to suffer an injury wheren you aren't coverec. That's why some of these guys don't even go to these Mini Camps, and take a chance on pulling a muscle and not get taken.

leart

Blacks can't ever afford to pass up economic opportunities. The primary reason our Communities are in such dispare is because of the absence of economic viability and the employment of our youngsters.

It's true that the increase in the number of wealthy Athletes have not done much for the Core Cities, and the hard Core unemployed in the Black Communities, but we have to keep trying to build a productive viable Black Community where our people are self sufficient and the environment is Crime free.

Blacks have been Educated from the Beginning of Reconstruction, and a Community can't functin without it's people being well educated, but with the educational advancement available to just the Black Athletes, not until recently have the number of those Graduating from College have noticably increased. And fewer have used their College Education in any profession or Business after their playing days were finished.

I agree that education is important, but it's not the end all. and there are many Degrees on Skid Row, and among the Homeless than most people think. Take the money first, and don't look back, Use it for something other than fancy Cars, expensive Houses, and Gold Trinkets around your Neck, but when your athletic Career is over, don't ask where the money went when you are sweeping up in the whitemans club, or acting as a Bouncer. Someone told be a former NFL Hall of Fame'r is a Janitor someplace in Texas.

leart

quote:

Originally posted by leart:
I think you are confusing yourself, the youngster is not droping out of High School to look for a team to play for. He droped out of School to sign a Contract and start playing, so what are you talking about when you indicate if he get injured, he's under Contract, and I don't know if you know it or not, but most of those contracts in Europe are Guranteed. But that doesn't have anything to do with what you are talking about.

This is not the same situation like you hear of in this Country where an Athlete can put himself into the Draft, but if he doesn't hire an Agent he can go back to College if he can't get a deal worth his time. But even with a situation like that, that type of player hasn't started to play yet, so there is no chance of suffering any injury.

I really don't know what i'm responding to, because I really don't get your point. It's simple, you don't play if you aren't under Contract, so there is no way to suffer an injury wheren you aren't coverec. That's why some of these guys don't even go to these Mini Camps, and take a chance on pulling a muscle and not get taken.

leart

There are provisions written into contracts that decrease your pay if you are not playing. A player doesn't make full salary when they are injured and cannot play.

This boy NEEDS an education. His parents WANT the money. The indicator of a good parent is being willing to put the NEEDS of your child before your own (selfish) WANTS.

It sounds like these parents didn't get the memo.

Whether they get their full pay is based on the Sport's payment history and contracting trends, and whether the Contract is "guranteed". If you notice with some NFL Contracts, it might be for 5 years for $50m, but $25M or so is guaranteed. That means that the team have to pay the player $25M even if he beomes disabled. Also some of that money is deferred to future years.

The "deffered" Factor in Contracting is another factor that comes into play that most of us don't know about. Pro Teams also have Insurance on their Players, and for the most part they don't really pay out all that money if a player gets hurt. Plus the fact, and don't forget, a large portion of the Contract Amount is Deferred to years after the players Career ends.

Many of these NFL players who sign $15M or $20M contracts over 3 or 4 years, usually get about $1M or $2M annual salary in the early years of their contract, and if it's not guaranteed the team can release them after one or two years and if there is no buyout clause they can release him and don't pay him no more money. The NFL is the worse Pro League to be in, as far as pay and longivity. I said that to indicate that Contracting procedures are different in different Leagues, but the NBA currently has the best.

Also, Black youngsters graduate from High School at a rate of less than 50% now-days. Those typical dropouts get no contract or legal income for doing anything. So why would some Blacks be in such a uprow about one or two Blacks who have kept themselves athletically proficient to the extent to earn or be given the opportunity to earn a good living at 17 or 18 years old?

I really don't get the argument when it comes from Black people. It would make some sense if these same people were making the same argument for those thousands who are dropping out of school on a daily basis, and doing nothing. It would also make some sense if they were creating an uprow about youngsters porading on the street selling Dope, saturating the Jails, and doing nothing with their lives but destroying Communities and everybody they come in contact with.

I can understand "Whites" making the argument, but for Blacks to do the same, they have to be more consistent, and apply the same principle to all circumstances that affect black youngsters and the black community.

leart

Quote by leart: "Also, Black youngsters graduate from High School at a rate of less than 50% now-days. Those typical dropouts get no contract or legal income for doing anything. So why would some Blacks be in such a uprow about one or two Blacks who have kept themselves athletically proficient to the extent to earn or be given the opportunity to earn a good living at 17 or 18 years old?"
------------------------------------------------
The main issue here is the potentially lacking of a certified education: graduation & the high school diploma, which in the case of this young man, is only 1 year away.

Why fall into the less than 50% High School dropout percentile when you don't have to?

Why the rush? Being "Bored" (and I believe that he is either anxious, bored playing high school basketball & going to class: a petty excuse) is not a justifiable reason to quit high school but I guess it is always a high school's drop out's justification.

Jeremy Tyler, why the rush? The money will be there. It ain't going nowhere or does this young man have the the mental inability or capacity to graduate from high school?

Hundreds of thousands yearly don't graduate due to lack of effort/poor grades and maybe he is not academically smart enough to qualify for a high school diploma?

The average NBA player, while obtaining a full 4 years college scholarship via basketball skill, takes the SAT's several times over before they pass it to go onto play college ball. And these guy do not, as a whole, don't graduate college.

See the pattern?

These NBA millionaires have no back-up plan; walk into their situations totally unprepared academically, lacking college maturity and they cross fingers: pray that everything work out.

For every Moses Malone, Darryl Dawkins, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, Tracy McGrady, Kevin Durant, and Kobe Bryant, thousands don't make it.

And these players are the "superstars" of the NBA.

Think about it. How many NBA players who made the All-Star team finished college?

Here is your 2009 NBA first team just announced today:

Lebron James
Kobe Bryant
Dwight Howard
Dwayne Wade
Dirk Nowitzki

Not one college graduate and that includes Germany's Dirk Nowitzki.

See the pattern?

Maybe Jeremy Tyler just can't cut it in high school?

If the young man continues to exhibit his domination, next year, on the basketball court as a high school senior, stay healthy, studies hard (or get tutorial help) and officially graduates, Go straight to Europe, excel and let the $$$$ flow and we all will be proud and rooting for him.

But just based on the urgency and ill decision of his parents navigating their son to drop out of high school to grab the dollars so they can all get out of the ghetto and "live the dream" indicates to me that Jeremy Tyler and his family will just another statistic: ig'nant (but rich) suckers who are going to get played like a violin by the White player dominated European basketball League, the agent/sports agency he selects/assigned to him, Uncle Sam/foreign government taxes and the overseas culture.

Yet he be rich if he excels, he will go from zero to millionaire overight but business-wise, he is not ready and/or does he or his family understand (at a bare mimimum) the business that they are about to get into? And yes it is a business first.

Money cannot trump a good education and "street smarts" can only take you but so far.

The NBA/European league top brass knows that and in a pure business decision to keep the negative press and citizen's rumblings away, the NBA dropped the "straight from High School & experience" requirement for High School players and implemented the "year 19" requirement to qualify for the NBA, which funneled the B-ball players to "attend" college, make the college big money come NCAA tournment time and help recruitment but overall continue to "keep them dumb" with no education and after 1 or 2 years, it's off to the NBA.

Keep em' dumb.

Basketball leagues/teams (both NBA or European) is just a segment of a larger corporate comglomerate with exchangable parts and the owners/investers understand that while we pay pennies (in this case, millions) to our basketball employees, the mission is to make dollars (billions) and they understand that the dumber the slave er, employee, the more exploitation(s) can be accomplished.

That's probably why a potential college B-ball player with a 4 year college degree is frowned upon in the NBA (always drafted in the later rounds) in the and if you also notice, our young basketball brothers, as a whole, do not graduate from college. It 1 to 2 years and out.

And the "pimps": NBA/Europe, the team owners, the coaches, and the Commissioner David Stern, knows it and just loves it, the dumb athlete.

Money and a lack of a decent education can blind you and cause uninformed decisions and in this case and thousands before it, it certainly always does.

As I said before, money does not equal intelligence.

Evryone wants the young man to excel but get an education first before you "get educated" by the system.

quote:

Originally posted by leart:
Blacks can't ever afford to pass up economic opportunities. The primary reason our Communities are in such dispare is because of the absence of economic viability and the employment of our youngsters.

It's true that the increase in the number of wealthy Athletes have not done much for the Core Cities, and the hard Core unemployed in the Black Communities, but we have to keep trying to build a productive viable Black Community where our people are self sufficient and the environment is Crime free.

Blacks have been Educated from the Beginning of Reconstruction, and a Community can't functin without it's people being well educated, but with the educational advancement available to just the Black Athletes, not until recently have the number of those Graduating from College have noticably increased. And fewer have used their College Education in any profession or Business after their playing days were finished.

I agree that education is important, but it's not the end all. and there are many Degrees on Skid Row, and among the Homeless than most people think. Take the money first, and don't look back, Use it for something other than fancy Cars, expensive Houses, and Gold Trinkets around your Neck, but when your athletic Career is over, don't ask where the money went when you are sweeping up in the whitemans club, or acting as a Bouncer. Someone told be a former NFL Hall of Fame'r is a Janitor someplace in Texas.

leart

What kind of economic opportunity is he going to have if he doesn't understand a contract? Can't interpret a prospectus? Can't manage a property? Can't run a business? Can't do any of the basic things required to protect and grow your wealth? That kind of thinking is why so many Black folks have tons of money, and no wealth.

quote:

Originally posted by Malik:

quote:

Originally posted by leart:
Blacks can't ever afford to pass up economic opportunities. The primary reason our Communities are in such dispare is because of the absence of economic viability and the employment of our youngsters.

It's true that the increase in the number of wealthy Athletes have not done much for the Core Cities, and the hard Core unemployed in the Black Communities, but we have to keep trying to build a productive viable Black Community where our people are self sufficient and the environment is Crime free.

Blacks have been Educated from the Beginning of Reconstruction, and a Community can't functin without it's people being well educated, but with the educational advancement available to just the Black Athletes, not until recently have the number of those Graduating from College have noticably increased. And fewer have used their College Education in any profession or Business after their playing days were finished.

I agree that education is important, but it's not the end all. and there are many Degrees on Skid Row, and among the Homeless than most people think. Take the money first, and don't look back, Use it for something other than fancy Cars, expensive Houses, and Gold Trinkets around your Neck, but when your athletic Career is over, don't ask where the money went when you are sweeping up in the whitemans club, or acting as a Bouncer. Someone told be a former NFL Hall of Fame'r is a Janitor someplace in Texas.

leart

What kind of economic opportunity is he going to have if he doesn't understand a contract? Can't interpret a prospectus? Can't manage a property? Can't run a business? Can't do any of the basic things required to protect and grow your wealth? That kind of thinking is why so many Black folks have tons of money, and no wealth.

And then lose/spend the money and end up with NOTHING but some memories left!

I don't want to rain on your, and the others porade, but you are missing the entire point, which is, why are so many Blacks concerned with the 1% who might fall through the Cracks for economic advancement in a negative way, when they don't even care about their relatives and close friends in the 99% who are contaminating our communities, and making life a living hell for many Black People who fall through the cracks?

A 17 or 18 year old who drops out to better himself should not be as earthshattering as a 17 or 18 year old who dropped out just to go on the street and participate in the illegal economy, especially since he/she makes up most of the total. It seems to me that more interest should be paid to the group that has the largest numbers, since they have a greater inpact on a people, and their community.

Then again, it's just my personal opinion on a very simple issue, but your theory is valid, and it's supported by the fact that we have so many Black Dropouts on the streets dealing Dope, in Jail, and getting killed while many Blacks worry about 1 or 2 youngsters trying to get away from that environment. Maybe this youngster factored in the possibility that he might not be around to graduate next year when he made his decision.

leart

Malik:

I don't think you read what you wrote. How many high paid athletes do you thnk have a degree, and how many of that group have a degree in anything related to what you mentioned in your piece.

Most Athletes, if they gradeuate will get a degree in Physical Therapy or Physcal Education or something of the sort. you might find one or two hear or there that might have a degree in some type of Business, but you would be hard pressed to find one or two that went back to school to get an MBA that would be required to do any of the Task that you mentioned.

This stuff is not Rocket Science, you have to hire' professional people with specific expertise for most Task and Services. Most wealthy athletes are just that, athletes. Even if they have some type of degree, most work in the off season at menal jobs like Insurance, or Car Sales, or something dealing with the Public to capitalize on their "Star" appeal.

I think one or two Pro's have Business Degrees, but they cheated through School like all the other Athletes. Some of those "White" Boys I went to school with cheated all the way through school, everybody considered them to be dumb country Jocks. All athletes were treated the same way.

There was one All American running Back that couldn't make the pro's because he couldn't remember the plays. These Athletes just started to learn how to read and write a few years ago, you should know that. Don't you realize that their Tutors have to get the Answers to the questions so they can pass the various Test.

leart

Ebony:

That what has always gone on. The Player's Agent has always been his advisor. Many Agents also operates Investment Branches that handles the Consulting and Investments of the Players Money, and the Agent charges an extra fee for that service also. I think that an additional 10 or 15% of the gross value of each deal. That includes indorsements, and all kinds of stuff.

But keep one thing in mind, a Player is just like any other Layman, they can't be expect to know the details, and Legal Wording of all types of Contracts. That's why they hire a Lawyer, and some Agents are lawyers, or they have one working closely with their Firm.

An ordinary person don't know any more than an athlete. Regular People are bombarded with statements and agreements from the Banks, Credit Card Companies, etc., and the average person can't be expected to run and hire a Lawyer evertime the Mail runs. Some Athletes don't make the big money,and if they don't pay attention, it can all be eaten up in Fee's.

leart

I wish someone would have conducted a poll to see if this would be another case for double standards.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/bl...n-to-?urn=mlb,170270

Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:13 pm EDT

Why I mostly support Bryce Harper's decision to skip high school
By 'Duk
When big Bryce Harper made the cover of Sports Illustrated two weeks ago, I knew we'd soon again be hearing from the 16-year-old 'chosen one.'

But not quite this soon.

On Sunday, the sophomore from Las Vegas found his way into national headlines again when his father announced that Bryce will forgo his final two years of high school and use a GED to enroll in a community college this August. Though it more or less makes a mockery of our education system, the Harpers' plan would make Bryce eligible for the 2010 draft, where he could conceivably be the Nationals' No. 1 pick and eventually join forces with Stephen Strasburg to save Washington baseball from itself.

It's a controversial decision, to be sure, but Ron Harper says he and his son are prepared to hear from the inevitable haters.

From the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

"There are going to be critics. I can't worry about what people think," Ron Harper said. "People are going to see what they want to see and say what they want to say. I think this prepares him for life, playing the game of baseball.

"People question your parenting and what you're doing. Honestly, we don't think it's that big a deal. He's not leaving school to go work in a fast-food restaurant. Bryce is a good kid. He's smart, and he's going to get his education."

From my viewpoint, I'm not going to act like a truant officer on Harper's decision when viewed in a vacuum. It's quite clear that Harper has loads of talent, lives to play baseball and has been groomed to play professional baseball ever since he and his family realized that he was much better than everyone else. It's obvious he has that physical attributes to succeed and he'd be drafted in two years anyway, so why delay the inevitable? Is an 18-year-old really that much better equipped to handle the pressures of grand expectations than a 16-year-old? As much as people will want to say that Harper should stay in school like a normal kid, the truth is that whatever normal life he had disappeared the minute he showed up on the cover of a magazine at homes across the country.

Plus, in an age when tennis and golf prodigies leave their families for top-flight academies before the age of 10 and future basketball studs are identified in the sixth grade, what's the problem with Harper setting out on a very defined career path? Being the top pick in the draft could net him $20 million or more, so making a play while the chips are on his side is just simply a smart move — especially in the volatile world of baseball talent.

The problem I do have with it, though, is that there are no doubt thousands of delusional parents who will see this news and think that maybe it's a viable path for their nowhere-near-as-talented sons and daughters. While the Harpers can't make their decision based on what other lemmings might do, I hope the door closes behind them.

What do you think?

I have always said, you have to take advantages of opportunities as they present themselves. I'm a firm believer that an Athlete can wait one Month, or one Year too long. A physically career ending injury can occur at anytime, tomorrow is not promised to any of us. There will always be a Schoolhouse to attend, if he desires, and he will have the money to pay. It's always about the money. Money is the solution to most of our ills.

leart

I dated a ball player back during my college years and I have to agree with you to a point.
It is up to these families to see that their child gets an education while putting money in other's pockets.It is any coaches job whether pro or college to recruit the best talent. It is up to the families of these college age players to talk for them the way the agents talk for them in the pros.
I've seen it first hand, they play ball and come out not being able to spell simple words! WTF? But the school got a new gym? Where are the parents when these deals are going down? I know they can't accept money, but if I don't see my child getting better grades, then I'm Sorry, it's off to the financial aide office we go!
They can find another player to make them, mine is there to get an education.

If you dated either High School or College Athletes you probably know that most of these Athletes are not programmed for much Book learning. If they are top Performers they are given grades and passed on to the next grade level.

These youngsters have un-official Agents, and the Athletes are paid, including their parents even when they are in High School. These School can't keep track of all this under the table money involving these Athletes.

leart

quote:

Originally posted by leart:
If you dated either High School or College Athletes you probably know that most of these Athletes are not programmed for much Book learning. If they are top Performers they are given grades and passed on to the next grade level.

These youngsters have un-official Agents, and the Athletes are paid, including their parents even when they are in High School. These School can't keep track of all this under the table money involving these Athletes.

leart

Hence why I said it is the parent's responsibility to make sure their children are getting that education!
Why is it so hard for so many to understand that it is not the job of anyone other than them to make sure their child has all the materials for a good foundation?

Your theory is ne of the reasons why many Black youngsters are not competitive in School, and many drop out before graduating.

The difference between Black and many other ethnic groups are that other ethnic groups prepare their children to learn before they enter the first grade.

Many parents read to their children, and teach them how to read before starting the first grade. many Black families don't even have books in the home for this process, nor do the parent have a history of learning themselves, so how can they give their children a "Head-Start"?

When many Black Children start first grade they are already behind many of the students in their class who's parents have taught them a lot of the basics, Reading, writing, simple math, etc. So when some tudents finish the first grade they will be more advanced than others, and they will go through school the same way.

This stuff is not "Rocket Science", we are from whence we came, if we came from a learning environment where the parents care about their children, and their learning process, took them to the Library at young ages, and had them reading book early in life, thats when you can separate those who end up on the corner, and getting caught up in the criminal justice system, and those that have themselves on the right track for a successful future.

leart

Life is not just talking about doing stuff to get better, it's about doing stuff to get better.