Programs targeted to Black boys

[PiePie]

I'd love to start a discussion about what folks think of these programs. I am trying to think it through. I have concerns about perpetuating stereotypes by including all boys of a certain racial category, rather than having interventions flow from "at-risk" behavior.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/09/ny...?ref=education

[UUMom]

I am going to tread very carefully here as I am not a male of color.

However, many black males in Ameican are 'at risk' because we are still a society that odten discriminates agaist people of color. Are all boys 'at risk'? Perhaps not, but it seems that our society has made being black and male particularly difficult.

[Momily]

The problem is that black boys are "at risk" regardless of their behavior. I have a sweet, gentle, respectful black son who is 8. I work in a school that has many similar students. However, down the road these children will still face challenges that their white and female counterparts will never dream of. Unfortunately, the reality is that all black boys, but particularly low income black boys, are at risk because of the society we live in.

[MissPriss]

So sad, but true

I have two younger brothers who face this challenge quite often. I too am African American but never had it as hard as they do. They both have attended private Catholic school their entire lives but the "HAVE TO" work hard & fight for every internship, job and college opportinity they get.

There are "few" and some would argue there are no doors being opened for young black men... our young black men have to kick the door down w/o offending anyone. It is an interesting dance.

I would go even further to say the "few" doors being opened are for "low income" and "at risk" boys ... what happens to the middle class?

All I can say is I am soooo happy I have a daughter because I honestly would fear for a young black son. Arm them with the best education, with strict discipline, respect for others and a TON OF LOVE!!!! They will need all of that and more to survive in a society that only wants to exploit them.

Have them aim to be Jerry Buss (owner of the Lakers) not Kobe. Nothing personal against Kobe but real power is held by the person "signing the checks"

[Belleweather]

I wonder if they're continuing the programs into Junior High and High School. I'd love to see programs specifically aimed at helping black young men apply to college -- explaining the process, helping select schools, guiding them through the financial aid maze, studying for the exams, the whole thing.

I still remember taking the SAT and the PSAT in a very racially mixed public urban school and realising that there was not a single black male face in the whole auditorium. (And not very many black female faces, or native american faces at all...)