Bloomberg in association with 5 other business men decided to donate 1.5 million dollars so that the New York Public School System could administer the January Regent Exam. This exam was cancelled due to lack of funding, but the Board of Regents wanted to encourage more kids to take the exams.
The January's round of testing has been a mainstay of students who want to graduate high school early - or need to pass one last exam to get a diploma. Many of the exam takers were dropouts that need the test to get a job and could not wait until the June Regents were administered.
Mayor Bloomberg also started a program to help about 300,000 under privileged improve their life with jobs and education programs. The main target are Blacks and Latinos youths of New York City. The program is estimated to cost about 127 Million dollars of this Mayor Bloomberg is kicking in 30 Million of his own money.
Yes, a mayor that is concerned about the health and welfare of his city and is feels so strongly about it he's willing to foot part of the bill out of his pocket.
The main reason I brought this up is because as I watched the Ed Show I was surprised at what I heard. An English Professor at Leigh University that will remain nameless, had a shocking view of Mayor Bloomberg's philanthropic efforts.
Well Professor J. Peterson...oooops, he's probably going to send me an email hammering me on my grammar or composition structure, but Professor Peterson you missed the point.
Like so many Afro-American Mr. Professor completely missed the point. I'm not saying there doesn't need to be reform for the prison system, but I will say I don't care. I believe it's more important to get and educate these youths before they become a part of the system. I guess that's where our opinions vary and it varies in light year terms.
I personally think those that are part of the Prison system has made their career choice in life, and if part of the choice was to be incarcerated I think they are doing great. That doesn't mean penalize the young before they get a chance to start, however if you have 30 Million laying around you are more then free to create what every public work program you feel suits you best.
I can remember many people putting up their own money to a tune of 30 million to help out inner city kids, urban youths or the underprivileged, which ever term you prefer. I guess we can talk about the Gates and Warren Buffet committing to donating billions of their own money for educations in the USA, but that's a general education donation.
If you want to reform the prison system educate the youths so that they can in turn make better decision to keep them out of the prison system. Teach the parents to raise their children and to be accountable for the action of their children. We can't blame everyone else for the problems that befall our communities, at some point we need to stand up and be culpable for our actions and stop with the excuses.
I just think it's sad that we as Afro-American wish to blame everyone else for our plight. At some point we need to stand up and be counted and the sooner we can get away from our enablers (those select few Afro-Americans that think we are being treated unfairly) the better. No one ever said life was fair and instead of trying to teach our youths better they have talking point like prison and racial profiling. I'm not saying these things aren't a problem, but I am saying we don't need to keep revisiting these issues.
Lets promise to give our children a chance, let's not predispose them to negative aspects that may not apply to them. How about we give them some positive motivation. Not meaning to insult your intelligence...just your point of view, but read Carter G. Woodson's college thesis "The Mis-Education of the Negro". You may find it enlightening if you haven't already read it.
So please try to stay on point and let's worry about the one's we can really help before they are lead down your self-proclaimed path of illicit activity. Let's teach them something positive and not focus on the negative. Let's hope they make good decisions instead of drowning them in the doom of all possible bad decisions. This program is designed to help the youths so that they can in turn have a chance.
Let's give them that chance.
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