LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul & Carmelo Open ESPY Awards Urging End To Gun Violence

 & this has continued for 40+ years…… I def could have worded "Poor people don’t take education seriously better"

What I mean is that Education is NOT emphasized in poor neighborhoods……. 

Do you know how many times I have been told by TEachers & Social Workers who grew up in the Suburbs& yes Many of them are White but some are AA too – you can’t expect these kids to do well in school when they live under these conditions

I Lose my mind when I hear this b/c I grew up under those conditions — is it Easy??? Of course Not!

But when you are Poor you do Not have a choice!……. All those Suburban people who come down into the "Hood" to teach Leave the Moment they can get a Job at a Suburban school

And they ALL sing the Same song — It’s Racism, these kids need more resources…… they Need positive Male Role models who will Hold them to a Standard b/c they are surrounded by people in the neighborhood who have Given Up…..

I have Taught Thousands of kids since 1993 when I graduated Under-grad & I have heard Dozens of people who did NOT grow up in the inner city say Exactly what you just said

but I have Never seen One of those people EVER give these kids the time of day once they are Pushed through the school system & find themselves in a Hopeless situation…….

This ides that we need Suburban white people to put a Swimming Pool in our inner city schools is Outrageous…… I have taught poor Black & White & Hispanic youth how to write HTML Code, PHP & Java Script w/ No textbooks…..

I’ve taught Basci to Advanced Mathematics w/ One textbook & a Photocopy machine…… School is the ONE chance these kids have to turn their Lives around – it is Literally a Lottery ticket…..

It’s funny people Always ask me (b/c I have taught in a Very Rich School District & VEry Poor school Districts) What is the Difference betwen Poor kids & Rich Kids….. Why does one group fail & one group succeed???

It has Nothing to do with Resources — Rich kids BELIEVE in their Marrow that Everything will Always work out —- Poor kids believe that NOTHING will go their way

And they are BOTH correct — the Mind is a Powerful think – Whatever you think comes true — There were Many more Brilliant Poor kids I have taught b/c they are FORCED to be resourceful to Survive

I don’t know you personally so I don’t want to critcize you but what I just wrote is My personal experience – I have been to Over 50 Student Funerals in 20+ years of teaching, Many have been shootings but there has also been Drug Overdose, Dirt Bike accidents on city streets & even natural causes like Cancer

NOT One of these Deaths made the NEWs…… Funerals for Blacks kids but also Plenty of White & Hispanic kids too & NONE of it makes the News b/c Poor people do Not matter in this country……

If EVERY poor kid Committed themselves to Studying Math, Programming & Science there would be an Economic Revolution in our country – a Good one……. B/c Education raises the floor of Poverty…… I apologize for Pontificating but those of us who Actually Live in the inner city understand Exactly what I am talking about….

Our citizens are Our greatest resource & Children who grow up under these terrible circumstances can become Incredible assets in our Country b/c they have survived Incredible odds & we should look at them Not as Victims but Incredible resources with Incredible potential

Each year I pick out 5 kids out of the 7th grade (My Cert is 7 thru 12 grades) who have No father at home & are considered by the School system to "At Risk" Behavior issues – I invest my personal time, my Wife & I build a relationship w/ their mother or grandmother & we take them to Basketball & Baseball games, we get them involved w/ local Basketball & Boxing teams, we have them over for dinner twice a month & they can reach me Anytime they need advice or just to talk whatever…..

I started doing this in 1998 after about 5 years of teaching when I just could not take it anymore…… The 5 kids I started with in 1998 at 12 years old are now 30 & I Still have a relationship with All of them. They form a brotherhood amongst themselves & now the older ones are their for the younger ones….. Several of them were Better college students then I was – graduating w/ 4.0’s in their chosen Major.

Imagine if Every teacher picked out just One kid & did this — but 90% of the teachers I work with want Nothing to do with Any of these kids – at 12 they have been discarded by the Very adults who were hired to Help them….. 

I sit in meetings & In Services where I here this All the time – people pull out there Violin & talk about Racism – It’s So easy to point the finger & pretend you are actually doing something. But that’s what’s great about complaining, you can wring your hands & act concerned & then drive home to your nice life & tell yourself you are doing something about it.

We need Adults to Set an Example By Investing in these kids —- protests are great – but it’s a whole lot of bacl slapping & telling protest war stories – b/c protesting is Exciting —- You know what is even More exciting Volunteering w/ the Big Brothers & Sisters & INVESTING your Valuable Time w/ a Kid who has No father & being a Part of that kids Development.

I am SO sorry for how long this is – I never get a chance to rant & now I’m spent, I’m Not proofreading that so I apoligize again & thank you for the kind words.

 & this has continued for 40+ years…… I def could have worded "Poor people don’t take education seriously better"

What I mean is that Education is NOT emphasized in poor neighborhoods……. 

Do you know how many times I have been told by TEachers & Social Workers who grew up in the Suburbs& yes Many of them are White but some are AA too – you can’t expect these kids to do well in school when they live under these conditions

I Lose my mind when I hear this b/c I grew up under those conditions — is it Easy??? Of course Not!

But when you are Poor you do Not have a choice!……. All those Suburban people who come down into the "Hood" to teach Leave the Moment they can get a Job at a Suburban school

And they ALL sing the Same song — It’s Racism, these kids need more resources…… they Need positive Male Role models who will Hold them to a Standard b/c they are surrounded by people in the neighborhood who have Given Up…..

I have Taught Thousands of kids since 1993 when I graduated Under-grad & I have heard Dozens of people who did NOT grow up in the inner city say Exactly what you just said

but I have Never seen One of those people EVER give these kids the time of day once they are Pushed through the school system & find themselves in a Hopeless situation…….

This ides that we need Suburban white people to put a Swimming Pool in our inner city schools is Outrageous…… I have taught poor Black & White & Hispanic youth how to write HTML Code, PHP & Java Script w/ No textbooks…..

I’ve taught Basci to Advanced Mathematics w/ One textbook & a Photocopy machine…… School is the ONE chance these kids have to turn their Lives around – it is Literally a Lottery ticket…..

It’s funny people Always ask me (b/c I have taught in a Very Rich School District & VEry Poor school Districts) What is the Difference betwen Poor kids & Rich Kids….. Why does one group fail & one group succeed???

It has Nothing to do with Resources — Rich kids BELIEVE in their Marrow that Everything will Always work out —- Poor kids believe that NOTHING will go their way

And they are BOTH correct — the Mind is a Powerful think – Whatever you think comes true — There were Many more Brilliant Poor kids I have taught b/c they are FORCED to be resourceful to Survive

I don’t know you personally so I don’t want to critcize you but what I just wrote is My personal experience – I have been to Over 50 Student Funerals in 20+ years of teaching, Many have been shootings but there has also been Drug Overdose, Dirt Bike accidents on city streets & even natural causes like Cancer

NOT One of these Deaths made the NEWs…… Funerals for Blacks kids but also Plenty of White & Hispanic kids too & NONE of it makes the News b/c Poor people do Not matter in this country……

If EVERY poor kid Committed themselves to Studying Math, Programming & Science there would be an Economic Revolution in our country – a Good one……. B/c Education raises the floor of Poverty…… I apologize for Pontificating but those of us who Actually Live in the inner city understand Exactly what I am talking about….

Our citizens are Our greatest resource & Children who grow up under these terrible circumstances can become Incredible assets in our Country b/c they have survived Incredible odds & we should look at them Not as Victims but Incredible resources with Incredible potential

Each year I pick out 5 kids out of the 7th grade (My Cert is 7 thru 12 grades) who have No father at home & are considered by the School system to "At Risk" Behavior issues – I invest my personal time, my Wife & I build a relationship w/ their mother or grandmother & we take them to Basketball & Baseball games, we get them involved w/ local Basketball & Boxing teams, we have them over for dinner twice a month & they can reach me Anytime they need advice or just to talk whatever…..

I started doing this in 1998 after about 5 years of teaching when I just could not take it anymore…… The 5 kids I started with in 1998 at 12 years old are now 30 & I Still have a relationship with All of them. They form a brotherhood amongst themselves & now the older ones are their for the younger ones….. Several of them were Better college students then I was – graduating w/ 4.0’s in their chosen Major.

Imagine if Every teacher picked out just One kid & did this — but 90% of the teachers I work with want Nothing to do with Any of these kids – at 12 they have been discarded by the Very adults who were hired to Help them….. 

I sit in meetings & In Services where I here this All the time – people pull out there Violin & talk about Racism – It’s So easy to point the finger & pretend you are actually doing something. But that’s what’s great about complaining, you can wring your hands & act concerned & then drive home to your nice life & tell yourself you are doing something about it.

We need Adults to Set an Example By Investing in these kids —- protests are great – but it’s a whole lot of bacl slapping & telling protest war stories – b/c protesting is Exciting —- You know what is even More exciting Volunteering w/ the Big Brothers & Sisters & INVESTING your Valuable Time w/ a Kid who has No father & being a Part of that kids Development.

I am SO sorry for how long this is – I never get a chance to rant & now I’m spent, I’m Not proofreading that so I apoligize again & thank you for the kind words.

 & this has continued for 40+ years…… I def could have worded "Poor people don’t take education seriously better"

What I mean is that Education is NOT emphasized in poor neighborhoods……. 

Do you know how many times I have been told by TEachers & Social Workers who grew up in the Suburbs& yes Many of them are White but some are AA too – you can’t expect these kids to do well in school when they live under these conditions

I Lose my mind when I hear this b/c I grew up under those conditions — is it Easy??? Of course Not!

But when you are Poor you do Not have a choice!……. All those Suburban people who come down into the "Hood" to teach Leave the Moment they can get a Job at a Suburban school

And they ALL sing the Same song — It’s Racism, these kids need more resources…… they Need positive Male Role models who will Hold them to a Standard b/c they are surrounded by people in the neighborhood who have Given Up…..

I have Taught Thousands of kids since 1993 when I graduated Under-grad & I have heard Dozens of people who did NOT grow up in the inner city say Exactly what you just said

but I have Never seen One of those people EVER give these kids the time of day once they are Pushed through the school system & find themselves in a Hopeless situation…….

This ides that we need Suburban white people to put a Swimming Pool in our inner city schools is Outrageous…… I have taught poor Black & White & Hispanic youth how to write HTML Code, PHP & Java Script w/ No textbooks…..

I’ve taught Basci to Advanced Mathematics w/ One textbook & a Photocopy machine…… School is the ONE chance these kids have to turn their Lives around – it is Literally a Lottery ticket…..

It’s funny people Always ask me (b/c I have taught in a Very Rich School District & VEry Poor school Districts) What is the Difference betwen Poor kids & Rich Kids….. Why does one group fail & one group succeed???

It has Nothing to do with Resources — Rich kids BELIEVE in their Marrow that Everything will Always work out —- Poor kids believe that NOTHING will go their way

And they are BOTH correct — the Mind is a Powerful think – Whatever you think comes true — There were Many more Brilliant Poor kids I have taught b/c they are FORCED to be resourceful to Survive

I don’t know you personally so I don’t want to critcize you but what I just wrote is My personal experience – I have been to Over 50 Student Funerals in 20+ years of teaching, Many have been shootings but there has also been Drug Overdose, Dirt Bike accidents on city streets & even natural causes like Cancer

NOT One of these Deaths made the NEWs…… Funerals for Blacks kids but also Plenty of White & Hispanic kids too & NONE of it makes the News b/c Poor people do Not matter in this country……

If EVERY poor kid Committed themselves to Studying Math, Programming & Science there would be an Economic Revolution in our country – a Good one……. B/c Education raises the floor of Poverty…… I apologize for Pontificating but those of us who Actually Live in the inner city understand Exactly what I am talking about….

Our citizens are Our greatest resource & Children who grow up under these terrible circumstances can become Incredible assets in our Country b/c they have survived Incredible odds & we should look at them Not as Victims but Incredible resources with Incredible potential

Each year I pick out 5 kids out of the 7th grade (My Cert is 7 thru 12 grades) who have No father at home & are considered by the School system to "At Risk" Behavior issues – I invest my personal time, my Wife & I build a relationship w/ their mother or grandmother & we take them to Basketball & Baseball games, we get them involved w/ local Basketball & Boxing teams, we have them over for dinner twice a month & they can reach me Anytime they need advice or just to talk whatever…..

I started doing this in 1998 after about 5 years of teaching when I just could not take it anymore…… The 5 kids I started with in 1998 at 12 years old are now 30 & I Still have a relationship with All of them. They form a brotherhood amongst themselves & now the older ones are their for the younger ones….. Several of them were Better college students then I was – graduating w/ 4.0’s in their chosen Major.

Imagine if Every teacher picked out just One kid & did this — but 90% of the teachers I work with want Nothing to do with Any of these kids – at 12 they have been discarded by the Very adults who were hired to Help them….. 

I sit in meetings & In Services where I here this All the time – people pull out there Violin & talk about Racism – It’s So easy to point the finger & pretend you are actually doing something. But that’s what’s great about complaining, you can wring your hands & act concerned & then drive home to your nice life & tell yourself you are doing something about it.

We need Adults to Set an Example By Investing in these kids —- protests are great – but it’s a whole lot of bacl slapping & telling protest war stories – b/c protesting is Exciting —- You know what is even More exciting Volunteering w/ the Big Brothers & Sisters & INVESTING your Valuable Time w/ a Kid who has No father & being a Part of that kids Development.

I am SO sorry for how long this is – I never get a chance to rant & now I’m spent, I’m Not proofreading that so I apoligize again & thank you for the kind words.