I read an article on Africana.com that makes a connection between the problems our youth are experiencing today and how they are raised to basically be non intillectual and it reminds me of some of the problems I see with many of the people under 28 or so that I come into contact with. It also seems to be a contributing factor to the problems Rev. Paris discussed in his thread on youths in the prison system. Check out this article and let me know if you think the article rings true about how our culture is raising young people.

The article can be found at:

http://www.africana.com/index_20010110.htm

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

Answers

Michael; Ironically, anti-intellectualism also runs amok among our adults. I read the article on the alledged problem of "anti-intellectualism" among our black youth. One of the contributing factors for this problem is the decoupling between education and economic payoff. I am convinced that the distrust displayed by some members of our communities towards education is their emprirical observation that acquisition of learning does not lead to robust economic/wage gains. If the perceived link between education and jobs is severed should it come as a surprise that our youth will continue to revere this thing called eduction? QED

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

If the children see the parents reading, they will read. We need to locate the TV On/Off switch, the channel changer and restrict the TV time and content our children are allowed to view. We need to cut off BET and most of the so-called "black" programs that protray blacks as shiftless idiots. Then tell them that No Education, No Job. Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

Pastor Paris, have you ben peeking into my window? :-)

I agree that reading is fundamental, but also discussion is critical. Remember that children are concretists. To help them form the ability to abstract, you must engage them in substantive conversation. We sometimes have conversation when traveling to and from church, a 40 minute drive for us. But that's also a good reading time for the non-drivers, which is also encouraged.

Along with the TV switch must also come the stereo, the computer (when not in educational mode), the phone, etc.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001