I am in agreement, except for the brief comment on socialism. We as a nation need to more seriously engage the evolution of socialism in the nations of the Global South.
Not sure what this means. Full on socialism produces horrible results and a race to the bottom except in highly unusual situations. Half-baked socialism produces half-baked negative results which many people are willing to tolerate as a cost of "doing good". This approach usually fails to consider all the costs and benefits but focuses on the good feelings of doing something as opposed to nothing - even when nothing might be demonstrably better. What exactly do you mean "engage the evolution of socialism"?
I have written various commentaries on socialism in the Global South, based on experiences and empirical observation in Cuba. Public discourse in the West about socialism, both of the Left and the Right, is incorrect and not at all based on empirical observation. My twice-weekly Substack column seeks to remedy this deficiency. I seek to adapt the insights of the real socialism of the Global South with the principles of traditional American conservatism.
These are very good steps for making schools better. In addition : Not sure how to implement it practically, but I think encouraging homeschooling would benefit Black (or any) community more than any school improvements. Of course, no government would ever promote it. For better or worse, each government has an educational / political agenda of its own.
Plenty of people have kids before 24 and do just fine. What's so special about 24? Is it about the "brain maturity" thing? Please... Some people are responsible adults at 20, some never become responsible. And plenty of benefits to starting a family early: For one thing, the younger you are as a parent, the more years you and your kids get to enjoy each other.
You are so very right. You write: we are living lives that dishonor our ancestors, grieve the heart of God, and provide no sustainable future for our children. Perfect encapsulation of what EVERYONE and EVERY FAMILY needs to know deeply and change. Thank you for your writing.
I’m sorry to disagree with you, but the disproportionate (and unfair) poverty experienced by so many in the black community is not due to a lack of religiosity. I taught for 18 years in Title One* majority-minority schools, and the religiosity of the student body was off the charts relative to more academically accomplished student bodies in more well-to-do areas.
I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I suspect that, at present, the biggest obstacles many of my students faced were (1) they came from single-parent households, and (2) those households did not do enough to academically prepare them prior to starting school. In particular, they simply hadn’t been read to enough and did not see a lot of reading taking place in their homes.
How do I know this? Well, the first few years I taught, I gave my students Getting to Know You surveys at the beginning of each school year. Among the questions I asked them were a set of questions about how often they had been READ TO as kids (e.g., every night, two or three days a week, once a week, once a month, a few times a year, once a year, etc.). You would be shocked to find out how many of my students had NO MEMORY of ever being read to. FWIW: I think this is probably a class issue.
If religiosity led to success, my students would have all been on a pathway to off-the-charts success. But you are quite simply singling out the wrong variable. Most of them lacked for many things, but religion wasn’t one of them.
* Title One means a majority of the students in a school are economically disadvantaged.
Wonder what Mr Qualls thinks of America taken over by a constitutional coup. With his Heritage Foundation roots, he probably approves. And socialism provides for community protection. A necessity in the times of rugged individualism.
This is an unfair comment. Mr. Qualls wasn't talking about the Heritage Foundation or the Constitution in this post. His remarks here deserve to be evaluated on their merits, in light of what they actually address.
I am in agreement, except for the brief comment on socialism. We as a nation need to more seriously engage the evolution of socialism in the nations of the Global South.
Not sure what this means. Full on socialism produces horrible results and a race to the bottom except in highly unusual situations. Half-baked socialism produces half-baked negative results which many people are willing to tolerate as a cost of "doing good". This approach usually fails to consider all the costs and benefits but focuses on the good feelings of doing something as opposed to nothing - even when nothing might be demonstrably better. What exactly do you mean "engage the evolution of socialism"?
I have written various commentaries on socialism in the Global South, based on experiences and empirical observation in Cuba. Public discourse in the West about socialism, both of the Left and the Right, is incorrect and not at all based on empirical observation. My twice-weekly Substack column seeks to remedy this deficiency. I seek to adapt the insights of the real socialism of the Global South with the principles of traditional American conservatism.
https://charlesmckelvey.substack.com/
So smart and inspirational!
These are very good steps for making schools better. In addition : Not sure how to implement it practically, but I think encouraging homeschooling would benefit Black (or any) community more than any school improvements. Of course, no government would ever promote it. For better or worse, each government has an educational / political agenda of its own.
I’ve said for two decades that the naturalization exam should be required for high school graduation. It just makes sense.
or at least before they get to vote. Kinda makes sense to know what/ who you are voting for before you do...
Forgot one thing, don't have babies until you are married and at least 24.
Plenty of people have kids before 24 and do just fine. What's so special about 24? Is it about the "brain maturity" thing? Please... Some people are responsible adults at 20, some never become responsible. And plenty of benefits to starting a family early: For one thing, the younger you are as a parent, the more years you and your kids get to enjoy each other.
Statistically if you wait until you're at least 24 and married before you have babies you're less likely to end up in poverty
Beautiful message: if only more people would read it and live by it!
You are so very right. You write: we are living lives that dishonor our ancestors, grieve the heart of God, and provide no sustainable future for our children. Perfect encapsulation of what EVERYONE and EVERY FAMILY needs to know deeply and change. Thank you for your writing.
I didn't realize Newton had, himself, been enslaved. Thanks for the enlightenment!
I’m sorry to disagree with you, but the disproportionate (and unfair) poverty experienced by so many in the black community is not due to a lack of religiosity. I taught for 18 years in Title One* majority-minority schools, and the religiosity of the student body was off the charts relative to more academically accomplished student bodies in more well-to-do areas.
I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I suspect that, at present, the biggest obstacles many of my students faced were (1) they came from single-parent households, and (2) those households did not do enough to academically prepare them prior to starting school. In particular, they simply hadn’t been read to enough and did not see a lot of reading taking place in their homes.
How do I know this? Well, the first few years I taught, I gave my students Getting to Know You surveys at the beginning of each school year. Among the questions I asked them were a set of questions about how often they had been READ TO as kids (e.g., every night, two or three days a week, once a week, once a month, a few times a year, once a year, etc.). You would be shocked to find out how many of my students had NO MEMORY of ever being read to. FWIW: I think this is probably a class issue.
If religiosity led to success, my students would have all been on a pathway to off-the-charts success. But you are quite simply singling out the wrong variable. Most of them lacked for many things, but religion wasn’t one of them.
* Title One means a majority of the students in a school are economically disadvantaged.
Wonder what Mr Qualls thinks of America taken over by a constitutional coup. With his Heritage Foundation roots, he probably approves. And socialism provides for community protection. A necessity in the times of rugged individualism.
This is an unfair comment. Mr. Qualls wasn't talking about the Heritage Foundation or the Constitution in this post. His remarks here deserve to be evaluated on their merits, in light of what they actually address.