I Have Lived One Year In My Cities Poorest Neighborhood; This is what I have seen

Plus, even if the kids graduate from an accredited high school, no way can they ever afford College. So what IS the point?

I know someone who just graduated from college and is $61,000 in debt. But, he is now educated to do what he wants to do.

Where there's a will, there's a way. I am a teacher and, unfortunately, with MANY (not all) of the low income kids I deal with I see a lack of will (and I blame the parents for not instilling a "you can do better than me" work ethic).

Stay off drugs, go to school every day. Play a sport (hard) play an instrument, whatever, but DO SOMETHING, work hard.

I had it easy, white middle class with high expectations from my very supportive family. I admit that sometimes I ask how these kids can be expected to achieve because they go home to a drug addicted, alcoholic parent (emphasis on parent not parents). But there is a way out and education is it. By education I mean books, skills- hey do cosmetology, be a mechanic, whatever.

runn wrote:

I know someone who just graduated from college and is $61,000 in debt. But, he is now educated to do what he wants to do.

Will he/she ever be able to pay off the $61,000 debt - and if so, in time to help his/her children get an education?

If not, then I am not sure this is a big success story.

Thank you all for the comments. I have a few more thoughts and answer to throw in the pot.

I moved here simply because I was tired of having these very same conversations. While I am not a social worker, I desired to use my free time to dedicate to helping work toward a solution in our inner cities. I have been here a year and will be here indefinitely. Honestly, Life is a lot more interesting here than it would be in the suburbs.

On Education . . . for those saying that it is possible to go to college even if you're poor, you are right, there are options. However, most all of these kids would flunk out the first year. Even if you "Graduate" highschool, you received an extremely poor education. I could tell you story after story about how pathetic the teachers are. Truly, the teachers are more babysitter than teacher. Many kids graduate highschool, yet can't even read. Very little education actually even happens at school.

Poverty is VERY cultural. But as a child subjected to these things, how can you ever escape these influences and not become the adult that passes them down? My neighborhood is like its own little city within my city. Very, Very little outside influences.

PROGRAMS DO NOT WORK. I'm done working at food shelters and clothing closets. I've seen way to many Mercedes, BMW's and Hummers pull up and have us load there cars full of free handouts. I've also delivered way to many dinners to homes that have plasma screen TV's and rooms full of stuff. I was someone who was all about serving and charity . . . not anymore, I feel it is just enabling people to live the lives they are. For me to remain a charitable person would really only be done to make myself feel good. It has no real value to the development of the person. Along those lines, food stamps just free up money for people to spend on TV's, Cars and drugs. I have also met many young woman who are TRYING to get pregnant just so they can get more money from the Government. This system is very very broken. *** However, this is not to say ALL people abuse the system, but when it comes down to it, most do at some level. Most all of these programs are enabling in one way or another.

Perhaps most devestating is the fact that if someone from this neighborhood DOES manage to get out and get an education, they NEVER come back. And why on earth would they?

Also, I can't even begin to describe the different abuses afflicted on children, some intentional others unintentional . . . even from loving parents. I used to have so much anger at these parents and adults for how they shaped the children in their care. But then I realized, these adults were children once as well, who were subjected to the same things until they became the adults who are now inflicting these things on their children. These Children that I have so much compassion for, that I became angry on their behalf for, WILL become the adults that I have so much anger towards.

I stand by my belief that lack of education is almost entirely the problem. But I use lack of education as a very over-arching term that extends beyond the classroom. This culture and neighborhood will only escape there current circumstances if the charitable programs LEAVE and CEASE and if it is instead replaced with education that is staffed by Willing, passionate, intelligent educators.

So, what are you going to do now?

this doesn't happen just in major cities. I grew up in a very poor rural area outside of a fledgling city that is way past its prime. Companies in this city are going bankrupt like crazy, if any new business does start up they are sure to be out in a few years, there is general apathy among everyone here- the attitude that things are so broken and so far gone that they cannot be fixed. People are jumping at the opportunity to leave the area.

The schools around here are a joke- rural schools with burnt out teachers and 40 kids in a graduating class. Most of them do not go on to college because it is not emphasized to do so, and they can't afford it. Most kids barely finish high school and if you do not leave immediately after high school, you're basically here for the rest of your life. High school graduation is the culmination of education for a lot of people. I recently read a statistic that only 20% of people in this area hold a college degree. One out of 5 people! I know that is not as bad as some of the city stats but that is still pretty awful.

The major problem now is that kids who do go to college leave the area and never come back. Why would you come back? I went away for college and lived away for 5 years following college. I recently moved back because of a rare job opportunity here. I decided to take a chance on it and now I cannot wait to leave again either. I have tried to deal with it for 2 years now and it is hard to know I could have the same job somewhere else with an all around better quality of life. It's a depressing place and it's a hard cycle to break. There is absolutely no incentive for someone who has grown up here to go to college here, then stay here after that.

That's a good point. It would take more than simply fixing these areas because any new opportunities will just cause the successful people to leave.

What was the rare job opportunity?

I work in the medical field. By "rare job opportunity" I did not mean it was a rare job, I meant it was rare that there was actually an opportunity here.

It's a hard decision because all of my family is in this area. They will never leave. They have very strong opinions on me staying in the area. I feel almost like a traitor for leaving when my family is here and I do make enough money. Then again, do I sacrifice my overall happiness, screw the place I came from, and become another person who has left and will never come back?

I am sure that is a similar feeling to someone who has gotten out of a bad inner city situation who could find a job in a better part of the city, but will they really and truly be happy back there? It's kind of like a constant reminder every day of how horrible it was growing up here and the lack of opportunities for many people.

I grew up in a pretty poor neighborhood. I had a single mom who did what she could, but we just couldn't afford anything but a small apartment in the slums.

The majority was Eastern European, mostly Ukranian. There was also a small population of Puerto Ricans. None of these people were educated (including my mother), many were on welfare, or one program or another. Crime and violence was rampant. It honestly started at a very young age, I can't count the number of times I was beat up on the way home from school by a group of Ukranians because I was Polish(4th generation mind you).

Through all this, I can honestly say that I can't think of a single family there who wasn't trying. And if any parent knew what there kids were doing, those kids would be rightfully punished. That said many had to work two jobs, so the kids were on their own until 10 at night. Even if you work 2 full time jobs, 80 hours a week, at $5/hr, you're only bringing home about $300 a week. Its not like these families want to be poor, they were working their asses off. Many were store clerks, custodians, or maids. I knew one mother who worked full time at a motel cleaning rooms during the day, then worked all night cleaning an office building. She had to walk to both, probably a total of 6 miles a day. I don't know when she slept. $300 a week simply isn't enough to break that lifestyle.

That said, even if these people were educated and could get better jobs, someone still has to clean the sheets at the HoJo, and that person is going to make minimum wage. Someone has to clean the floors at the mall, and that person is going to make minimum wage.

In my neighborhood everyone that I know of worked, even if they were on welfare, I understand that some places might be different, but I can't say I blame them.

When you have to work 80 hours a week to make $300, why wouldn't you sit on your ass and make $400?

the phrase is "row to hoe". one hoes the rows of crops in the field.

We Indigenous Americans have it really hard. Even simple, basic changes to our image can easily be changed by not using us as mascots (pet animals) when we are human beings.

R*dsk*ns, as in the Washington R-word is an evil, discriminating word against us but even in the nation's capital is sold and used. WTF!

The word comes from the bounty hunters who were paid to exterminate the Indigenous peoples.

The proof of participating in this genocide came from the skins of the red people, which were easier to store.

The bounty hunters would collect the full skins, scalps or genitals. Men's skins were most valuable for payment, then women's and children's.

Suzann Shown Harjo (did I spell that right?) teaches a lot about this.

Even in my racing career, as 1/2 Indigenous 1/2 white, I was racially targeted many times and no one ever put a stop to it back then.

I would hear stupid sh*t like "Hey, Indian," whooping calls, Hollywood's version of Indian music on drums," a certain 'S' word that I won't even go into here but means "vagina" said in the most disgusting, disrespectful way.

I could go on....

Finally, just this 2010 year, Akron East (Ohio) High School was in the news for changing their "mascot" name from "the Orientals."

This kind of BS really hurts us so you support it need to change it because we have tried to change these things since our Indian Civil Rights movement in the 60's, the decade I was born.

I couldn't afford college. Went to a community college, got a loan, went to a 4 year, got a degree. The stuff about losing accreditation doesn't seem right to me. I need a source on that.

Help the helpless, not the clueless.

Drug dealers, criminals, lazy people, etc deserve that filth hole you lived in. My heart doesn't bleed for them...no one promised anyone that life or society would be fair. There are plenty of opportunities for the hard working, honest person.

I'm no savior wrote:

Even if you "Graduate" highschool, you received an extremely poor education. I could tell you story after story about how pathetic the teachers are. Truly, the teachers are more babysitter than teacher. Many kids graduate highschool, yet can't even read. Very little education actually even happens at school.

[...]

PROGRAMS DO NOT WORK. I'm done working at food shelters and clothing closets. I've seen way to many Mercedes, BMW's and Hummers pull up and have us load there cars full of free handouts. I've also delivered way to many dinners to homes that have plasma screen TV's and rooms full of stuff. I was someone who was all about serving and charity . . . not anymore, I feel it is just enabling people to live the lives they are.

All charity to the poor used to be in the hands of deacons of the Church and moral standards were demanded in return. It was horrible mistake to get the government involved, governments just waste money by giving it to anyone and everyone, breeding generations of criminals.

The nature/motives of why Asians, Indians, Arabs, and Eastern Europeans came to this country is quite different with how many of the Blacks in the US came to be here. The former came looking for a better future; thus, they were willing to overcome the necessary hurdles in achieving that goal. The latter (many of the first generations of Africans) were brutally taken from their homes, sold like material goods and then forced to "work" here in the US. As a result, this context may have impacted Black Americans' role in society and their lack of material "success" today.

physio wrote:

i believe it is cultural. it is cool for them to be a "gangsta." I would not hire someone who had their pants on the ground or who did not talk with proper english. I do not think it would help my business. if they acted professionally I would definitely give them a job.

For some reason Asians, Indians, Arabs and Eastern Europeans have come to this country and were able to break this vicious cycle despite not originally knowing English. Black people have had this advantage yet they still remain in poverty.

Liberalism and welfare have created a culture of dependency and single mother households. 70% of black children are born to a single mother (30% to other races). End welfare ... there would be some pain, but it would make poor people more self-reliant and climb the economic ladder.

TO - I'm no savior

before the 1960's Blacks were coming along just find until welfare got out of hand. Yes, there were many race problems, social problems, etc etc....but the black family was intact and was beginning to show signs of adapting to American. There was two parent families, low crime, discipline, repect for others, hard workers, and just all the qualities one could admired..... WELFARE change all that!....No one in the last 35 years knows how to fix it!...and it's only getting worse.

Good luck young man in your adventure...."stay safe"....hope you write more....it's very interesting!...but you do seem to lend towards the liberal view point, but that's ok....HOPE YOU FIND THE ANSWERS!...WE ALL DO!

RuKiddingMe! wrote:

TO - I'm no savior

before the 1960's Blacks were coming along just find until welfare got out of hand.

Yes. Blacks were much more respectful when they had no right to vote and could be rounded up by the Klan for lynching. Ah, the good old days.

The US economic system is the reason poverty exists. Labor costs are usually the single greatest expense of any business enterprise. The best way to maximize shareholder return is to minimize labor cost. Businesses need poor people who have no choice but to work these jobs. Thus, there is no need to educate the poor. And when there are not enough jobs around for the poor, the war on drugs is a structural adjustment program to make money off of the poor. Jails are privatized and millions are made off of tasers and surveillance systems.

alysa wrote:

the phrase is "row to hoe". one hoes the rows of crops in the field.

If that's what you think, then you've got a hard road to hoe.

Oh Precious Roy....that one line answer you gave has very little to with in-house social problems we see today...even the black community admits most of it's problems are "in-house"....but ultimately welfare created the chaos!

work harder wrote:

I couldn't afford college. Went to a community college, got a loan, went to a 4 year, got a degree. The stuff about losing accreditation doesn't seem right to me. I need a source on that.

Help the helpless, not the clueless.

Drug dealers, criminals, lazy people, etc deserve that filth hole you lived in. My heart doesn't bleed for them...no one promised anyone that life or society would be fair. There are plenty of opportunities for the hard working, honest person.

Read my previous post

Many people who are successfull have come from poverty.

The military does not cost anything. Many young men and women in the military are under-educated. They become something. Many of these same young men and women move on and do not return to the poverty-filled life they grew up in.

Yes, it is horrible.

Yes, it seems hopeless.

But, all of the people in a horrible situation have a choice!

They can take a chance. They can move when they are old enough.

They can stop having children just to get more state-funds.

No excuses.