[Fzob]

She noted that while Professor Ogbu called most of the black families in the district middle class, 10 to 12 percent live in poverty.

The old poverty causes poor academic performance ruse. I wonder how many white people are live in poverty in this area. I'll bet it's a similar percentage of the population.

My personal opinion in this matter is that all to often black students expect to be given decent grades because they exist and show up. This is a attitude society has been reinforcing for thirty years and it is the nature of man to take the easy academic path, so when it's available many do just that. There is no need, hence no desire to acheive for far too many students in general.

[Jim Noble]

>>My personal opinion in this matter is that all to often black students expect to be given decent grades because they exist and show up. This is a attitude society has been reinforcing for thirty years and it is the nature of man to take the easy academic path, so when it's available many do just that<<

In affluent public schools all over America, this is a problem, for white kids as well as blacks.

[Mr. Jeeves]

My personal opinion in this matter is that all to often black students expect to be given decent grades because they exist and show up.

In the movie "Higher Learning", Omar Epps' character demonstrates this attitude perfectly. He expects his black political science professor (Lawrence Fishburne) to give him an easier ride just because he is also black. Fishburne sets him straight in a hurry - but I suspect there are far too few black university professors who think like Fishburne's character.

[demosthenes the elder]

the old "poverty" ruse.
sigh.
I was one of two children raised by a single mother and lived below the poverty line for my first ten years. My mother worked as many as three part-time jobs at a clip while supporting us and sending herself through first college and then medical school. Nonetheless, she still MADE the time needed to instill discipline in us and help us to learn the essential skills required in this society: linguistics, math, logic, reading skills, methods of study, prioritization, and diligence.
Though I do not expect all poor people to do as well as she did, nor all to turn out as well as both I and my sister did, I cannot accept the standard excuse of poverty = poor educational/academic performance.