Oprah is not alone in her perspective on Black inner-city schools..In order to truly understand the dynamics responsible for the current state of the Black community, one must be cognizant of the root causes of the situation..It is important to understand that the Black family is in an advanced state of deterioration, the Black family, the major support and coping mechanism for the Black community is falling apart..The relevant question is can it be put back together? Can the infrastructure of the Black family be rebuilt? Along with the Black family, education was considered to be the major vehicle for upward mobility..It is no longer considered by many to be a viable means of achieving their goals in life..This situation, Black students giving up on the schools as a means for achieving upward mobility in life--is well known to educators..Teachers throughout this country, in predominantly Black schools are faced with the task of educating Black culturally- different students, who tend to be disinterested, unmotivated and often hostile towards the school's academic activities..Many of these students have mentally unplugged from the public school system..This mental disengagement from the schools occurs as early as the 3rd or 4th grade..After which time, students go through the motions with no real desire or expectations to achieve academically..
There is much in the literature pertaining to teacher expectation; how some teachers tend to expect little from the students and get little, thus setting in motion a self-fulfilling prophecy..But today's phenomenon has reversed and there is little in the literature pertaining to student's expectations of the schools..A large number of Black students expect little or nothing from the schools to help them achieve their life's goal..They have given up on the schools and the American Dream..Or better stated, they have a new American Dream--get rich or die..The vast, vast majority of the students will not get rich.."Between the Rhetoric and Reality" Lauriat Press;Simpkins & Simpkins,2009:PP-23-24, Amazon.com..