Expecting
the best
Even more disturbing than the rising body count in
2006 is the extraordinary increase in the number or non-fatal shootings.
That rate is up more than 189 percent over January of the previous
year. This indicates that firearms are plentiful and there are many
who are not reluctant to use them.
The majority of shootings are by boys and young men from Roxbury,
Dorchester, Jamaica Plain and the South End. Unfortunately, the
rise in youth violence creates the impression that black youth are
completely lost. However, there are pockets of achievement which
provide an indication of what can be accomplished with the right
strategy.
One such example is Roxbury Preparatory Charter School. Roxbury
Prep prepares students in grades 6-8 for admission to Boston’s
exam schools or the academically intensive private schools. All
of Roxbury Prep’s students are black or Latino. Admission
is by lottery. No entrance exam is required.
One method of determining the academic success of schools is to
compare their MCAS scores. By that criterion, Roxbury Prep is one
of the best performing public schools in the state. On every test
at every grade level Roxbury Prep scored either first or second
against any predominantly black school in the state. In fact, the
black and Latino students of Roxbury Prep outscored students in
many affluent suburbs.
With 82 percent of 8th grade students scoring Advanced or Proficient
on the math exam, only Boston Latin School scored higher. However,
Roxbury Prep students surpassed Wayland (77%), Wellesley (76%) and
Weston (70%). Roxbury Prep ranked 9th of the 456 schools in the
state.
On the 7th grade English exam, 81 percent of Roxbury Prep students
scored Advanced or Proficient and all 7th graders passed the exam.
Roxbury Prep sixth graders, with 71 percent, had the second highest
percentage of students of any school in Boston scoring Advanced
or Proficient on the math exam. This was a higher score than students
in Harvard (69%), Hingham (67%), and Belmont (65%).
Some African American students are also performing well in other
charter schools, public and private schools, and METCO. They understand
that the secret to success in America is to be well educated and
to have the skills to be able to hold top-level jobs.
Sadly, too many youngsters in the black community do not understand
the hard work and commitment which is necessary to succeed in school.
One-third of the sixth graders entering Roxbury Prep are academically
deficient. They are two or more grade levels behind in reading,
writing and math. But with the assistance of outstanding teachers
and hard work, the students soon rise to the top.
In order to succeed, it is necessary for students to develop a strong
sense of self-esteem. Students have to believe that they are intelligent
and can perform in the classroom at a high level. Perhaps a major
problem with some of the so-called at risk youth is that they suffer
from a feeling of inferiority.
One of the first measures to end their deviant behavior is to make
them aware of the greatness that lies within. It is important for
the community to glorify the academic achievements of our youthful
scholars. Others can be made to believe that they too can do well
in school. And the community will become more aware that academic
achievement should be more widely applauded.
|
Melvin B. Miller
Editor & Publisher
Bay State Banner |
