8th highest poverty rate (Milwaukee, Washington: crime rate, houses, neighborhood)

[lioninaconcretejungle]

Originally Posted by quickdraw

Black men just aren't interested in getting an education.

whoa.Flat out bigotry.

[remixedkitty]

if they would make more things to do for the teens to get thier minds off the sex then it will help alot. Teen shows and music is heavily sex oriented and makes them want to have sex too early. Also they need to distribute contraception more and make it more known to people. There are alot of people who have never heard of "the pill" you would be surpised at the amount of people who have! Alot of the time the religious people preach abstinance only, but that does not work. You need to have protection whether you bang 1 ot 100 people. Doesnt matter. use the pill or the patch, or sponge, or the ring, or a shot or many other methods.

Also there needs to be more incentives for businesses to relocate there to make jobs. They need to provide breaks and rental discounts and freebies to businesses to make them want to come there! Michigan Now! Initiative in detroit is doing this.

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by remixedkitty

if they would make more things to do for the teens to get thier minds off the sex then it will help alot.

Such as??

I fail to buy the notion that programs / events can be created that teens would participate in such a high level to that they would "get their minds off sex" and thus abstain from it.

Furthermore, that is not the role of the public, the taxpayer, or anyone else except for the teens themselves, their parents, and their family. What really should be stressed in this society is not that of trying to distract teens from thinking about sex, rather, stressing the notion of personal responsibility...teens of ALL socioeconomic levels, while young, are well aware of the consequences of sex in today's day and age, and if they are not, it is because they are choosing to stick their heads in the sand.

Originally Posted by remixedkitty

Also they need to distribute contraception more and make it more known to people. There are alot of people who have never heard of "the pill" you would be surpised at the amount of people who have! Alot of the time the religious people preach abstinance only, but that does not work. You need to have protection whether you bang 1 ot 100 people. Doesnt matter. use the pill or the patch, or sponge, or the ring, or a shot or many other methods.

I couldn't disagree with this more.

This is like making legalized heroin or acid using rooms. "Well, people are going to shoot heroin or drop acid anyway, there is nothing that can be done about it, so instead of discouraging heroin / acid use we'll create 'safe rooms' for them to use it in."

No, just like drug use in "safe rooms" is not safe, smart, or the role of the taxpayer to support, similarly, "safe sex" for young teens outside of wedlock is not safe, smart, or the role of the taxpayer to support.

You say abstinence does not work...how does it not work?? It is the only 100% proven way to avoid pregnancy and the spread of disease...not to mention the only way to avoid the numerous emotional issues that come about with young people having sex with one another.

Is it hard for young people to avoid having premarital sex? Sure it is. Life is hard. It is hard for me to get up every morning and go to work when I would rather be drinking and watching football. Thems are the breaks.

This society should not empower financially boorish / destructive behavior. If people wish to engage in it (like young teens having premarital sex), then they need to take the accompanying responsibilities to protect themselves (as well as contraceptives protect one). If they don't, they should face the consequences. This society needs a good dose of something that can be summed up in two words: Personal responsibility.

[quijote]

Originally Posted by EnjoyEP

Such as??

I fail to buy the notion that programs / events can be created that teens would participate in such a high level to that they would "get their minds off sex" and thus abstain from it.

Furthermore, that is not the role of the public, the taxpayer, or anyone else except for the teens themselves, their parents, and their family. What really should be stressed in this society is not that of trying to distract teens from thinking about sex, rather, stressing the notion of personal responsibility...teens of ALL socioeconomic levels, while young, are well aware of the consequences of sex in today's day and age, and if they are not, it is because they are choosing to stick their heads in the sand.

I pretty much agree with this. We can create all of the cultural centers and programs in the world, but that won't necessarily reach the people we want to reach, and it won't really address the core issues of personal and family culture.

Our society has become so consumerist and materialistic, that it is often assumed that both parents--when there are two parents--will work while the kids go to school, get babysat or nannied, or dawdle by themselves. It shouldn't be up to teachers, program volunteers, and other such folk to raise peoples' children and keep them busy. Whenever possible the parents should consider a cut in pay and in material things in order to spend more time raising the kids. I know this is tough or impossible for some single-parent families, but two-parent families can do this if they put their mind to it.

I couldn't disagree with this more.

This is like making legalized heroin or acid using rooms. "Well, people are going to shoot heroin or drop acid anyway, there is nothing that can be done about it, so instead of discouraging heroin / acid use we'll create 'safe rooms' for them to use it in."

No, just like drug use in "safe rooms" is not safe, smart, or the role of the taxpayer to support, similarly, "safe sex" for young teens outside of wedlock is not safe, smart, or the role of the taxpayer to support.

You say abstinence does not work...how does it not work?? It is the only 100% proven way to avoid pregnancy and the spread of disease...not to mention the only way to avoid the numerous emotional issues that come about with young people having sex with one another.

Is it hard for young people to avoid having premarital sex? Sure it is. Life is hard. It is hard for me to get up every morning and go to work when I would rather be drinking and watching football. Thems are the breaks.

This society should not empower financially boorish / destructive behavior. If people wish to engage in it (like young teens having premarital sex), then they need to take the accompanying responsibilities to protect themselves (as well as contraceptives protect one). If they don't, they should face the consequences. This society needs a good dose of something that can be summed up in two words: Personal responsibility.

I agree that personal responsibility is key here, but that includes the personal responsibility to use contraception and practice safe sex when abstinence doesn't come into play. If it costs taxpayers less to purchase and distribute condoms than to raise welfare babies, then the choice should be clear. The comparison between sex and drugs is not entirely adequate, as drugs usually cost the user some money and have anticipated, immediate psychosomatic effects. On the other hand, sex just requires mutual attraction and a place to spend a few minutes alone--for horny teens, it's quick and free entertainment.

And though I agree that personal responsibility to abstain would generally be preferable in these scenarios, I don't know if that's realistic in a culture in which many youths are having sex and creating babies. That has become a norm in many impoverished communities, and many youth in those communities probably see teen parenthood as something of a cultural inevitability, in much the same way that teens and their parents in affluent areas assume that the teens will go to college and have a career. If most of your entire world is not much more than a 2- to 4-mile radius around where you live, what cultural patterns will you imitate?

I don't think distribution of contraceptives and promotion of safe sex is the entire answer, but it's hard to think of what else might work. I mean, if we want to break the cultural, generational cycle of poverty and pregnancy, who will intervene and effect the change, if the parents themselves are not always capable and willing to do so?

[mke91]

I think some very interesting points were made in this thread. WHY ISN'T ANYONE STILL TALKING ABOUT THIS?!?

I know this may be to my discredit, but I will say that I live in Whitefish Bay and attend Whitefish Bay High School. My mother is single, black and a victim of the racist labor market of Milwaukee. She has a bachelor's degree but is making less than $9.00 an hour. We are a family living in poverty. She works very hard to keep me and my three other siblings in school, and for that we are very grateful.

With that said, let me tell you more about who I am. I am a high-achieving student with high academic honors, and I am a prospective student for elite educational institutions around the country. So, with my family's achievements in mind, please don't say that black people aren't interested in receiving an education.

I am very interested in community issues, and I have the opportunity to participate in a number of activities within my community through school, including music, sports, and community service. I have received loving support from my community, and I believe that is due to my exceptional response to the community's emphasis on academic success.

But, seeing how many of my inner-city counterparts do not receive nearly as many blessings as I do, how can they possibly achieve what I have? Was the idea of getting good grades and a good education instilled in them by their teachers from the time they were young, like it was in me? I doubt it. Do they get to play instruments, express themselves creatively, and have a constructive alternative to doing drugs, like I do? Again, I don't think so. Do they get to train in world class athletic facilities for free, like me? Are they encouraged to participate in community service activities by their teachers and other adults in their community?

Sorry for all that, but I'm trying to make a point. Most of the above situations I described were available to me through my school. Teachers, parents, and the community encouraged all of it. I looked to them for help and support, and it is to them I owe much of my success. And most, though certainly not all, of the above activities were payed for mainly by the tax revenue generated by the Village of Whitefish Bay. The public schools in Whitefish Bay also get money from the state, but that amount of money is determined only by the number of students enrolled, so every public school in the state really gets the same amount of funding from the state per student. The schools' amount of federal funding is dwarfed by the amount of funding received by the Village and state.

Anyway, the reason why Whitefish Bay Schools are so successful (98% of all graduates eventually enroll in post-secondary education) is because the community views paying for education as an investment, not as a burden on the taxpayers. As a result, they get involved in the students' lives and are genuinely interested in what's happening in their lives. So, in my opinion, if you're not going to pay for your community's kids to receive a quality education, it's a small wonder that their standardized test scores are amongst the lowest in the country, or if almost none of them are going to college. You shouldn't be judging in your heart of hearts the black boys who commit crimes, or the black girls who get knocked up by the babies' daddies, since they never had the opportunity to be a positive part of a community, which they could fall back on in times of trouble.

I probably sound pretty ignorant and naive, but I think that a major investment in community fellowship is needed to improve poverty and education in Milwaukee. Where the money will come from, be it from the taxpayers or a philanthropist, I don't know. But I don't think a huge amount of money is needed to encourage kids to be positive parts of their communities, and to teach them from a very young age that an education, acquired through hard work, is important and can break the cycle of poverty.

There are my two cents. Does anyone else have something to say?

[ccjarider]

I believe that you are lucky to come from a family that has instilled value. The idea that more money thrown into public education or "programs" is somewhat of a sham.

Throughout history, people with access to hugely expensive programs fail and people with no access acheive success. The most important factors are family and personal makeup. Arguing that society owes everyone an education is a scam perpetrated by WEAC and those who view gov't as a solution to everything.

Just ask yourself if you are aware of any program where the leaders and/or benefactors claim they have enough $. It just is not possible in our society.

[Nuclear_Art]

Originally Posted by ccjarider

I believe that you are lucky to come from a family that has instilled value. The idea that more money thrown into public education or "programs" is somewhat of a sham.

Money in itself will never solve any problems. Look at the sham that is Iraq. After all is said and done, you can throw all the money in the world at the problem and it will never be resolved.

Now if you have positive ideals mixed with an overall willingness to achieve great things, you can add money to make anything work.

Originally Posted by ccjarider

Arguing that society owes everyone an education is a scam perpetrated by WEAC and those who view gov't as a solution to everything.

If America wants to keep it's position as the best country in the world, then yeah, we do owe all of its citizens an education. Didn't you learn this in school? Uneducated people don't make a strong and great country. Your attitude will make America a third world country in a generation.

mke91, again, tax money will not give inner city children or any unmotivated children for that matter, the desire to learn. Positive role models and caring individuals are the only solution. Nobody says that these people have to be paid to do this work. In fact, schools are not exactly overflowing with voluntary mentors or tutors. I've done that in the past and I like to think every little bit helps. Anyone can help in this way, yourself for example.

Marquette University instills in their students the moral obligation to volunteer and help the less fortunate whether they be poor or old. It's too bad that Service Learning isn't taught at all schools or that the average people aren't motivated to do it on their own. It's one of those things that make a strong and positive community.

[#Littledog]

Originally Posted by quijote

Another problem facing the city of Milwaukee is the migration of people with money to the suburbs. Some work has been done to try to keep or attract middle class people in the city, but these efforts (condo development, etc. in east side/downtown/third ward corridor) are shadowed by white flight and money flight from other neighborhoods (southside, west side, etc.) to surrounding communities (Oak Creek, Franklin, etc.). Is it really surprising that the large cities with the highest poverty rates are also among the most segregated cities in the U.S.?

If the property taxes weren't so darn high, there would be more middle class families who could afford to live in the city. Most people with children are not looking for condos. The houses in the city are either too expensive or in an unsafe neighborhood.

[#Littledog]

Originally Posted by Nuclear_Art

Money in itself will never solve any problems. Look at the sham that is Iraq. After all is said and done, you can throw all the money in the world at the problem and it will never be resolved.

Now if you have positive ideals mixed with an overall willingness to achieve great things, you can add money to make anything work.



If America wants to keep it's position as the best country in the world, then yeah, we do owe all of its citizens an education. Didn't you learn this in school? Uneducated people don't make a strong and great country. Your attitude will make America a third world country in a generation.

mke91, again, tax money will not give inner city children or any unmotivated children for that matter, the desire to learn. Positive role models and caring individuals are the only solution. Nobody says that these people have to be paid to do this work. In fact, schools are not exactly overflowing with voluntary mentors or tutors. I've done that in the past and I like to think every little bit helps. Anyone can help in this way, yourself for example.

Marquette University instills in their students the moral obligation to volunteer and help the less fortunate whether they be poor or old. It's too bad that Service Learning isn't taught at all schools or that the average people aren't motivated to do it on their own. It's one of those things that make a strong and positive community.

What a great post! I often wondered why schools don't recruit more volunteers, especially senior citizens. Instead the schools cry about more money, more money with the burden falling on the tax payers. I work at a large hospital and they have over 200 very dedicated volunteers, many of them very capable senior citizens. The schools could have volunteers helping with lunch duty, extra homework help, library helpers. In the past, parents would help with these jobs but with so many dual career families, these volunteer positions are largely understaffed.

[#Littledog]

Originally Posted by mke91

I think some very interesting points were made in this thread. WHY ISN'T ANYONE STILL TALKING ABOUT THIS?!?

I know this may be to my discredit, but I will say that I live in Whitefish Bay and attend Whitefish Bay High School. My mother is single, black and a victim of the racist labor market of Milwaukee. She has a bachelor's degree but is making less than $9.00 an hour. We are a family living in poverty. She works very hard to keep me and my three other siblings in school, and for that we are very grateful.

With that said, let me tell you more about who I am. I am a high-achieving student with high academic honors, and I am a prospective student for elite educational institutions around the country. So, with my family's achievements in mind, please don't say that black people aren't interested in receiving an education.

I am very interested in community issues, and I have the opportunity to participate in a number of activities within my community through school, including music, sports, and community service. I have received loving support from my community, and I believe that is due to my exceptional response to the community's emphasis on academic success.

But, seeing how many of my inner-city counterparts do not receive nearly as many blessings as I do, how can they possibly achieve what I have? Was the idea of getting good grades and a good education instilled in them by their teachers from the time they were young, like it was in me? I doubt it. Do they get to play instruments, express themselves creatively, and have a constructive alternative to doing drugs, like I do? Again, I don't think so. Do they get to train in world class athletic facilities for free, like me? Are they encouraged to participate in community service activities by their teachers and other adults in their community?

Sorry for all that, but I'm trying to make a point. Most of the above situations I described were available to me through my school. Teachers, parents, and the community encouraged all of it. I looked to them for help and support, and it is to them I owe much of my success. And most, though certainly not all, of the above activities were payed for mainly by the tax revenue generated by the Village of Whitefish Bay. The public schools in Whitefish Bay also get money from the state, but that amount of money is determined only by the number of students enrolled, so every public school in the state really gets the same amount of funding from the state per student. The schools' amount of federal funding is dwarfed by the amount of funding received by the Village and state.

Anyway, the reason why Whitefish Bay Schools are so successful (98% of all graduates eventually enroll in post-secondary education) is because the community views paying for education as an investment, not as a burden on the taxpayers. As a result, they get involved in the students' lives and are genuinely interested in what's happening in their lives. So, in my opinion, if you're not going to pay for your community's kids to receive a quality education, it's a small wonder that their standardized test scores are amongst the lowest in the country, or if almost none of them are going to college. You shouldn't be judging in your heart of hearts the black boys who commit crimes, or the black girls who get knocked up by the babies' daddies, since they never had the opportunity to be a positive part of a community, which they could fall back on in times of trouble.

I probably sound pretty ignorant and naive, but I think that a major investment in community fellowship is needed to improve poverty and education in Milwaukee. Where the money will come from, be it from the taxpayers or a philanthropist, I don't know. But I don't think a huge amount of money is needed to encourage kids to be positive parts of their communities, and to teach them from a very young age that an education, acquired through hard work, is important and can break the cycle of poverty.

There are my two cents. Does anyone else have something to say?

What a thoughtful and well-written post!! You sound like a very intelligent young person who will go on to do great things! Best of luck to you!

I understand your position that the community needs to financially support education. Our children need a good education. The problem is, families need to meet the taxpayers half way. Tons of money is poured into Milwaukee Public Schools, for example, but many families do not support these educational endeavors. When I say support, I'm referring to making their kids get to school every day, making them go to bed at a decent time, keeping them off the streets, trying to live in one place for at least a year, showing love, concern, and attention. I know family situations get further complicated by poverty, crime, illness and many unfortunate situations that are beyond a person's control but there are also some families who are flat out asleep at the wheel. And these aren't just black families-these problems are prevalent in all ethnic groups. My husband teaches in MPS and you wouldn't believe some of the stories where the parents are absent, abusive, strung out on drugs, etc. There are some children who can and do rise above their unfortunate situations. Their resiliency amazes me. But it is very hard to succeed academically when the family environment is a mess. Teachers and schools can only do so much.

I'm not saying MPS is the only school district with problems but I thought I should bring it up since we're talking about the central city.