20/20 Camden (Newark, Jersey City, Paterson: rent, homes, transfer)

[NJMom]

Royceb, Doc1 and JBrown make excellent points. Throwing $$ at the problem is not a cure all to all of society's ills.

NJ spends mega money on the inner city education system thanks to decisions from the NJ Supreme Court which forces the state to dramatically increase spending in the inner cities. The justices, who are appointed for life and lack any accountability to the citizens of NJ, have mandated that each district be able to spend as much as the state's wealthiest towns on education. The states also required the state to establish universal preschool and start a $2billion dollar construction program. The school construction authority is so corrupt though that it totally bungled the program .... leaving tax payers to foot an even higher bill.

NJ taxpayers spend over $4 billion annually to support education spending in Jersey cities. Taxpayers from elsewhere in the state footed fully 90 percent of Camden’s education bill, while the city itself contributed a mere 2 percent.

This cash infusion has not yielded any results. There has been no progress on test scores or graduation rates. The Camden and Newark school districts spend $1 billion in state funds annually—to produce only 2,000 high school grads a year.

Long story short....as other posters have said... Throwing money at the problem is not going to solve the problem. Socialism is not the answer. Until people are accountable for their own behavior, they are not going to escape the cycle of crime and poverty. All the $$ in the world is not going to change that.

[RNG]

OK, I try to be a positive voice on this forum, and have written before on Collingswood's revitalization, as noted by member Scrantonwilkesbarre. However, I have very little optimism regarding Camden's renaissance. I was born in Camden. My father and uncles were all born and raised in Camden. I lived in Camden until I was three years old and then we left in 1973 because my father saw the neighborhood turning into a ruin. So we went to Collingswood, which borders on Camden. I also worked in Camden for 9 years, in the business district off Admiral Wilson Blvd, near Campbell Soup. I have driven through Camden, on its main roads, hundreds of times, on my way to the waterfront or hospitals. If you have never visited Camden, let me tell you, it is a war zone. I think the US government would have as much of a challenge in revitalizing Camden as are having in Iraq now. If I got lost in Camden and had to travel off the main roads I would completely panic.

Camden has tried to improve. I saw signs of this while accompanying a friend to a clinic in the Cramer Hill section. There were newly planted trees, complete with wrought-iron protective sleeves. These trees were torn to pieces - every little branch twisted off and the bark scarred. So much for that. When the Republicans had their convention in the city several years ago, the Camden government spent huge sums in tearing down the flea-bag motels and strip joints that lined the Blvd. They made a nice little park with rose bushes. Now it is ignored, and returning to it's former trashy glory. So much for that, too. But the hookers and strippers left, and moved their businesses to other locales. A lot of times you can clean up an area, but its the people and their attitudes which matter. Give someone a job, great, but make them show up and actually work, make them be good parents, make them stop drinking and using drugs, have them pick up the trash and mow their lawn - that's the hard part. Ignorant, hostile people relocated are still ignorant, hostile people, albeit in a new area. You can clean up Camden easily, but to take the Camden attitude out of the people is difficult. There is little hope for children of these people. They need to guidance of people less trampled, less hopeless.

On a side note, I once worked with a woman from Camden, and drove her home after work one evening. She lived one block behind the hospital were I was born. It is about .5 mile from Collingswood. She told me after she got out to slow down at intersections on my way out, but not to stop if I could avoid it. She didn't want me to get car-jacked.

I am jumping around with my thoughts, but I am a little confused about the teenaged boy on the 20/20 special. He had to take a bus a half-hour away to work at a fast-food restaurant. That makes no sense to me as there are innumerable jobs of this type in Camden itself, let alone in Philadelphia, which is a quick train ride away, or he could have found something at the Cherry Hill Mall, which is right down the road. This whole area is thick with congestion and businesses. Many parts of the show were a bit exaggerated in my opinion for sentimentality. I don't doubt their suffering, but there are resources out there. There are shelters and food kitchens. I just don't understand how people can just give up.

In my opinion, if people in this area, or any area, want to help the children of Camden, they should do more than donate food and clothes. How would you feel if you had to wear someone's cast-off clothes and eat their canned food? Grateful, I'm sure, but I bet you would feel better if you were able to buy your own clothes and food. The school that these children go to, Urban Promise, is the light at the end of the tunnel for so many of these kids. Log onto the school's website. I did, and there are so many things people can do to help. Volunteer a couple of hours a month. They said if you have air-conditioning in your home and a grill, you could host an afternoon for the interns that come from colleges around the country, giving them a fun and relaxing getaway from the grime of Camden. Or donate money to this school, so they can continue their important programs. There are other similar schools and programs in Camden. If you care, do something. Don't lament that you have lights and food and heat and can leave your car in the street without fear of having it stolen. Just try. It is true that the children are the future, and if the children of Camden cannot get all of their resources from their parents, then maybe it's up to the rest of us to show that someone cares, that there is a way out, that there is help.

[BahamaBlu]

I saw the 20/20 special. It was somewhat depressing. Moorestown looked so beautiful and they you see Camden... They should just knockdown all the old buildings that are empty. Seriously, why are they up?? I'm being perfectly honest and I think they should have a military type force come into the city to try and clean it up. But I doubt that would happen... just an opinion please do not attack.

[eslteacher]

Do you know anyone who teaches in Camden? What is it like? Hows the pay?

[Kamsack]

Originally Posted by RNG

A lot of times you can clean up an area, but its the people and their attitudes which matter. Give someone a job, great, but make them show up and actually work, make them be good parents, make them stop drinking and using drugs, have them pick up the trash and mow their lawn - that's the hard part. Ignorant, hostile people relocated are still ignorant, hostile people, albeit in a new area. You can clean up Camden easily, but to take the Camden attitude out of the people is difficult. There is little hope for children of these people. They need to guidance of people less trampled, less hopeless.

RNG...your post is excellently written and is so true. I must point out I have never been to New Jersey...but my wife is a social worker case manager at a hospital where we live and she has friends in social services in North Dakota. She would agree with you too. You can throw all the money you want at this situation....but that does no good unless you dig deeper and change the attitude of people. My wife sees a lot of people keep coming back to the hospital time and time again, just because they know they will help them get something for free. They dont have to work at getting something, so why should they. Out here in rural America, many jobs pay worse than welfare does, so what incentive is there for a single mom to work and then try to find daycare, when the government will pay her better than she could on her own.

RNG is a voice of reason and I applaud you for that.

FYI stay warm out east....-8F attm.

Dan

[RNG]

Thank you for your kind words, Dan. I have had a bad day and it made me feel better!

I want everyone who reads my original post to know that I am not suggesting African-American or Hispanic people, who are the majority of citizens of Camden, are ignorant or bottom-feeders. I have friends of both races and have had many superiors in my various jobs that have been black or Hispanic. They are my equals, and I have nothing but admiration and respect for them. There are towns that are similar to Camden that are mostly white, but I do not have as much experience with these towns as I do with Camden. I would never want to offend anyone regarding their race or beliefs.

Once again on a new train of thought... I was thinking today of the little girl portrayed in the show and how she had to play in a playground that had hypodermic needles all over the ground. How could anyone let their child play in an environment such as that? You could say, well, it's not my fault, drug addicts put them there. But what prevents a person who has children using these places to clean them up themself? Put on some work-gloves, use one of those claw-grabber things, and get rid of them. Some more will end up there, but keep picking them up. After a while there will be less and less, and maybe that act could inspire other parents to help clean up the area. Maybe the drug addicts will move elsewhere. Throwing up your hands and saying boo-hoo, we have a cruddy playground for our kids is not showing a good example, and is not proactive in improving a person's life or their environment.

Regarding teachers in Camden, those I have known have either taught in grammar school or in private schools. They like the children that are young, but they will not teach the teenagers. There is a huge need for teachers in this area, though, and the pay is probably good. I think you can check online for current rates, although I am not sure. I have a friend who is working in Camden this fall and got the job through Teach for America because he does not have a teacher's certification yet. They are placing him in kindergarten. I guess they want to ease him into the environment.

OK, goodnight all!

[JBrown]

Your suggestion regarding the locals cleaning up their own park is an example that happens far to infrequently, but it's very commendable when it does.
I wonder though what the do-gooders think when they see that needle contaminated park; a park contaminated with needles that the NJ tax payers have been forced to pay for.

[iriegirl]

Asbury Park is one of those towns which is trying to rebuild itself. It started with a lot of NYC gay people and artists investing in the downtown area and making it a nice place to shop and buying up old homes and fixing them up. It is going to be a while though, because there is still alot of crime,with gangs and drugs,and the schools are bad.
Long Branch did the turn-round thing, but also focused on the schools and they are doing much better. They also have revitalized their beach area and it's nice down there now.
I have an artist friend who is having art shows in Camden, and she think things will get better. I have been to the aquarium there, which is great, but you can't go a block away from there.

I still won't go down to Asbury or Camden to shop or go to art shows, because it's just not safe. It's a shame but ,the folks who tout these areas just don't want to tell you , but as a woman, I just don't feel safe alone down there.

NJ is too corrupt to ever allow Camden to come back.

[JBrown]

IrieGirl...
No clear thinking guy feels safe there either.

[iriegirl]

JBrown,
I 'm kinda glad you said that. They are trying to make it nice, but the Tri-city newspaper always rags on the suburban folk who don't want to go down there to shop or eat. Even when I drive down there, I see bums sleeping on the ground in the park by the boat ramp, and by 7/11.
My husband doesn't even like me to drive down Ridge Rd, which I use as a cut-thru to Corlies ave in Neptune.
Sadly, I think it's going to be quite a bit longer until it really feels safe. Too bad, it's a great beach, we used to go there a lot in the 80's.