20/20 Camden (Newark, Jersey City, Mount Ephraim: school, camp, living)

[jerseycity79]

I came across this site and had to respond to what I have been reading. I have had the opportunity to teach in Camden (In what is the most dangerous neighborhood in the city). I grew to love the people of Camden, and stories such as the ones presented in the 20/20 documentary were all too common. Children sleeping in bathtubs with their mothers because gang members were shooting from their windows, guns shots keeping these kids up at night, walking out of their homes to go to school only to find someone laid out on the street with part of their head shot off, etc...This is the reality that some of the kids in Camden face. However, the government has not necessarily failed these people, the community has failed itself (I am truly generalizing here). For example, local communities pick up the tab for Camden's educational system. 90% of the money the Camden schools receive is from tax payers outside of the city. That means that surrounding communities, in one of the most highly taxed states (I know a few people that are paying upwards of 12,000 dollars a year in taxes), pay not only for their local schools, but also pick up the tab for Camden. Throwing money at the situation has not helped, at all. Money can help, but not if it is not being placed in the right places or is being stolen by corrupt politicians (like some of Mayor Faison's staff, I'm curious why she isn't so frustrated about that?). The kids are innocent victims here. However, the reality in Camden is that the majority men don't stick around to raise their kids, woman get pregnant in their teens and have children with multiple men. Being that these mothers are often kids themselves, they typically have horrible parenting skills and little or no education or job skills that would allow the to be able to provide for their children. (I would say most of my students' parents had their 1st born at the age of 17.)

Once the males reach their teenage years, they have no male figures to keep them in line. So they become violent and ravage their neighborhoods. The senseless violence I saw everyday was unbelievable (I've had guns pulled on me, one time just ordering coffee (through bullet proof glass, mind you) at Dunkin Donuts). When the cops respond, no one talks or knows anything. The neighborhood consensus is that you don't "snitch". This no snitch policy allows these violent criminals to roam the streets and prey on the weak and innocent of Camden. On the 20/20 documentary, you see, "RIP Shelly" spray painted on a wall. This young lady was the older sister of one of my former students (A student who had two wonderful parents). Shelly was brutally gunned down in a drive by shooting.

In my experience, when children have both parents there to raise them, both parents are committed to raising their children, the parents are not using drugs and alcohol, and the parents were not teenagers when they gave birth to their children then the children are typically able to beat the odds in Camden. And, I have seen many examples of this.

So what do we need to do? We need to stop teens from getting pregnant, we need to start removing these children from these dead beat parents (This is difficult because where would we place these kids?), and we need to go after these gang members as if they were terrorists (which they are!). The state and city has to spend money smarter. Spend money on putting more highly train cops, social workers, and teachers out into the community, education and job training programs for residents will little or no education or job skills, and social services such as social workers (*Note: Social Workers work in some of the most horrid conditions, typically called upon in the middle of the night to travel into neighborhoods that most people on this board wouldn't drive through during the day, and are paid typically about 30 thousand a year.) so that the children who are growing up in these disfunctional settings are provided with all they services they need. We need to start saying that certain behaviors lead to poverty; drugs, teenage pregnancy, dropping out of high school, gang membership, etc. Ignorance plays a large part in the problem. Education is not always valued. There has been many occasions where a student is failing and a disgruntled parent (typically a grandparent who is raising the child) will just pull the student out of that particular school and transfer them. They do this so that the child isn't left back or endanger of being left back. Instead correcting the problem, they just shift the responsibility. (While this happens everywhere, the consequences for a child growing up in environments like Camden are much more severe.) Another pleasure bestowed upon teachers in Camden are parents who come to school wanting to fight them over grades and whatnot (this is an occasional occurrence, but happens typically at parent/teacher conferences). Again, personal behavior and responsibility have much to do with the conditions in Camden. Ask any cop, social worker, or teacher who has ever worked in cities with conditions similar to Camden's.

Please excuse the many grammatically errors riddled throughout this response. It was written in haste, and I apologize for any and all abuses of the English language above.

[jerseycity79]

Originally Posted by momix5

Adream you are sooooooooooooo right! These poor children need some sort of help! I don't know where to start but maybe if we donated items directly to this community, like maybe I live a sheltered life but why can't some fat cat big business like home depot donate materials to this area and let the citizens and other people volunteering help to physically rebulild the community? Why can't Walmart or Kohls or Target donate surplus clothing to the families? Why can't the Prez worry about these people a little more?Why don't Hillary take a trip and try to fund something for these people?

Target donated generously to help support our school dances in the school in Camden I worked for.

[jerseycity79]

Originally Posted by eslteacher

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

I taught in Camden, but unfortunately returned home to Jersey City to teach. Camden's pay is a little less than what I was paid in North Jersey. However, the cost of living in the suburbs in S. Jersey is more reasonable. (I unfortunately am not a suburb type person and found refuge in the more expensive city of Philadelphia. lol

[cyntmac]

Yes we need teens to stop getting pregnant-In all communities. That problem is not a "local" problem. Either is deadbeat parents. You see that in many places. Do you honestly believe that more than a tiny percentage of children will ever be removed from their homes? Do you think that would actually happen in any sort of community?

The reasons for Camden being Camden run far deeper than the personal behavior of the individual. Much of the U.S. would already look like Camden now if that were the case. It is amazing that you can work in education or law enforcement there or whatever and have no greater insight.

[jerseycity79]

Originally Posted by cyntmac

Yes we need teens to stop getting pregnant-In all communities. That problem is not a "local" problem. Either is deadbeat parents. You see that in many places. Do you honestly believe that more than a tiny percentage of children will ever be removed from their homes? Do you think that would actually happen in any sort of community?

The reasons for Camden being Camden run far deeper than the personal behavior of the individual. Much of the U.S. would already look like Camden now if that were the case. It is amazing that you can work in education or law enforcement there or whatever and have no greater insight.

I never said the teenage pregnancy or deadbeat parents were just local problems for Camden. And, while you'll see it in many places, it is not as widespread as it is in Camden. You also weren't reading what I wrote, I said that while we would need to remove some of these kids from their homes, there basically would be no way to do this (But in a perfect world, it is what should be done). But I pose this to you. In my class of 20, typically everyday 3 or 4 of my students would come to me without having had anything to eat, I can think of at least 3 that came in looking like they crawled out of a dumpster they were so dirty, and most of my 6th and 7th grade students mothers (I stress mothers because there were typically no fathers) where between the ages of 27 - 31. Think about this for a moment, most of my students parents got pregnant somewhere between the ages of 16 and 18. This kind of explains why they can't get jobs. They can't get jobs, they can't support their kids. Most of my students parents, with the exception of a few, could care less about their child's education. This is an endless cycle. If you don't think it has anything to do with personal behavior, then you really don't know what you're talking about. Mind you, I am not talking about people who just immigrated to the US and don't speak the language or whatnot. That's a different issue, and communities with that type of population are much safer and much less violent than Camden and Newark. For example, drive through Camden, then drive through Union City or Jersey City Heights. Both are poor, some of the poorest communities in the state. However, you won't be scared in Union City. Why? It is simply because the family structure is more intact, and many individuals came here to make a better life for themselves. Camden on the other hand has a much different problem. It is poorer than Union City, but why? Well, when you compare the two, Camden's issue is that the kids there are basically left to raise themselves in a "war zone", father's are no where to be found, social service money is stolen by politicians, gangs and drug dealers plague the streets because the community typically doesn't "rat" them out and when they are arrested, local judges give them light sentences where they are back out on the street in a few years. Union City has all of that, but it is not any where close to the same degree. And why? Personal behavior. Camden with its proximity to Philadelphia, waterfront, and views could have a lot going for it. I regularly compare its location to that of Hoboken or Downtown Jersey City. So people are looking to invest, but it is the violence that drives people away.

So please help me gain some insight into why Camden, and other cities like it are having the problems they do. From working in projects all over the state: Newark, Jersey City, Union City, Passiac, Paterson, and Lakewood, teaching in Union City and Camden, and working while in college in Essex County Jail in Newark I have gain great insight into the problems. But, apparently you have more experience.

Most people that think they have great insight, typically don't. They are some suburbanite who sits comfortably in their homes watching episodes like the one on 20/20 or has taken some sociology course in college and decides they know how to fix the problems. For one, the 20/20 episode wasn't completely honest and they were selling the idea that if we all gave money, things would change. The problem is that to whom do you give the money to? Most of the politicians are corrupt and spend the money on getting friends and family members city jobs (huge problem in all cities.) For example, the school I worked at was literally filled with friends and family of the principal. Some where collecting pay checks for playing on the internet all day. This is very common, and a huge problem in cities like Newark and Camden. So don't you feel better, your taxes that are suppose to be helping these kids from Camden are going to support some politically connected individuals family and friends. And, this is only one small case. This is a huge problem throughout Camden.

[roogie]

My kids have a chance to go with a group to work for the week at Urban Promises. We live on a small island on the opposite coast and they have not been exposed to urban envirnoments. I lived in NJ a LONG time ago, and am getting varying information about Camden. Would let your child work there for a week? If so, any advice on how to prepare them?
Thanks SO much!

[roogie]

My kids have a chance to go with a group to work for the week at Urban Promises. We live on a small island on the opposite coast and they have not been exposed to urban envirnoments. I lived in NJ a LONG time ago, and am getting varying information about Camden. Would let your child work there for a week? If so, any advice on how to prepare them?
Thanks SO much!

[cyntmac]

What is the motivation for doing so? That is what would make the difference. If they are going with a group wouldn't any responsible person look at the group's track record? If it is a group with some history I'm sure it would be easy to check up. If they are going for a positive purpose and they are a responsible group I'm sure you could follow them to Timbuktu and all would be well.

[JBrown]

Originally Posted by jerseycity79

So please help me gain some insight into why Camden, and other cities like it are having the problems they do. From working in projects all over the state: Newark, Jersey City, Union City, Passiac, Paterson, and Lakewood, teaching in Union City and Camden, and working while in college in Essex County Jail in Newark I have gain great insight into the problems. But, apparently you have more experience.

I was pretty sure my memory was correct. Speaking of experience and first hand knowledge etc you may find this interesting... from the not so far past..



"
02-08-2007, 04:40 PM
cyntmac
Senior Member


Default L.A. area just so vast!!
What a great topic. I grew up in NJ and moved to SoCal from NYC in '98. Actually I lived in Texas for a year first and that was much more of a culture shock. I moved around a bit when I was growing up so I had lived out of the NY/NJ area as a youth. I think I moved out here being very open to it-but came out with no job and only a short term place to live. I am alone but it was still a little risky. I was in the San Diego area the first year here. I then moved to Burbank(for only 3 months). Next was Santa Clarita(3 years). I then moved to Pt Hueneme which is basically Oxnard for a year. Last year I was up in Santa Barbara for 10 months and in October I moved to Agoura Hills where I reside now. I rent and am a working person(not making much).
I have not had any family living in the Northeast since the mid 1980's so there is no one to miss back there. I do not have family here. I moved because I needed a serious change. I was really struggling in NY and very tired and was thinking about a car. "



Just trying to be helpful and clear things up a bit.....

[njkate]

Originally Posted by roogie

My kids have a chance to go with a group to work for the week at Urban Promises. We live on a small island on the opposite coast and they have not been exposed to urban envirnoments. I lived in NJ a LONG time ago, and am getting varying information about Camden. Would let your child work there for a week? If so, any advice on how to prepare them?
Thanks SO much!

In a word in your particular case and as a mother myself....NO!!
Camden is rough for even the most street smart urban kid