African American Child Trends

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Pages: 6

African American children are less likely to attain an equal education. Per Child Trends, a non-profit and non-partisan research center that tracts data about children, reports that educational expectations are lower for black children, as their parents are less educated and do not expect their children to receive a high level of education in comparison to white children. Therefore, when less is expected from students they have less-positive attitudes toward school, and are also given fewer learning opportunities and have less parent-child communication about school. Part of the difference in educational outcomes likely stems from the different environments black and white children live in during their school years. African American children …show more content…
Marvin Scott, professor of sociology at Butler University, says “I think the sense of family and the involvement of church has been lost and TV has glamorized free sex, free love and free anything.” (1) It is also believed that the media has a tendency to drive our attention toward specifics acts, causing our society to be influenced in a way that affects the significance of marriage and family. Due to the impact of an improperly socialized society, several programs have been developed for the African American community in hope for improvement, such as African American Healthy Marriage Initiative and Black Marriage Day. These initiatives help bring awareness and educate society to help build a loving and healthy home. Life is complicated enough, and many African Americans may be uncertain and frustrated between values of their history and the current and competitive American culture consisting of materialism, individualism, and a strong need for leadership and masculinity. Based on what I have learned throughout my life and upbringing, it is important to bring the church and God back into the lives of those who struggle. If African Americans continue to live in single parent homes, if divorce or lack of marriage continue to increase, and if the media continues to be perceived as the important “all knowing” voice, then the African American community will be …show more content…
The media has a great impact on our perception, especially when we are not familiar with the topic, therefore we the viewers take the “media world” for the real world. As there are some positive associations with African American’s in the media such as sports, music, and some who inspire leadership and presidency, there are many negative associations portrayed that do not go unnoticed. For instance, characters in video games or media stereotypes particularly highlight the African American as a thug, criminal, fool, and disadvantaged. These associations are very discouraging and damaging to the self-esteem leading to unnecessary stress, frustration, riots, and overall worldly problems. It also leads to consequences that directly affect the African American, such as likelihood of being hired for a job, lack of being trated fairly in the justice system, school admissions, and health and life expectancy. The media only seems to focus on rap stars and NBA players as “role models” which does not fit in the average African American life style. Why is the media so bias? Are they only representing their own distorted view? There are many reasons why the media leads their viewers to see it one way. They deliver information they believe their audience prefers, they lack providing input from all races, and