Young people are the solution and not the problem
In most preschool classes, children are taught how to identify positive forces in their communities. They come in the form of “community helpers”: doctors, judges, teachers, social workers, librarians, law enforcement, et cetera. And yet, some of these role models have contributed to children’s unacceptable behaviors.
Since the late 20th century, these individuals have been harmful spectators, finding contempt for young people and their supposedly incorrigible ways. I would like to question why? Why is there contempt for children when the blasé attitudes from some adults and their improper interactions with these children have created the very behaviors which are now despised? What about the authority that have used laws to flip the script on parenting, stripping away rights and placing an unprecedented amount into the hands of children, the type of rights that are driving society insane.
Are parents not their children’s first role models; responsible for guiding their decision- making process? Why aren’t they monitoring their children’s time of leisure, setting boundaries and teaching them codes of behavior that are consistent with societal principles? Assuming that parents are providing basic necessities: food, clothing and shelter—why aren’t they investing in the importance of education? If parents aren’t sure how this thing called parenting works— is it not practical to seek professional assistance through counseling, workshops or religious guidance?
Why are doctors swift to prescribe psychotropic medications (drugs) before suggesting natural methods that could potentially eradicate such disorders as— attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)? Are doctors incapable of recommending behavioral modification plans, and advising that meals be prepared using fresh fruits, vegetables and liquids without harmful dyes that can trigger hyperactivity and loss in concentration?
Why would certified-qualified teachers say that a child born with a brain can’t learn?
What happened to the educator’s brain that makes him or her unable to transmit pedagogical knowledge in a way that would excite a child’s brain into cooperation?
What librarian works with children and never facilitates the joy of reading? Is reading not a prerequisite in the field of library science? Is it hard for them to comprehend that not only are they conduits through which information is filtered, they too are teachers.
When determining placement, how can social workers justify taking shortcuts? And when has it ever been sensible not to monitor a child’s wellbeing? How much does a child have to pay for moral obligations? Have they forgotten about pernicious forces lurking for prey: molesters, pedophiles, rapists and yes, murderers? Protection cannot be negotiated. Just as Antwone Fisher wants to know…Who Will Cry For the Little Boy? Well, the children want to know… who will see about them?
Why would police officers go on a high speed chase with juveniles, causing loss of life for something that could be recovered with insurance? Why target someone based on a dress code? Who asked police officers to be society’s fashionista? Are they not aware of today’s workforce apparel? And why would judges sentence juveniles into a penal system that will further strip away their innocence before seeking justice that values their importance?
Why would newsmakers use media lenses to peddle our children— glorifying street vernacular, sex, drugs, violence and thuggish ways, only to gain ratings—instead of searching for exposure that will magnify the good in children?
Why are we not curious about the academically inclined? Are they not noteworthy of red carpet coverage, the same magnitude of coverage given to that of great athletes like LeBron James and Allen Iverson?
Why would “mature” seasoned adults sit around blathering about how children are running amok and turning the world topsy-turvy? Why passively watch the future of our children slip away? What type of psychological attitude do watchers possess?
If some adults are bent on a laissez-faire attitude towards the woes of our children, then let us look towards their peers as to how they were able to achieve in the midst of their storms. Let us look towards their efforts as possible solutions to problems confronting their generation.
Eighteen year old Cameron Clarke was raised in Mount Airy section of Philadelphia where he attended Germantown Academy. With hard work, discipline, and parental guidance, he was able to score a perfect 2400 on his SATs; one of 360 students who did so nationwide, out of a total of 1.66 million young people who took the exam in 2012. What a prime example of “your discipline will determine your destiny.”
MK Asante, the product of a broken family, grew up on the mean streets of Philadelphia and was left to understand life on his own when his father walked away. Thereafter, his mother became mentally unstable, and his brother was incarcerated. It was not until he had enrolled at an alternative school that he would have an epiphany— discovering purpose and searching for what life could mean for him. Today, he is an award-winning filmmaker, hip-hop artist, and writer.
What remained vital in the lives of these two individuals were the adults needed to guide potentiality into actuality— producing future leaders.
Let us not forget that children do what they do because of what they have experienced, and they are not the problem but the solution.
By Robin R. Muldor
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