I applaud Tyree Harris’ attempt to pinpoint the heart of our society’s problem and find a solution for it (“U.S. problems rooted in poverty,” ODE, May 25). Living in south Minneapolis working with the poor for the past three years has shown me that there is never one simple solution. The problem and solution that were submitted by the author are far from central.
Poverty — as asserted by the author — is the primary cause for high incarceration rates, obesity problems and poor education. And the solution for this problem is a concentration on more funding for public schools, especially in urban centers. I would suggest that this solution is only a Band-Aid on a symptom. This article assumes that children and young adults naturally have a desire for personal achievement facilitated by integrity and a strong work ethic. This assumption is wrong. You could place an ineffable iMac, top-notch teachers, and a $300 desk with all its bells and whistles in front of an inner-city child, and still he would be an aspiring dropout. The reason is he has not been nurtured in an environment that values personal achievement, integrity and a strong work ethic.
Yes, you guessed it. One major root of our society’s problems is not funding, but family. Call it what you will: modern, archaic or old-fashioned. Most inner-city children grow up with no stability in the home, no teaching of ethics, no modeling of character. There often is no father, and the mother has to single-handedly bear the burden that two parents normally do. This stress on the institution of the family soaks deep into the heart of the child and permeates the psyche of the child. In turn, this produces many unmotivated, purposeless youth: the future of our nation. So if you want one possible solution, aspire to be a loving parent who teaches and models these virtues, and maybe one day we can live in a country where we build more
public libraries and fewer prisons.
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