An anecdote…
I’m reminded of Coates discussing the ass whippings he took and the harsh attitude of his parents towards him because THAT was the only way they knew of to keep him motivated, in school, and off the streets. I think about all of the folks I’ve met over the years that had no active parents (especially no father) and maybe just a grandma keeping them fed.
My friend and across the street neighbor is a black man (a building contractor) and he and I discuss the shit he does (including yelling I don’t approve of at times) to keep his kids focused on school and not just fucking off. He explicitly cites the junkies that live in our neighborhood (who are our age and whom he’s known since they were all 20) to his kids, “You want to wind up like those fuckers!!! Listen to me!!!”
That’s what black parents often need to do in order to overcome even basic societal issues to get their kids to stay in school.
