Speak Out!

I agree with Bill Cosby 1000%, because working in the public school system I see first hand what he is talking about over and over again. I wonder if the people who disagree with Cosby has even read the book. The book does not degrade black people. It is a book that states problems that truly do exist in our communities, and then gives some very good solutions to help fix those problems. I think that this book can go hand in hand with the Covenant because they both aim to challenge us as black Americans to stop being a victim all the time and to start taking control of our own destinies.

Working in predominantly black schools with lower income black folk, I see kids come to school and get straight F's. I try to contact parents and either they change their number, they don't return my calls, or they have blocked the school's number out so that no one will call them. When Cosby made his original comments, I was so happy that somebody finally acknowledged it. People were complaining that he said it in front of white people. So what? These kids come to school and clown in front of white teachers every day and think nothing of it, and then the parents come up and shout out even worse than the kid.

He did not say anything that was not true. Now this does not apply to all poor black people, and I never got the impression that Cosby meant all poor black people, but I'm telling too many of us in our community don't have our priorities straight. I do a huge black history project every year, and I send letters home to the parents asking them to take their kids to the library to do research outside of school. Every single year for the past 7 years I have had the majority of my kids tell me that they can't get to the library. They get everywhere else they want to go (the mall, the skating rink, the teenage clubs, etc), but when it comes to doing something like going to the library 10 minutes from their homes they can't do that.

Someone commented that there should be community centers in the every neighborhood. In many instances there are community centers in the neighborhoods, but most of the time these kids only go to them to cause problems. The kids who do try to benefit get discouraged because the trouble makers are always there. Every year when we do parent teacher conferences, the only parents that we see are the kids who are doing exceptionally well. The parents whose child is failing never show up, and when there is about two weeks left in the school year they will call asking for extra credit for their child. Why should I give a child extra credit, when he/she chooses not to do the work that he/she was required to do in the beginning? What kind of sense does that make? I stay after school and offer to help my students who may be struggling, but the ones that need to stay the most choose not to because they have it made up in their minds that it is not cool to be smart.

Then there are the kids who are always in trouble. Either they are fighting every chance they get, cursing a teacher out, skipping class, out bullying another student. These are the students who have multiple 10 day suspensions throughout the course of a school year and every time that come back from a suspension, they are wearing a new pair of $150 tennis shoes, or they are bragging about the new video game system that they got when they were out. What have they learned? Not the right lesson that's for sure.

So for all of the people who are upset with Bill Cosby for the book I understand what you are saying, but I'm telling you he is not the one we should be getting mad at. Bill Cosby is a product of the projects and literally worked his way through school the hard way and has given back to education and has contributed to the community in many ways. As someone who started out poor, and worked his way through the school the way he has, I believe that he has every right to say what he said and then some.

There are many smart young black children, and unfortunately they often get overlooked because so much attention is given to the ones who cause trouble. It's funny I have a couple of boys who get straight A's undercover. What I mean by that, is that they will act a total fool in school, but they secretly turn in their school work and do well on their tests. I say secretly because they do it in a way that their buddies won't know it. They don't want to be considered smart because they know that they will be criticized by the boys that they hang out with. This is truly ridiculous to me, yet it is a reality in many schools across the nation.

So as an African American teacher of African American kids, I am asking you all to give Bill Cosby a break. He is only telling the truth; but along with that he also gives some very powerful solutions. It is time for us as an entire community to begin to move from "victims to victors."

Monica Diggs, St. Louis, Mo.

"The boy's name Ennis \e(n)-nis\ is of Celtic origin, and its meaning is "one choice". Variant of the Scottish Gaelic name Angus."

http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/1/Ennis

I too disagree with Dr. Cosby and Dr. Poussaint. If you have never went to these communities and offered support financially then please be quiet as kept. They are giving fuel to those who have a disdain for Blacks. Those comments from both gentlemen puts negativity on all Blacks. We are viewed as a unit by society so the methodology is if one Black is on welfare, baby making, don't have any skills,etc. all Blacks are like that. Are we the only race that make negative declarations about one another?

I am getting so tired of it!!! When are we going to be able to live in peace with one another?

They are adding added pressures hard working Blacks are facing. Every time an article in the mainstream media in my area talks about crimes we commit references are made from their books and speeches.

I disagree with Bill Cosby and Dr. Poussaint's approach with this book. In the wise words of Frederick Douglas.."You degrade us and yet want to know why we are so degrading"....

If these two elders spent more time speaking positive words of wisdom to our young mothers, young fathers and their children and investing more of their money in a way that directly has a positive affect on this segment of the population then we would reap more positive results vs. the negative finger pointing. Because with all due respect...Bill Cosby lost me with his original comments regarding the black names many of us choose for our children when surely he's like the pot calling the kettle black when he and his wife named their own beloved son, Ennis.

Now come on Bill!

Continued blessings.