There are a huge number of people who do not have suitable male, or any, role models to guide them throughout their life, and teach them right from wrong. Having a suitable role model influences who teens hang out with, what kind of life they will lead, and more. Not having one can lead to negative effects and negative outcomes. When asked my question. How does the lack of a male role model or great one, affect a teenager’s social and educational behavior inside and outside of school? I answer we can do more to help.
When young teenagers are exposed to greater violence and crime, than others it becomes natural and part of everyday life. Teens are put under the influence by friends to do the wrong thing and without a role model they do not know better. “Violence and crime was high, and stabbings, muggings, and shootings were common,” (Davis, Hunt, Jenkins, Page; 8). An increase in violence and responsibility to keep kids safe leads to fathers giving up and abandoning their families. This has led to few male role models to teach what was right and wrong. “But we knew the truth; my stepfather had packed his stuff and left,” (Davis, Hunt, Jenkins, Page; 8).With a sudden loss of breadwinner the mothers have to raise their children alone. With the high income gone, many problems are formed, such as shortages of food, clothes, and other rudimentary needs. “I couldn’t do much but worry. There were days when we woke up with not enough food in the house to make a decent meal, and no money to buy more,” (Davis, Hunt, Jenkins, Page; 21). Without money these teenagers end up turning to the streets for aid by selling drugs, stolen cares, and other items. Some even take drugs to find comfort of those many dying around them. “She was fu...
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...rouble and off the streets,”(Black youth must stay in school; 1). Having a good education and staying in school is great for teens to find great role models to help them in their everyday life. These are similar to other families who have also taken in to mentor them. “It’s nice I’ve never had one before. – what a room to yourself.-A bed.”(Hancock; 9). This proves the difficulties young teen in poorer area with no role model came to live in.
To conclude, many young youth still do not have decent role models to help teach them basic lesson to lead a normal everyday life. Many people and programs have proven to be successful in teaching teens on what is right and wrong, and that school is satisfactory, and it is important to get a gratifying education. Together we can encourage young teens without role models to do the right thing and to stand up and help others.
Perhaps more importantly, the average black teenager is raised within a single parented home, typically with their father being absent. Not only does the absence of father’s affect the home financially, but also emotionally and socially destruct the family. Although most single mothers do a great job in raising their kids, 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes. For children who live only with a mother, a male teacher may be the only positive male role model in their lives. Most black teens attend urbanized schools in the city or in low budgeted areas. In most cases, these schools does not always function at it’s full potential, due to the high number of students. The average high school graduation rate in the nation’s 50 largest cities was 53 percent, compared with 71 percent in...
... experience crime and other dangers that are going on in the United States even in school. With high school presenting these dangers, teenagers are exposed to more and more crime every day. Since crime rate is rising almost every day, society is failing.
These crime-ridden communities (or ghettos) are springing up all through the country, mainly in and around major metropolitan areas. These areas are the most populated, so that means that within these areas are the most people there to be influenced by the crimes committed by fellow people. In Male's reading he shows statistics that prove the fact that once the poverty factor is taken away then teen violence disappears. He later adds, “That if America wants to rid of juvenile violence than serious consideration needs to be given to the societally inflicted violence of raising three to 10 times more youth in poverty than other Western nations.” (Males p386)
Adversity is commonplace for black youth in the inner city. In Patterson’s The Cultural Matrix, there are a plethora of examples that express these various facets of hardship and differentiate the institutional blockades from the cultural obstacles.
Steinberg, Laurence. "Youth Violence: Do Parents and Families Make a Difference?." National Institute of Justice Journal 243 (2000): 31-38.
... are on the streets, they are planning a crime or looking to "gang-bang." The majority of people are aware that every teenager who is seeking independence feels a strong sense of adult ambivalence. Therefore, many of these teens see any intervention by the police as harassment and excessive. The reality is that these young men have been forced to "raise" themselves as many have no fathers and their mother forced to work two minimum wage jobs just to feed and provide clothing for them. Without appropriate role models, they seek the advice and support of friends. This may lead them to participate in risk taking behavior but often just places them in "the wrong place at the wrong time." Many of these young men also carry weapons because their inner-city neighborhoods are full with gangs and drug dealers. And “it’s better to become a member than to get shot by one”.
...g of the struggle of poverty and subsequent educational barriers. Though extremely grateful for all of the privilege in my life, it was difficult to realize my fortune until working with the teens at RYP who often do not have two parents, have limited adult influences, and live below the poverty line, making education an afterthought. From the perspective of a tutor and mentor, the educational support that the teens require is unquestionable, just like the injustices they face daily. Through service, not only does one gain perspective into the needs of the local community, but also insight into systemic issues of racism, poverty, crime, education and more. By participating in service and trying to counteract the sources of need for others, one will undoubtedly change their perspective of the framework question, knowing that the very least one should help others.
This article was interesting to read. This article makes me think about all of my siblings who I have seen grown up around me and I can relate the article to their life. One adolescent that comes in mind is someone who would have parents that would try to get involve in school work and other activities. The only problem was that the school climate and the friends that surrounded this adolescent didn’t help at all. This led to a lot of conduct problems like running away from home, smoking, and coming home after
Just about anybody can be a good role model. One may ask what a good role model is, and how a good role model dif...
Meanwhile, as the pressure of schools losing their students due to dropout, it is important that the inner city students have the support they need in school or at home, because many years of oppression have kept African-Americans from having the will to do better. Now young African-Americans have that same oppressed feeling in the schools that they are attending. When the students give up it seems as though everyone around them wants to give up. In fact, “In many parts of the country, the problems present withi...
For every 12 homicides committed in the United States 1 of them involves a juvenile offender (Howard N. Snyder, Juvenile Offenders and Victims, 2006). Although most American don’t realize it, juvenile homicide is a problem in the United States that needs to be fixed. Even though statistics show that the homicide rate done by juveniles is at its lowest rate since the early 1980’s it is still a problem. Juvenile homicide has lowered in the recent years, but the fact that it still happens is chilling to most Americans. Most Americans believe that juveniles who show early signs of deviant acts are not a big deal, however if we try and help those juveniles, we can possibly stop them from committing homicidal acts when they get older. In fact the social learning theory, general strain theory, and social control theory point to the idea that juvenile homicide can be prevented.
There are about 3.5 million people in America alone that are homeless; half of these people are children between the ages of 10-17. Neglect, Physical, and Sexual abuse are some reasons most teens are on the streets. 20% of children every year are experiencing physical and emotional neglect by their parents, families, and best friends. They feel as if their not appreciated, wanted, or even loved. Most teens feel like they would be better without their parents and decide to run away. The crime rates are outrageous on the street! As a result, 5000 teens die every year due to high risk anxiety, depressions, post traumatic stress, and disorders. The growth of homelessness was increasing 8.5% per month each year. Causing the Government to loose over 4 million dollars. Lots of teens are often beaten and raped everyday. The majority are female. 96% of females on the streets are often fatherless and easily taken advantage of by older and younger men. Because they are fatherless, they don’t know how to be treated, and allow men to beat and have unconsensual sex with them. For awhile these teen girls feel like these men are doing this out of love and care, until the beatings and forced relations get WORSE! When these teens find a way to escape from their abusive relationships, they find themselves on the street selling their bodies for survival. Studies show that 3 out of 4 female teens under the age of 15 are forced into prostitution while living on the streets. These teens deal with the risk of kidnapping, Aids and STDs. According to the justice system of missing persons, 1 out of 4 teens are abducted everyday trying to steal, trespass, and sell their bodies. Living on the streets and catching viruses and Aids is commonly fo...
America is a very self-fulfilling economy and class matters after all in this so called “American Dream.” When did teenagers become any different. Last time I checked we were all equal. John M. Bridgeland in First, Help Today’s Struggling Youth. states that yet every year in America more than one million youth drop out of high school, crippling their chance at the American Dream.” John also states; “Nearly one in six, between the ages of sixteen to twenty four years old, is disconnected from the two structures that offer hope for their future.” These are school and work. This is where we need to promote growth and provide teens with any tools necessary to achieve. We need to be open to any ideas that this generation foresees in the future. John is a strong believer in the Youth Build program. In the third paragraph of First, Help Today’s Struggling Youth., he says that with a track record of success, Youth Build offers a holistic program of education, job training, personal counseling, community service, leadership development, placement in college or jobs, and follow-up support afte...
A harsh and punitive response to youth violence was, in part, brought about by a moral panic across America. Exaggerations by the media and political figures act as instigators of panic. Both the media and politicians promoted the concept of the super-predator youth. The media played its part by publishing or airing many individual stories of violent youth. Those in question represented only a small amount of the adolescent population. However, many Americans took these media-conveyed stories at face value, and it seemed to the public that there could be a juvenile delinquent around every corner just slavering to steal their wallet or sell them narcotics (Howell, 27).
In America, the society runs on what teenagers want. From Nicki Minaj to the junior section at Sears, most of what the people see, hear, or touch is aimed at the teenagers. Being an adolescent is probably the most exciting and most popular time period in a person’s life. The teens seem to have it all, but what about the parents who raise them? The parents of the teenagers never get any credit during this time period, although they have every right to. Parents and teenagers should strive for a strong, lasting relationship for these years, though most times there isn’t one. The relationship between teenagers and parents is the most vital bond in the family because this relationship should and will prepare them for the next step in life.