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Success for a Chicago school in a poor neighbourhood | Success for a Chicago school in a poor neighbourhood |
(21 days later) | |
Article written by Mark Mardell North America editor | |
The young men, smart in their uniform of khaki trousers, dark blazer and red ties, are hurrying to their next class. Teachers here hope they are leading a charge, out of the ghetto and into good jobs. | The young men, smart in their uniform of khaki trousers, dark blazer and red ties, are hurrying to their next class. Teachers here hope they are leading a charge, out of the ghetto and into good jobs. |
This is Urban Prep, a charter school in inner-city Chicago, which revels in its nickname: "Hogwarts in the Hood". It's deliberately modelled on an English public school. | This is Urban Prep, a charter school in inner-city Chicago, which revels in its nickname: "Hogwarts in the Hood". It's deliberately modelled on an English public school. |
This oasis of learning is in blighted Englewood, one of Chicago's toughest and poorest areas. | This oasis of learning is in blighted Englewood, one of Chicago's toughest and poorest areas. |
All the pupils are boys, and all are black. | All the pupils are boys, and all are black. |
At a time when black unemployment in the states is higher than it has been for 27 years, the area could do with a success story. | At a time when black unemployment in the states is higher than it has been for 27 years, the area could do with a success story. |
The most recent figures, out yesterday, show black unemployment at 16%, twice the white rate. | The most recent figures, out yesterday, show black unemployment at 16%, twice the white rate. |
Successful cliches | Successful cliches |
Some of the problems in this area are of long standing: crime, family break-down and drugs. | Some of the problems in this area are of long standing: crime, family break-down and drugs. |
If these are cliches, so is this solution. It has often been said that one of the keys to breaking the cycle of African-American poverty is education. | If these are cliches, so is this solution. It has often been said that one of the keys to breaking the cycle of African-American poverty is education. |
Like many cliches it is true. | Like many cliches it is true. |
"We've been incredibly successful," the founder and president of Urban Prep, Tim King, tells me. "All our students are African-American, about 85% are low income and 100% of our classes have gone on to college." | "We've been incredibly successful," the founder and president of Urban Prep, Tim King, tells me. "All our students are African-American, about 85% are low income and 100% of our classes have gone on to college." |
In 2010 and 2011, 100% of students who graduated from Urban Prep were accepted to college. | In 2010 and 2011, 100% of students who graduated from Urban Prep were accepted to college. |
"It's extraordinary when you think about it because the number of African-Americans who go on to college in our country, the numbers are really low." | "It's extraordinary when you think about it because the number of African-Americans who go on to college in our country, the numbers are really low." |
Another cliche is that the only way out for some kids is to become a rapper or a sports star. | Another cliche is that the only way out for some kids is to become a rapper or a sports star. |
Mr King says he wants to create role models who are engineers and scientists. Even getting a college degree makes a big difference. | Mr King says he wants to create role models who are engineers and scientists. Even getting a college degree makes a big difference. |
"Education is key. It can become trite when you hear it, but it is really true," he says. | "Education is key. It can become trite when you hear it, but it is really true," he says. |
"Look at the numbers. Someone with a college degree is only going to suffer unemployment at 5%, while someone who is a high-school dropout is three times that much." | "Look at the numbers. Someone with a college degree is only going to suffer unemployment at 5%, while someone who is a high-school dropout is three times that much." |
He thinks the school can have cross-generational impacts. | He thinks the school can have cross-generational impacts. |
"It's a ripple effect. We think if we change one life, we will change their family's life, and their family's life will change their community. | "It's a ripple effect. We think if we change one life, we will change their family's life, and their family's life will change their community. |
"Our [students] here, their families value education, but [they] have not gone to college. But you know what? Their future families will go to college." | "Our [students] here, their families value education, but [they] have not gone to college. But you know what? Their future families will go to college." |
Public sector pain | Public sector pain |
It was rather a relief visiting Urban Prep, to hear optimism and hope. | It was rather a relief visiting Urban Prep, to hear optimism and hope. |
Because my visit to Chicago led me on the whole to the rather depressing conclusion: that in these hard times there are few ways out of a downward spiral. | Because my visit to Chicago led me on the whole to the rather depressing conclusion: that in these hard times there are few ways out of a downward spiral. |
I visited the job centre that Michael Rivers, whose story I told on Thursday, has been going to every week for four years. | I visited the job centre that Michael Rivers, whose story I told on Thursday, has been going to every week for four years. |
The director of the centre, Andre Kellum, sets out clearly why he believes the black unemployment rate is the worst it has been for nearly 30 years. | The director of the centre, Andre Kellum, sets out clearly why he believes the black unemployment rate is the worst it has been for nearly 30 years. |
First there are the long-term factors. | First there are the long-term factors. |
For obvious historical reasons, from slavery to segregation, black men traditionally got manual jobs at the bottom of the pile, jobs that needed no education. | For obvious historical reasons, from slavery to segregation, black men traditionally got manual jobs at the bottom of the pile, jobs that needed no education. |
Many of those jobs have now disappeared. He says those that remain need qualifications. | Many of those jobs have now disappeared. He says those that remain need qualifications. |
"Individuals who used to go to work as a janitor didn't used to have a high school diploma." | "Individuals who used to go to work as a janitor didn't used to have a high school diploma." |
Now being a janitor requires that diploma. | Now being a janitor requires that diploma. |
"Just to push a bucket in a building because of legislations and laws," Mr Kellum says. | "Just to push a bucket in a building because of legislations and laws," Mr Kellum says. |
"If you are mopping a floor, you have to know how to measure those chemicals. If you do that the wrong way, you could put someone in the hospital." | "If you are mopping a floor, you have to know how to measure those chemicals. If you do that the wrong way, you could put someone in the hospital." |
"By not having those skill sets, not having to have them in the past, impacts the community." | "By not having those skill sets, not having to have them in the past, impacts the community." |
But perhaps the biggest impact is something that is still going on. Something that there is great enthusiasm for in Washington. | But perhaps the biggest impact is something that is still going on. Something that there is great enthusiasm for in Washington. |
Deeper, sharper cuts in government spending, at state and federal levels. | Deeper, sharper cuts in government spending, at state and federal levels. |
A higher proportion of African-Americans work for the public sector (20.9%, compared to 4.1% for whites). | A higher proportion of African-Americans work for the public sector (20.9%, compared to 4.1% for whites). |
Friday's figures show more than 65,000 such jobs were lost last month. | Friday's figures show more than 65,000 such jobs were lost last month. |
"When the government starts cutting back guess who becomes unemployed?" Mr Kellum said. | "When the government starts cutting back guess who becomes unemployed?" Mr Kellum said. |
"A lot of African-Americans who fill positions like administering the benefits, the clerks, people who answer the phones, the traffic-ticket agents, the individuals who were the guest greeters, those were the sort of positions African-Americans had." | "A lot of African-Americans who fill positions like administering the benefits, the clerks, people who answer the phones, the traffic-ticket agents, the individuals who were the guest greeters, those were the sort of positions African-Americans had." |
'The president is not God' | 'The president is not God' |
Robert Blackwell believes more enterprise is the answer. | Robert Blackwell believes more enterprise is the answer. |
He's part of President Obama's set, a good friend and a fundraiser. | He's part of President Obama's set, a good friend and a fundraiser. |
Indeed, he once employed Mr Obama. Although he's the same age as the president, with the same cool good looks, he could be Mr Obama's younger brother. | Indeed, he once employed Mr Obama. Although he's the same age as the president, with the same cool good looks, he could be Mr Obama's younger brother. |
He is one of Chicago's wealthy black professionals, who made his money out of a ping pong business before branching out into management consultancy. | He is one of Chicago's wealthy black professionals, who made his money out of a ping pong business before branching out into management consultancy. |
He says the public sector cuts have hit hard. | He says the public sector cuts have hit hard. |
"There's no business that can absorb that community. Black companies are pretty small and neither government nor large corporations have a very good track record frankly doing business with blacks." | "There's no business that can absorb that community. Black companies are pretty small and neither government nor large corporations have a very good track record frankly doing business with blacks." |
"Therefore, there's nowhere for these people to go who come off the public sector roles." | "Therefore, there's nowhere for these people to go who come off the public sector roles." |
But Mr Blackwell says the challenge is really one of entrepreneurship. | But Mr Blackwell says the challenge is really one of entrepreneurship. |
"If blacks were to participate in proportion to their skill and population, we would have a lot more dollars in our community," he says. | "If blacks were to participate in proportion to their skill and population, we would have a lot more dollars in our community," he says. |
"We could hire people, we could take more risk. There'd be social capital. I think entrepreneurship is really the only way out. " | "We could hire people, we could take more risk. There'd be social capital. I think entrepreneurship is really the only way out. " |
While he has raised money for Mr Obama, he doesn't seem like a fan of the president's policies. | While he has raised money for Mr Obama, he doesn't seem like a fan of the president's policies. |
He says he's a libertarian: he doesn't think the government can create jobs and wants less red tape. | He says he's a libertarian: he doesn't think the government can create jobs and wants less red tape. |
But he doesn't blame the president. | But he doesn't blame the president. |
"Barack didn't start this. I mean the economy was not in good shape when he came in," Mr Blackwell says. | "Barack didn't start this. I mean the economy was not in good shape when he came in," Mr Blackwell says. |
"The other thing I think is the president is not God, which means he can't control everything. If you believe in free enterprise, which I do, he has a limited role." | "The other thing I think is the president is not God, which means he can't control everything. If you believe in free enterprise, which I do, he has a limited role." |
"So he doesn't create jobs, it's the private sector that creates jobs." | "So he doesn't create jobs, it's the private sector that creates jobs." |
Few here do blame the president. | Few here do blame the president. |
If they express a political view, it is that Congress is blocking Mr Obama's policies: exactly the line the White House is pushing at the moment. | If they express a political view, it is that Congress is blocking Mr Obama's policies: exactly the line the White House is pushing at the moment. |
But it remains a depressing fact that under the first black president, black people's economic prospects have only got worse. | But it remains a depressing fact that under the first black president, black people's economic prospects have only got worse. |
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