Kill Them Before They Grow: The Misdiagnosis of African American Boys in America's Classrooms

Rating:
Summary: Unpleasant Truths
Review: After working more than seven years as a child and family counselor, and, later, five years as an Emotional Behavior Disorders Teacher in a public middle school, I reached certain startling conclusions: A diabolical marriage has taken place between America's educational system and pharmaceutical companies. Schools are rapidly becoming laboratories for the dispensing of psychostimulants and the students are the guinea pigs of choice. And, as always, African Americans and the poor comprise the greatest number of victims. Further complicating matters is the zero value placed on African American boys. African American and Latino boys are the most feared and despised student populations in America. This ugly reality leads to the parents of these boys being conned ( Chap. 2 The Conning of African American Parents) by school employees into targeting, testing, labeling, and medicating their children. Avenues and methods other than labeling and medicating are very seldom sought or employed. The toxic effects of a Eurocentric curriculum on nonwhite minds is ignored by educational professionals, medical professionals, and politicians (Chap. 6 A Curriculum of Genocide). Also, there is much apprehension in examining the relationship between African American boys and White female teachers (Chap. 5). Kill Them Before They Grow takes a hard look at how educational policies (Chap. 1 Public Law 94-142 and the Creation of Black Monsters) can be misused; and how misuse can spiral out of control. Child-victims cannot speak for themselves. African American boys, more than any other child, need caring adults to expose and discuss an ugly reality that, in one way or another, effects everyone.

Rating:
Summary: A book for the "Million Youth March"
Review: Michael Porter supports the Republican program for school vouchers! Well... uh... not really. But that appears to be the logical conclusion based upon his fiery rhetoric. Kill Them Before They Grow is a racist call-to-arms for African American mothers to protect their children (primarily boys) from the White Supremacist educational system. "Whites have never wanted Africans in classes with them or their children. White Americans never intended for Africans to be in any kind of class except the slave class, despite our victories in court." "White America cannot afford to have educated African men in their midst." And that was all from one paragraph. The seeds upon which Porter grows his argument, sadly, have the ring of truth, but the twisted tree he creates seems no better than the disease. His solution is to create exclusive African American schools run by African Americans and paid for by African American church donations. Separate but equal (hmmm). Maybe I'm missing something, but such schools would necessarily be private and the church donations would effectively be a voluntary tax. People would be paying double. Appears to me that Porter should be all for school vouchers. Anyway, for a much better book that describes the quiet but devastating tragedy that occurs everyday in the lives of African Americans, I recommend Living With Racism: The Black Middle-Class Experience by Joe R. Feagin and Melvin P. Sikes. However, if you need to get fired up for the Million Youth March, pick up Porter's book.

Rating:
Summary: Powerfully Enlightning!
Review: Where do I begin......this book has been extremely informative. Specifically in regards to the "public" school system. I am a 31 year old single parent of an 11 year old boy. Recently I have been dealing with various issues within the public school system. It alarms me to know that the experiments to "distruction" of our black children still goes on. Moreso, how we continue to allow are children to be "test cases". We can no longer turn a "blinds eye" to our African American children (specifically boys) any longer. This book has encouraged me to continue to be a "visible" advocate for my son as well as other African American boys. It has compelled me to become more pro-active in my childs education. It is imperative that we as African Americans put an end to this "Progressive Genocide" in the school system. We can no longer afford to be complacent! I pray that you recieve the message this book has to offer. It is time we "Rose" to the occassion!

Rating:
Summary: Powerfully Enlightning!
Review: Where do I begin......this book has been extremely informative. Specifically in regards to the "public" school system. I am a 31 year old single parent of an 11 year old boy. Recently I have been dealing with various issues within the public school system. It alarms me to know that the experiments to "distruction" of our black children still goes on. Moreso, how we continue to allow are children to be "test cases". We can no longer turn a "blinds eye" to our African American children (specifically boys) any longer. This book has encouraged me to continue to be a "visible" advocate for my son as well as other African American boys. It has compelled me to become more pro-active in my childs education. It is imperative that we as African Americans put an end to this "Progressive Genocide" in the school system. We can no longer afford to be complacent! I pray that you recieve the message this book has to offer. It is time we "Rose" to the occassion!