...because I've always known a lot of where I am at is because I was born into INTELLECTUAL PRIVILEGE...but I didn't really fully comprehend it until I got to where I'm at.

So peep.

Let's put it at 15 children in the 0-12 range in my immediate vicinity (my building and the ones I can see from my deck).

100% of them speak slang as a primary language in the home.
85-90% of them I've heard verbally berating their children...profane tirades about the smallest things...
80% of those homes are listening to commercial radio and other psychic bullshit that hurts your spirit.

Children walking around in packs....cursing and smoking. Get along great with the corner boys up the block who periodically send them on runs...priming them for their teenaged years.

The adults I see on the regular are either posted by the back alley auto mechanic across the way...begging for change...selling loose cigarettes/oils...or they are servicing customers.

School district boundaries: The elementary and High Schools in my area are rated 1 out of 10 on GreatSchools. The High School is actually in danger of being closed....with both administration and students going thru a hunger strike in protest. The graduation rate last year was 35%. The pregnancy rate was 42%.

The school just rolled out a new MAP test for reading and math. 75% of the results are in. 33% of the students scored average. Less than 1% scored above average.

To get OUT of your district....you've got to get coached up enough to pass entrance exams to the better schools. No one is teaching the community of the game. It took 3 years for me to figure it out.

1st year...Got into the best school in the city but it was 20 miles away....ended up going to a private school for a year.
2nd year....scores weren't high enough to get into the best schools in Math (75th Percentile) even though reading was 90th Percentile....got accepted to the NEIGHBORHOOD Magnet school....soulful as hell. Immediate issues with socialization upon arrival...constant name calling...teacher exasperated...pulled out after the year was over.
3rd year....again didn't score well enough to get into the best schools....but we got lucky and won the lottery for the Magnet school we wanted. Since 1 child got in...I didn't have to do much for the 2nd child other than make sure he was coached up and ready to test.

This from two parents with full command of the English language....relatively stable home lives and a passion for their children. We are the anomaly. And IT TOOK US 3 YEARS AND LUCK TO FIGURE IT OUT!!!!

The best schools in the city that aren't Selective Enrollment (Test based admission)? They are rent controlled. In order to attend...you have to live within a district with a median rent price of 2000-2500/month for a 2 bedroom one bath.

So...no role models...limited resources....no access to education....minimal activities....easy access to intoxicants....

Shorty from my block was having a rough night. I asked her to ride with me to the job just to talk to her and get her mind right.

She had so much anxiety from even GOING downtown.....said people judge her and she can feel it.

"....at least around here...I know what I'm dealing with".

As I said above...it's not that simple

D