Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Are D.C. and Atlanta "Blacktopias"?

I live in a town that is roughly 50% Black.
Of these Blacks - only 6.8% have at least an Associates Degree, and I'm sure the percentage with a Bachelors is much lower.
But even with only an AA, it is possible to earn over 100k yr. in one of our country's cheapest (cost of living) markets.

Cities With The Highest Percentage of Blacks With At Least A Bachelors Degree
(Sources; Census Bureau & Infoplease)
Washington D.C. - 29.5 (4th most literate American City, *9th Blackest City)
Atlanta, Georgia - 25.4 (3rd most literate, *7th Blackest City)
Phoenix, Arizona - 23.6 (59th most literate)
Boston, Massachusetts - 23.0 (11th most literate)
Los Angeles, California - 22.8 (57th most literate)
Seattle, Washington - 22.6 (Most literate)
New York City, NY - 21.8 (42nd most literate)
San Francisco, CA - 21.1 (9th most literate)
Dallas, Texas 21.1 (49th most literate)
Riverside, California - 20.8 - (56th most literate, the only city on this list with a higher percentage of educated Blacks than the the city's overall population (20.8-19.1))

But most Blacks in my town complain that their failure is tied to their Blackness - when in reality, most of their failures are tied to their lack of education, practice and preparation.
This lack of education keeps many Blacks from even being qualified to experience discrimination.
My town funds African American students and schools better than any others.
But the town lacks a City or Junior College.
Why is a J.C. important?
Because in cities that have them, the "dumb" kids go to City College - city colleges do much of the remediation that is needed to augment an often insufficient high school education.

But what do these stats say?
Only that if D.C and Atlanta can fail - what can we expect for most of the rest of the Blacks in America?

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