culture Book ver final 5 - Flipbook - Page 109
living organisms that can transmit infectious pathogens between humans, or from animals to
humans. This public health strategy can also be used to reduce and potentially eliminate social
epidemic problems. A major vector contributing to the rampant elephant in the room problems is
illiteracy; more specifically, not reading at grade-level.
Two major vectors that contribute to the school to prison pipeline are:
1. Lack of factual A A local and state history
and culture knowledge
2. Illiteracy – Inability to read at grade level
The lack of knowledge of local history and
culture perpetuates normalized spurious
self-identity, and the idolization of flawed
community mentors (thugs), The lack of
knowledge of local iconic historic leaders
results in no positive mental mentors for
children living in dysfunctional families and
neighborhoods. Illiteracy makes individuals
unemployable. Virtually every adult middle
income job requires reading at 12th grade
level. Adults who read at 12th grade level,
positive self-esteem, and a purpose for life
are job ready and can pass tests to be trained
and employed. These individuals can obtain
middle class jobs, become tax paying
contributing citizens, and afford decent
housing. This is the upstream solution to
community blight.
The solution strategies to eliminating the
epidemic problems plaguing the Macon Middle Georgia Community are:
1. Use engaging activities to teach local and state African American history
2. Use culturally relevant engaging activities and lesson plans to teach reading at grade level
state proficiency exam skill set
Sociologists know that adult prison inmates don’t read at 12th grade level. Juvenile justice
system students do not read at the appropriate grade-level. Most of the public-school behavioral
bullies don’t read at grade-level. Furthermore, there is considerable data that indicates that
recidivism rates go down for juvenile and adult offenders that learn to read at grade level. Most
of the youth committing violent crimes don’t read at grade level. The positive attribute that is
absent in individuals committing aberrant behavior is reading at grade level.
Every state and local board of education has over time, developed and implemented education
strategic plans. The overarching, but many times forgotten goal of these often-convoluted plans
is to motivate children to want to learn. If students don’t become inspired to develop intrinsic
motivation to learn; the public school, especially those public schools with over 70 percent
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