PLATFORM : Give Them a Push

We need more parents participating and knowing what their kids are doing in schools. We have to really give the teachers more latitude in disciplining children, be it pay or some kind of incentives to get teachers to spend more time. The employer maybe can pay to have the parent (go) to the classroom for an hour, depending on the grade level.

I’ve very rarely had to kick anyone out of class. They want to learn about drugs and gangs and how these things can hurt them because they wanted to stay in school.

The bottom line is they do want to stay (in school). But many times they’re embarrassed because they can’t read, because maybe teachers didn’t spend the time with them.

If you give them something like sports or a club in school that can divert from, say, a bad home life or a lousy parent and you get them interested in something that they can do, they’ll pursue it. Unfortunately, it’s easier to be in a gang. You don’t have to be an A student.