I'm "African American"

[Peikko 1,575]

It's wrong to assume that everyone in the ghettos wants to advance and is simply not given the chance. When have not advanced an inch in forty years, when receiving more aid than any other demographic or race, what else needs to be done?

You cannot force anyone to do progressing when they are clearly not interested in doing. all of the resources are there for them, including more funding per student than those in wealthy counties. Ghetto is now a culture. Furthermore, a way of life which is simply not interested in progressing or becoming functional members of society. As I said the other day, it's why even the convenience stores in ghetto areas are owned and operated by foreigners coming from third world countries. Maybe slavery and segregation is also to blame for the total destruction of their areas and the 100 fold crime rates within these ghettos.

Bingo!

That does seem to be your attitude, that black people are dumb and lazy.

[SMOKE 1,426]

Actually, there are lots of programs that target inner city kids, regardless of race.

Without affirmative action minorities are generally underrepresented even at universities with need-blind admissions policies

can you give one example of a program for white kids? not all living in a particular place or from a particular economic backround, one for white kids.

[Amby 490]

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Once again, spoken like a person with no Black friends, nor Black family, nor Black acquaintances.

I dunno Tahoma...Bunny lives in the south. I didn't think discrimination was bad until I visited LA & southern MS.

[Jenn! 918]

can you give one example of a program for white kids? not all living in a particular place or from a particular economic backround, one for white kids.

No, I don't think there is one. "White" is not an underrepresented group. "Black" is. "Poor" is. "Urban" is. "White" is not.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I went to college on 100% financial aid(free), and I am a white gal. My family didn't make much $ so I qualified. It's open to anyone who qualifies. Stop whining, whities. You can go to college for free too if you are poor.

I think that many of them complaining have no idea what scholarships are out there, that are available to people for all kinds of reasons.

[I'm Gone 60]

I think what Mike is trying to say is that how come someone can't be disadvantage for being White? Theoretically, it is possible but the conditions and circumstances would have to demonstrate that.

We need more white NBA players. LOL

[SMOKE 1,426]

No, I don't think there is one. "White" is not an underrepresented group. "Black" is. "Poor" is. "Urban" is. "White" is not.

it is when you're taking government aid programs & quotas.

Edited February 8, 2010 by SMOKE

[Ali G. 37]

That does seem to be your attitude, that black people are dumb and lazy.

Fail! I said a hell of a lot of folk in ghettos are clearly not interest in progressing. If you cannot succeed in forty years, then when will you succeed? Furthermore, how does one succeed or progress hanging out in street corners? Fact, as in not opinion, students in ghettos receive a hell of a lot more funding per student than those in rich areas. So don't even pretend that they do not have the opportunity or resources allocated to them to progress.

Though, I do like this group them all together tactic that's once again deployed.

Edit: There are millions who have migrated to the US with nothing, yet have achieved more in 10 years than those who have been here a lifetime. I am not talking about wealth but about becoming functional members of our society.

Edited February 8, 2010 by Booyah

[Amby 490]

Christina - did you receive Pell Grants, scholarships, or a combo?

I think that many of them complaining have no idea what scholarships are out there, that are available to people for all kinds of reasons.

My friend works in the financial aid dept at my uni as part of her work study. There are soooooooooooooo many scholarships. She sees them all when the info comes in so she applies for all the ones she is a candidate for. Last semester she ended up getting quite a bit more than her tuition, so it was able to cover all her living expenses as well.

[Peikko 1,575]

Fail! I said a hell of a lot of folk in ghettos are clearly not interest in progressing. If you cannot succeed in forty years, then when will you succeed. Furthermore, how does one succeed or progress hanging out in street corners? Having their second child by 21. Fact, as in not opinion, students in ghettos receive a hell of a lot more funding per student than those in rich areas. So don't even pretend that they do not have the opportunity or resources allocated to them to progress.

Though, I do like this group them all together tactic that's once again deployed.

Sorry BY, but that's the same thing. I do not know what the answers are, but clearly there is a problem. No one 'wants' to live their life just hanging out on street corners - although I am not quite sure what is so wrong with having 2 kids by 21.

Resources that are poorly targeted get poor results. As I already said, I think these programs need a rethink because obviously in some areas the problems are still as great as they always were they are just expressing themselves in different ways.

[Jenn! 918]

it is when you're taking government aid programs & quotas.

You can't balance a scale by adding an equal amount to both sides.

[_Simpson_ 250]

No, I didn't miss the point. It's empirically correct that Black people are under represented in many of the successful spheres of American life and totally over represented in prisons and inner city ghettos. There are only two ways to explain that. The first is that there are blocks in the path of them achieving this type of success or second that Black people simply are not capable.

Affirmative action was set up to address these imbalances on the assumption that the first was the problem. It's not a perfect way to achieve the desired result, which obviously is genuine equality for all, but something needed to be done and has been done. Unfortunately, this has not been universally successfula nd it probably does need to be rethought. Obviously progress has been made but as I said, unless you believe that black people are simply incapable of achieving the same results as white people, then there are still some road blocks in the way.

There are other people in society that have walls to climb but are not as qualified in the eyes of affirmative action. The biggest problem with affirmative action is that it decides according to color or race. Its fair to say that if color or race wasn't the criteria that because of our history towards blacks that there would still be a disproportionate amount of blacks receiving the help they need.

[SMOKE 1,426]

You can't balance a scale by adding an equal amount to both sides.

thats the point. 'the scale' is unfairly balanced to benefit people based on the color of their skin.

[Amby 490]

Federal Pell Grant Program...I think this is what Christina is talking about

The Federal Pell Grant Program provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduate and certain postbaccalaureate students to promote access to postsecondary education. Students may use their grants at any one of approximately 5,400 participating postsecondary institutions. Grant amounts are dependent on: the student's expected family contribution (EFC) (see below); the cost of attendance (as determined by the institution); the student's enrollment status (full-time or part-time); and whether the student attends for a full academic year or less.

Students may not receive Federal Pell Grant funds from more than one school at a time.

Financial need is determined by the U.S. Department of Education using a standard formula, established by Congress, to evaluate the financial information reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and to determine the family EFC. The fundamental elements in this standard formula are the student's income (and assets if the student is independent), the parents' income and assets (if the student is dependent), the family's household size, and the number of family members (excluding parents) attending postsecondary institutions. The EFC is the sum of: (1) a percentage of net income (remaining income after subtracting allowances for basic living expenses and taxes) and (2) a percentage of net assets (assets remaining after subtracting an asset protection allowance). Different assessment rates and allowances are used for dependent students, independent students without dependents, and independent students with dependents. After filing a FAFSA, the student receives a Student Aid Report (SAR), or the institution receives an Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR), which notifies the student if he or she is eligible for a Federal Pell Grant and provides the student's EFC.

FSA Handbook Federal Pell Grant Program

Federal Pell Grants are direct grants awarded through participating institutions to students with financial need who have not received their first bachelor's degree or who are enrolled in certain postbaccalaureate programs that lead to teacher certification or licensure. Participating institutions either credit the Federal Pell Grant funds to the student's school account, pay the student directly (usually by check) or combine these methods. Students must be paid at least once per term (semester, trimester, or quarter); schools that do not use formally defined terms must pay the student at least twice per academic year.

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/fpg/index.html

[one...two...tree 2,762]

You can't balance a scale by adding an equal amount to both sides.