Parents key to kids’ success
Your article regarding Henderson-Hopkins School (“Bridging the Divide: Struggles of new East Baltimore school show challenges of integration,” March 22) missed the point. Children raised by parents who are not committed to the hard and unending work of parenting will almost always underperform. While it’s not politically correct to say, it’s true. Articles like this consistently default to “the problem” being something or someone else — the quality of teachers, racial segregation, insufficient resources, politics, socioeconomics and disparate conditions of neighborhoods. These play a role, yes, but far less than common sense reveals. Is The Sun brave enough to address this?
Children thrive in loving, safe and committed family environments. Any preschool teacher readily recognizes children from intact families where love, respect, discipline and scholastic achievement are a priority — in other words, they come ready to learn.
I mentioned intact families because I am a father who witnessed firsthand the trauma my children suffered through a divorce. Contrary to popular belief, divorce rarely benefits the children. Pre-K children can’t disguise their fears or understand why it is better that mommy and daddy aren’t together. Meltdowns, lack of motivation, acting out and being in a “funk” compromise their social and emotional development.
I am now “down by two” in terms of political correctness so I might as well go the rest of the way. Girls and boys need fathers in their lives. Absent dads carry the largest responsibility for dysfunctional families and underperforming kids. A dad’s love and respect for their mom, his discipline, respect for authority, work ethic and moral values contribute enormously to a child’s development and learning. Absent an involved dad, increased fighting, bullying, suspensions and acting out should be no surprise.
Schools, teachers and experts can help, but there will never be sufficient resources, high-caliber teachers, racial balance and expertise to do what a committed mom and dad must do at home.
The Henderson-Hopkins School is proof positive of the central role of families and parenting. It was supplied with the best of everything. It didn’t work and the fingerpointing has begun. It was the economy, inexperienced teachers, poor administration, insufficient racial mix.
The solution? If you are going to have children, take full responsibility for their upbringing; otherwise don’t.