Payne-upchurch Inquiry Paper

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Alissa Luthe Professor Cathy Weems EDU 351 19 October 2009 Payne-Upchurch Inquiry Paper The Children’s Defense Fund began a Cradle to Prison Pipeline campaign to bring attention to the fact that poverty is the strongest force in determining whether or not a person ends up in prison. In a recent report the CDF claims that because of social or economic disadvantages some adolescents are not only at-risk but destined to end up in prison. The report adds that some are likely to die in a violent or gun-related, death. (Children’s Defense Fund 1) The CDF report claims that “a black boy born in 2001 has a 1 in 3 chance of going to prison in his lifetime; a Latino boy a 1 in 6 chance; and a white boy 1 in 17 chance. A black girl born in 2001 has a 1 in 17 chance of going to prison in her lifetime; a Latino girl a 1 in 45 chance; and a White girl a 1 in 111 chance.” Minorities are more likely to live in poverty than whites and the problem is not getting better. The CDF report states that between 2000 and 2007 the number of poor Latino children grew to 4.5 million and the number of poor black children increased to 3.9 million. (CDF 1) Social activist, Carl Upchurch shed light on his journey to prison in Convicted in the Womb. It was not only poverty but also abuse and neglect that led him to prison. He lived in a dangerous, poverty stricken ghetto in south Philadelphia and lacked caring adults, family members or mentors who could give him positive direction in life. Upchurch had many contributing factors in his life that put him in the cradle to prison pipeline. Education is one way

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out of poverty for some poor children but it didn’t work for Upchurch. He ended up dropping out of school in the fourth grade. “The white teachers brought their white values into the school – values that negated my world entirely. The message was subtle, but it was clear to me: everyone I respected and loved was considered ignorant, irresponsible, and good-for-nothing.” (Upchurch 18) In A framework for Understanding Poverty, Ruby Payne notes that many poor children are not able to understand the formal register of speech that middle class teachers use in school. They also don’t know the “hidden rules” and habits of the middle class. Poor children from the ghetto use the “casual register” and because of problems in language those students do poorly on tests and written assignments. “This use of formal register is further complicated by the fact that these students do not have the vocabulary or the knowledge of sentence structure and syntax to use formal register.” (Payne 28) For many Latino students Spanish may be the only language spoken at home. When Latino students go to school there are sometimes communication problems that can make learning difficult. The United States Bureau of the Census states that more than one in six children in the U.S. is poor. The federal poverty line for a family of four in 2008 is $21,200. The states with the largest number of poor children are California and Texas. In Texas 23.2 percent of children under the age of 18 are poor and 26.7 percent under the age of 5 are poor. In Sherman the poverty rate is 21.90 percent for children under age 18. (U.S. Census) The poverty rate in Sherman has major implications for me as a teacher. Children from poverty may not know how to relate to the middle class and it gives me motivation to reach out to them to help them succeed in school. The Census report also states that 12 percent of Sherman residents speak a language other than English in their homes. Statewide more than 30 percent of Texas residents speak a

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language other than English at home. That is a major factor that could contribute to academic problems for students in school. Carl Upchurch changed his life around when he was in prison. He hit bottom and the books he read inspired him to change. According to Payne “A situation that is so painful that anything would be better” is one way people get out of poverty. She states the other reasons people get out of poverty are; “A goal or vision of something they want to be or have. Someone sponsors them (i.e., an educator or spouse or mentor or role model who shows them a different way or convinces them that they could live differently). Or a specific talent or ability that provides an opportunity for them.” (Payne 61) One way a teacher can help is to inspire students to stay in school. Education is the best way for the poor to escape poverty. But unfortunately many poor students struggle in school and end up dropping out. According to the U.S Department of Education, only 59 percent of Black students, 61 percent of Latino students, and 81 percent of White students graduated on time with a regular diploma in 2006. (U.S. Department of Education) Teachers who take a genuine interest in students can become mentors and role models who help students to stay in high school and encourage them to go on to college. If students who are at risk of dropping out of high school are identified early they could also meet with counselors who could help them resolve some of the social problems they are facing in school. Hiring more minority teachers who could act as role models would also help retain students. The poor students could identify with them and understand their teaching methods. Latino and Black support groups in school may be another way for minorities to form bonds and be encouraged to graduate. The support groups could bring in meet successful minority members of their

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communities who might act as mentors. Minority leaders could encourage students to reach for higher education goals. In Texas schools English is a second language for many students. In their homes they speak Spanish so school can be difficult due to language barriers. After school tutoring programs and expanded English as a second language classes might help students who have language usage and comprehension problems. It would also help if all teachers were bilingual so they could relate better not only to the student but with the students’ parents during conferences. If the drop-out rate isn’t addressed the cycle of poverty will continue. It hurts not only the student but also society as a whole. Poverty means more crime, more government welfare, more funding for law enforcement and prisons. Our country spends more on law enforcement and criminal justice systems than we do on education. If our students were better educated we could hopefully cut down on the prison population and cut costs. “Every year that we keep children in poverty costs our nation half a trillion dollars in lost productivity, poorer health and increased crime.” (CDF 2) The Children’s Defense Fund recommends better health and mental health care for all children and pregnant women. It also recommends early childhood development programs to help give children a good start before they enter Kindergarten. Statistics show that Black and Hispanic children are already behind when the start school. “Studies have shown that children who do not get the early intervention, permanence and stability they need are more likely to act out and fail in school because they lack the skills necessary to succeed.” (CDF 1) As teachers our goal should be to identify all students who may be at risk of dropping out of school and do all in our power to bond with them and encourage them not only to graduate but to go on to college so they can be productive members of society. Teaching is the one profession

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where you have the chance to work directly with these students and make a major positive impact and difference in their lives.

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Works Cited Payne, Ruby K. A Framework for Understanding Poverty. Highlands, Tex: Aha! Process, 2005. Print. Children’s Defense Fund. Cradle to Prison Pipeline Fact Sheet. Web. 15 October 2009. Upchurch, Carl. Convicted in the Womb: One Man's Journey from Prisoner to Peacemaker. New York: Bantam Books, 1996. Print. U.S. Census. Poverty Table. 2008. Web. 17 October 2009 U.S. Department of Education. The Nations Report Card. National Center for Education Statistics. 2009. Web. 17 October 2009.