‘The Plight of The Black Youth Today’

During the past decade we heard many prominent voices throughout the Country; we have seen many reports written by eminent people such as Judges, Psychologists, Sociologists, youth organizers, the legal profession and the Police. 

All these voices and writings by people of eminence echo the same theme, the youth of today. 

The actions of some young people to draw attention to their plight within our society have not been ignored. 

We have seen the Scarman report which only echoes what the youth have been saying for years. 

Had the powers that be reacted to their plight positively instead of continuing to ignore their desperate situation, the negative results of 1981 would have never occurred. 

Since then we have seen the Swan Report, but many facts have been overlooked.  The Swan report left much to be desired. 

The truth is even when these reports are commissioned and published, because of lack of understanding of the real problem, they have a negative affect, and hence they are shelved and forgotten. 

The youth of today will be the adults of tomorrow.  I do realise the children of the ruling classes are well catered for in every respect, with academic education superior to the comprehensive education, which the media used to educate the working classes.  

One must realise the children of the ruling classes, will have to govern by consent and the people whom they have to govern are the vast majority of the youth today. 

The gross neglect of the educational system, a system which failed the vast majority of young people, many who leave school at the age of 16 still unable to read or write properly, and have very little command of the English language, 95% of which are unable to pass a general certificate of education, will never be equipped to compete in tomorrow’s world, unless a new approach to the entire spectrum of education is embarked upon positively with some urgency. 

When one refers to young people, the use of derogative terminologies has become common place.  We have seen the reaction of the Police and note statements made by the superior officers up and down the country, the name of bully boys, thugs, hooligans, anti-social behaviour only to name a few. 

No wonder the young people feel themselves alienated, looking at society with a “them and us” attitude. 

If society is going to be divided with 30% of the people reaping the Harvest, while 70% have nothing to reap, with the 30% holding the power to subjugate and contain, then there is bound to be further sub-division, e.g. black against white, community against communities, as they scramble among each other for whatever crumbs are left. 

The situation facing society under these circumstances is unthinkable.