Black boys see bleak future at school - SFGate:

Black boys see bleak future at school

Jill Tucker

Updated 10:30 p.m., Monday, December 3, 2012

Students in a manhood development class at Oakland High School wait for the bell to ring on Nov. 27. The school district has instituted programs to help males of color succeed. Photo: Lacy Atkins, The Chronicle / SF

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By kindergarten, 1 out of 4 African American boys in California is convinced he will fail in school, a self-fulfilling prophecy driven in part by poverty and trauma, according to the results of a legislative inquiry.

The Assembly select committee investigation on the status of boys and men of color also found that the boys are increasingly putting a strain on the state's economic health. The findings were drawn from several community hearings, expert testimony and the input of hundreds of other stakeholders over 18 months.

The final report, scheduled for public release this week, identified education, health and employment as among the most significant areas of concern, and offered recommendations, including where to focus resources and policymakers' attention.

"We have an untapped populace that desperately needs to be acknowledged and

Tuesday, December 4, 2012