why are so many black people underachieving

why is it that there very few black people in higher education in london, ive been to quite a few open days to universitys and was surprised to see a few or even no black people in these institutions even in the jobs market you wont see many black people working in shops either, while if you were to go to the likes of brixton and lougborough you'll see pockets of the black community where they would stick together.
im not a racist as i am a black man myself, also unemployed.

discuss.......

(edited 11 years ago)

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Reply 1

monk_keys

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmhaff/181/18102.htm

Reply 2

Illuminated_A

Because most black people behave to the sterotype people give them. People still think that university is for white middle classes or asian student. If a black man walks into a law lecture for example, people will assume they've come to the wrong class. The sterotypical racism in Britain is still well and truly alive......

Reply 3

Nightstar-27

There probably isn't a sole reason. It should be noted that black men and black women have different educational levels, also there is a different between those who descend from the Caribbean and those from Africa. I should also state that working class white boys underachieve the most in education at the current moment. Now to look at black underachievement;

1) One of the reasons why there aren't as many black people in university is because they make a small part of the demographic of the UK. Thus even if they were equally represented there would still be few of them in comparison to other groups. Though at the current moment they are under-represented.

2) Black children are more likely to live in poorer areas, it may be that they are poor and have nothing to do with their skin colour. Also the culture in poorer areas tends not to place high value on education in some sub groups that black children could belong to.

3) There may still be some levels of institutional racism holding some black children back.

4) Black children are told the system is against them, so even in cases where no institutional racism is present they might still perceive they are being discriminated against and may not see a point of trying as they believe it makes no different.

5) At a young age some black children may be more concerned about their street rep than their education, thus pulling them down. It is possible that there are some black people who just don't care about going university.

6) Black people apparently have a lower IQ on average, though this is debatable but if true would partially explain why.

On a happier note, more black children are going off to higher educational and hopefully employment. More seem to have the motivation to do well in life regardless of the odds. Black girls and women in particular are doing better and better.

Reply 4

im so academic

Original post by ednut

why is it that there very few black people in higher education in london, ive been to quite a few open days to universitys and was surprised to see a few or even no black people in these institutions even in the jobs market yu wont see many black ppeople working in shops either, while if your were to go to the likes of brixton and lougborough you,ll see pokcets of where the black community would stick together.
im not a racist as i am a black man myself, also unemployed.

discuss.......

Same reason why people from other races underachieve.

They don't work hard enough.

It's nothing to do with race but attitude.

Reply 5

QwertyG

Busy shotting O's no time for studying

Reply 6

Monzystar

probably self helplessness?? they believe they wont achieve as high because of the racist culture and another explanation would be poverty?? lack of money=lack of education= unemployment.

however, others like K.M.L and Malcolm X believed they'll go far and possibly studied well so black people in america have freedom. :smile:

Reply 7

Illuminated_A

Original post by TheLastOfUs

It's a genetic thing. Blacks underachieve in every developed country in the world, so it's definitely not only environmental. It's clear intelligence is massively inherited. So there is no reason why blacks as a group would not inherit lower intelligence due to the already established lower intelligences of their parents.

I strongly contradict this OPINION. Intelligence is NOT inherited, you either work hard or you don't. Everybody has their place in life, a result of whether you work hard or not. We all come from the same family if you go back far enough.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 8

Blob2491

Original post by Nightstar-27

6) Black people apparently have a lower IQ on average, though this is debatable but if true would partially explain why.

That's absolute rubbish and stereotyping similar to saying Asians have higher IQ's. I know loads of smart and dumb blacks and Asians, and out of these people, the blacks are generally the higher achievers.

Reply 9

Forget that

Original post by TheLastOfUs

I have encountered so, so much rubbish on this site, from various people and issues.
This is certainly up there as being one the worst i think i have ever read. For that, you deserve congratulations

Reply 10

Nightstar-27

Original post by Blob2491

I said it was a debatable, I just put all the possible reasons, I never said which ones I agreed with or didn't, nor did I say I believe blacks to have a lower IQ ON AVERAGE (which btw means that there will obviously be intelligent blacks and average IQ leveled blacks cause you don't understand the term 'average' it seems). Personally I don't believe this is a real reason why it is just a reason put forward.

Reply 11

kingkongjaffa

I think the answer lies in the stereotyping that is rife here, people are treated as an ethnicity first and an individual second unless you have a very strong character and can prove to people you are bright.

I go to a college which is in moss side Manchester, It is one of the best sixth form colleges in Manchester and has mostly Asian and black students, at my college at least it seems that black people under achieve because they aren't encouraged to pick academic subjects, the science departments would rather take Asian and white students and the sports/humanities departments don't really care.

in a college with a majority of Asian and black people the sciences and maths are dominated by Asian and white people, when surely there should be equal representation in all subjects?

Encouragement and support to take on harder subjects seems to be the problem, in my opinion

Reply 12

TheLastOfUs

Original post by Illuminated_A

I strongly contradict this OPINION. Inheritence is NOT inherited, you either work hard or you don't. Everybody has their place in life, a result of whether you work hard or not. We all come from the family if you go back far enough.

hahahaha you're so stupid. Intelligence is one of the most inheritable attributes. 2 smart parents will always make a relatively smart child. Always.
If you didn't know, maybe you should look up intelligence on wikipedia.

Reply 13

TheLastOfUs

Original post by Forget that

I have encountered so, so much rubbish on this site, from various people and issues.
This is certainly up there as being one the worst i think i have ever read. For that, you deserve congratulations

You're only saying that because you're black. lol.
Fact is it's the truth. So why don't you face the facts. Intelligence is mainly genetic and partly environmental.

Reply 14

MattyJo

Original post by TheLastOfUs

you should look up intelligence on wikipedia.

Ah yes Wikipedia, the most reputable source in which to fuel one's learning!

Reply 15

Illuminated_A

Original post by TheLastOfUs

If your theory is correct, then intelligence could said to be related to the social class of an individual. In that case, why is it then that smart people can be found in council estates that go off to university while their mum stays at home smoking crack all day?

Reply 16

Joinedup

Black people aren't a single group, we had this out a while ago when we were talking about the great long distance runners coming from east africa and great sprinters coming from west africa.
Be surprising if genetics and different cultures weren't playing a part.

Reply 17

The Marshall

Original post by im so academic

Same reason why people from other races underachieve.

They don't work hard enough.

It's nothing to do with race but attitude.

I can tell you for a fact that Indian and Chinese Students are probably more hardworking than white students. My uncle's an Indian and has around 34 docteterates, so please don't judge races due to their colour, skin or subjugation.

Reply 18

The Marshall

Original post by kingkongjaffa

n a college with a majority of Asian and black people the sciences and maths are dominated by Asian and white people, when surely there should be equal representation in all subjects?

The only reason why this '' black people underachieving thing'' is done, is because of the nieghbours they live in. Of today's white british children, half of them are not interested in studying, they focus more on family issues more than studying, and that encourages the black children at those schools to become like the white children. State Schools are a perfect example of it.

Reply 19

im so academic

Original post by The Marshall

Excuse me? Academic achievement has nothing to do with race. How dare you criticise me on race when you are saying that Indian/Chinese students are more hardworking than white students. What bull****.