The Issues and Assets of African Youth on Staten Island's North Shore:

Fourteen percent <strong>of</strong> survey respondents said they haveconsidered dropping out <strong>of</strong> school but don‟t think [they]would do it, while one respondent reported that he or she isthinking about dropping out.“I have two sons that came to America on a[Diversity Visa] <strong>and</strong> all was well until theywere introduced to the school system.Everything started going wrong, the boyswere failing in their school work, cominghome late, <strong>and</strong> at one point they refused togo to school. This was due to the fact thatthey could not underst<strong>and</strong> the lessons, theteacher called them names, <strong>and</strong> otherstudents bullied them <strong>and</strong> so on”. 51Figure 20Why do most youth drop out <strong>of</strong> school?Number selecting yes (out <strong>of</strong> 107 who answered the question)71BadInfluences42 41 38Not Want tointerested in make moneyschoolworkNot enoughsupport athome26Not enoughsupport atschool12Other“Remember, when you put a 5th gradestudent in the 9th grade you do not expectmuch out <strong>of</strong> him. But the kids do not see itthat way… If you were to ask that kid to reada 9th grade book he may not be able to doso. And if he does it, he might not do it thesame as a regular ninth grader… Other kidsin the class [start] to laugh at him, callinghim names. <strong>The</strong> next thing you know the kiddoes not want to go to school any more. Hemay leave his parents‟ home in the morningwith the pretense that he is going to schoolbut he doesn't. He hangs on the streetswith friends… <strong>and</strong> comes home as if hecame from school. It wouldn't be long beforethis kid starts selling <strong>and</strong> doing drugs. Bythe time you as a parent realize what he isdoing, it may be too late. He may havejoined the Gang. How do you try to help yourChild with these problems?” 52Asset: Education supportsThough there are too few, some services are available forstudents whose education has been interrupted. <strong>The</strong>Students with Interrupted Formal Education, or SIFE,program is funded by the New York City Department <strong>of</strong>Education to help students acclimate <strong>and</strong> catch up to theirpeers. In 2008, IS 49 Bertha A. Dreyfus (middle school) isthe only Staten Isl<strong>and</strong> school with this program. 53Recognizing the need for improved relations with the <strong>African</strong>community, many teachers, principals, <strong>and</strong> other schoolpersonnel have taken the initiative to get involved withcommunity organizations <strong>and</strong> collaborative initiatives. Thishas improved the capacity <strong>of</strong> local schools to educate<strong>African</strong> youth <strong>and</strong> opened lines <strong>of</strong> communication to parents<strong>and</strong> community advocates.51 Parent focus group, October 8, 2008.52 Parent interview, October 9, 2008.53 New York City Department <strong>of</strong> Education, Summary <strong>of</strong> School Allocation,Memor<strong>and</strong>um No. 65, FY08.28