Why Do African-Americans Trail In Benchmarks That Lead To The Middle Class?

An African-American middle-class family

From National Journal: "A Brookings Institution report, 'Pathways to the Middle Class: Balancing Personal and Public Responsibilities,' shows that children who achieve professional success are disproportionally from higher-income and white families; those who never move up come from lower-income or black families, or both. While high poverty rates can help explain these numbers, other obstacles to the middle class include teenage and unwed pregnancies and criminal convictions, said Juan Williams, a [moderate-liberal] Fox News commentator who appeared on the Brookings panel."

The article continues: "Another avenue that slows ascension is poor education. In early childhood, 56 percent of black 5-year-olds possess adequate pre-reading and math skills and demonstrate behaviors considered 'school-appropriate,' compared with 61 percent of Hispanics and 68 percent of whites. The road ahead for blacks is riddled with obstacles. By age 11, only 52 percent of black kids have adequate English and math skills, compared with 73 percent of white youngsters. By high school, 39 percent of blacks graduate with a 2.5 grade-point average; have no conviction for a criminal offense; or exit their teens without becoming a parent."

Booker Rising response: The formula to being middle-class in America isn't rocket science: (1) graduate from high school; (2) don't have children until after you get married; (3) don't do anything that will land you in jail; (4) don't acquire a drug habit; and (5) have a decent work ethic. Americans who are chronically poor typically flunk three or more of these indicators.