Books
I have noticed black high school students around with books in their hands and this thrilled me. Until I began to read the titles of these books. Our black teenage girls are reading books about sex, drugs, glamour and everything not dealing with academics. The fact that they are reading alone is wonderful, but what they are reading affects how they think and behave. They should be encouraged to read books that teach and make them think, not books to entertain! I don’t know, this is just my personal intake on the situation. Reading about how cool it is to have sex and smoke weed is an atrocity. Thinking it is fine to want to know how to carry a razor under your tongue or how to sex a guy right is not what should consume the central thoughts of our young black ladies.
Perspectives on Race 
I have to agree with you completely on this. It’s great that these girls are reading. Reading is the key to greater success in not only academics, but also in the complexity in which we see the world. By reading we learn vicariously about experiences and behaviors. Unfortunately, this could have negative effects if what is being read is far beyond the maturity level of the reader. A book can be just like any other media source. It is influential and opens the door to worlds that may seem “cool” in a book, but in the real world could have drastic effects. It is important for the role models and influential individual’s in these girls’ lives to let them know the difference between what is appropriate in reality and the real world and what should be left to fiction.
amims1
November 11, 2009 at 1:02 am
While I would not dispel what either of the two have previously said, I do think that the simple fact that these girls are reading is a plus in our society today. With the internet and T.V. and T.V. on the internet, it is encouraging to know that some people are still turning to books. Even though these books seem to be less than educational, if it sparks their imagination and potential to pick up a future book that they might have never previously considered, then, I say, read-on. These types of books can put bad ideas into the minds of young girls, but they can also help them to recognize dangers without having to experience them themselves. The fact that they are reading these types of books is not cause for concern, it is what they do with the information gleaned that should warrant our intrigue.
jamesrobertson1
November 12, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Ok why in the world would the fact that black high school students reading any book would thrill you? As if to say that if they were white it would be normal to seem them carrying a book, but not normal since they are black, so we should be more thrilled when seeing black teens carrying books than when seeing white teens? Maybe I’m reading this wrong, but this whole post seems a bit racist if you ask me.
raquelfreytes
November 12, 2009 at 8:20 pm
Let me start off by saying that where I come from, you don’t see many girls my skin color even carrying a book, let alone reading one! So yes, it touches me deep down to my soul and THRILLS me to see other BLACK students like myself taking the initiative to advance academically, mentally, and any other way, shape, or form! When I initially read your comment, I got all fired up and wanted to say some things about what YOU should be doing instead of judging me. But I caught myself. You are entitiled to your own opinion. So I’ll just end this by saying, NO, I am not racist. Never have been and never plan to be. I want nothing more than to see my black people continue to strive for excellence. Don’t just read, read CRITICALLY!.
Antoinette Lester
November 12, 2009 at 11:15 pm
That is a wonderful perspective. However, when you’ve seen firsthand what effect reading these kinds of books can have on someone, one may have the tendency to change thier minds. But I agree with you completely. It was just an observation of mine that I feel is serious and should be addressed.
Antoinette Lester
November 12, 2009 at 11:17 pm