How come you never responded to my Ray Lewis comment? just wondering.

Really we must play the race card? Is that your argument? Well just so you know I am retired law enforcement and have seen the carnage up close and personal and the overwhelming was caused by illegal HANDGUNS something neither the NY nor federal proposals wants to touch. Why? because it might mean stiffening penalties for said violations even while they march to decriminalize laws that might harm their progressive "constituency"

Mr. Leon apparently in your ideologue blindness you failed to see that my letter puts the onus on success to begin at home. My reference to the recently completed campaign season has to do with what creates the attitude of lack of responsibility. The ingrained for generations belief that you cant better yourself but you will always get what you need. That your poverty, or whatever holds you back so just sit back and "receive". I will stick by my statement that poverty is NOT an excuse for not being successful . Successful defined as being self sufficient and a productive member of society

toni and jane my view is directed at the parents or single parent who have absolutely no desire to do anything to make their child a success in school. I am sorry but I do not buy the poverty as a crutch excuse for not instilling your child with doing well in school.People of generations before and today have done exactly that,have had success for their kids. As far as discrimination goes how does that effect performance in an education system that has tons of programs for any student to be given special attention in especially in this region. Maybe if you stopped using the poor me excuse its everybody elses fault things could get better. To ensure escaping poverty graduate high school,dont have children before 21 ,dont abuse drugs or alcohol , and dont engage in criminal activity. Pretty simple formula hundreds of millions have accomplished that.