| Black males are portrayed....in a limited number of roles, most of them deviant, dangerous, and dysfunctional... This constant barrage of predominantly disturbing images inevitably contributes to the public's negative stereotypes of black men, particularly of those who are perceived as young, hostile, and impulsive. Clearly, the message says: If they entertain you, enjoy them (at a safe distance); if they serve you, avoid them. Thus, young black males are stereotyped by the five "d's": dumb, deprived, dangerous, deviant, and disturbed. There is no room in this picture for comprehension, caring, or compassion of the plight of these black men (Gibbs, 1988).;The purpose of this study is to tell the story of what some African American males experience with literacy as they matriculate through high school; using the reading portion of the Ohio Graduation Test as a precursor. I am interested in this area of research for two reasons. First, reading is the fundamental basis for all academic learning. Secondly, I want to tell the story of the struggles, successes, alienation, and acceptance that these young men may have experienced while trying to read.;The four chapters of this study include the development, the process, and the results of the research. |
