By: Kyle Greenlee
Recently, President Obama gave a speech to the NAACP and said that black kids have no excuse not to get bad grades. He’s right, but that’s sometimes much easier said than done.
Yes, if you live in a poor neighborhood, you will face challenges that somebody in a wealthy suburb does not have to face. But that's not a reason to get bad grades -- that's not a reason to cut class -- that's not a reason to give up on your education and drop out of school. No one has written your destiny for you. Your destiny is in your hands -- you cannot forget that.
I think Obama's right -- but, it’s not always that easy. Poverty is a struggle. Some kids think being poor is an excuse to cut class and sell drugs, gamble, and do other things besides going to school. Like for example, some kids in poverty have to deal with not having food on the table or worrying about their parents getting abused by someone else. Maybe they have a single mother who is never home.
Also, if you don't normally go to school or don't do what you are supposed to, it can become a habit that is difficult to break. It’s hard when you have to go through poverty and not have that loving family and support that you need to get through your struggles. It might just be that you don't have the love you need. If you don’t have love at home, you can't focus well on your subjects in school. Instead of studying, you may be constantly worrying about you parents.
Despite the obstacles, I still agree with Obama because I think there is always a way. It may be hard to wake up early and walk to school or to find a place where you can do your work, but I still think there is always a way. Obama says not to let poverty stop you from success, that you should instead be motivated to strive. I agree.
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