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    Opportunity Gap

    Not soccer related, but certainly plenty of evidence of what the author is speaking to in this forum. I can hardly wait to read those who will defend the status quo.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/10/op...unity-gap.html

    (Harvard political scientist Robert) Putnam's group looked at inequality of opportunities among children. They help us understand what the country will look like in the decades ahead. The quick answer? More divided than ever.

    Putnam’s data verifies what many of us have seen anecdotally, that the children of the more affluent and less affluent are raised in starkly different ways and have different opportunities

    .......Affluent parents also invest more money in their children. Over the last 40 years upper-income parents have increased the amount they spend on their kids’ enrichment activities, like tutoring and extra curriculars, by $5,300 a year. The financially stressed lower classes have only been able to increase their investment by $480, adjusted for inflation.

    As a result, behavior gaps are opening up. In 1972, kids from the bottom quartile of earners participated in roughly the same number of activities as kids from the top quartile. Today, it’s a chasm.

    Richer kids are roughly twice as likely to play after-school sports. They are more than twice as likely to be the captains of their sports teams. They are much more likely to do nonsporting activities, like theater, yearbook and scouting. They are much more likely to attend religious services.

    It’s not only that richer kids have become more active. Poorer kids have become more pessimistic and detached.

    #2
    I appreciate this post and agree whole heartedly with the sentiment and findings of the study. Unfortunately, I think it will have little meaning in this forum and will fall by the wayside, as do most posts of substance or meaning. To agree that we are over-spending on our kids and contributing to the social divide, is to accept blame and that won't happen. Realistically, the chasm is what most of the elitist in this forum would prefer, whether they'll admit it or not.

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
      I appreciate this post and agree whole heartedly with the sentiment and findings of the study. Unfortunately, I think it will have little meaning in this forum and will fall by the wayside, as do most posts of substance or meaning. To agree that we are over-spending on our kids and contributing to the social divide, is to accept blame and that won't happen. Realistically, the chasm is what most of the elitist in this forum would prefer, whether they'll admit it or not.
      Over-spending? Contribution to the divide? Blame?

      We can disagree about cause, about solutions to broaden opportunity and improve outcomes, but the notion that if I don't spend as much and/or limit the activities of my kids to "close" the divide that blame can be attributed to those choices and the means to act on them is nonsense. Perhaps you didn't mean to convey what you did with that particular comment. I think your other comments were well stated. But this divide is effect, not cause, and isn't inherently vBulletin ad - meaning it needs to be rectified, at any cost, and if it meant moving to the lowest common denominator, we'd collectively be better off. Sorry, but I don't do socialism.

      Comment


        #4
        You left out the most important point......it's not just about money.

        "A generation ago, working-class parents spent slightly more time with their kids than college-educated parents. Now college-educated parents spend an hour more every day. This attention gap is largest in the first three years of life when it is most important."

        This problem is less about kids, less about money, than it is about the time invested in the lives of children.

        Taxes won't fix this problem.

        Comment


          #5
          Very interesting the thoughtful comments so far. So unusual for this forum.

          There is another NYT article that may be interesting to add to this discussion if I can find the link.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
            You left out the most important point......it's not just about money.

            "A generation ago, working-class parents spent slightly more time with their kids than college-educated parents. Now college-educated parents spend an hour more every day. This attention gap is largest in the first three years of life when it is most important."

            This problem is less about kids, less about money, than it is about the time invested in the lives of children.

            Taxes won't fix this problem.
            Correct. Nor will the welfare state. In fact, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that some forms tend to perpetuate poverty - which is really what we're talking about.

            Comment


              #7
              "Expectation Gap" might have been a better title for the article

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                Not soccer related, but certainly plenty of evidence of what the author is speaking to in this forum. I can hardly wait to read those who will defend the status quo.

                http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/10/op...unity-gap.html

                (Harvard political scientist Robert) Putnam's group looked at inequality of opportunities among children. They help us understand what the country will look like in the decades ahead. The quick answer? More divided than ever.

                Putnam’s data verifies what many of us have seen anecdotally, that the children of the more affluent and less affluent are raised in starkly different ways and have different opportunities

                .......Affluent parents also invest more money in their children. Over the last 40 years upper-income parents have increased the amount they spend on their kids’ enrichment activities, like tutoring and extra curriculars, by $5,300 a year. The financially stressed lower classes have only been able to increase their investment by $480, adjusted for inflation.

                As a result, behavior gaps are opening up. In 1972, kids from the bottom quartile of earners participated in roughly the same number of activities as kids from the top quartile. Today, it’s a chasm.

                Richer kids are roughly twice as likely to play after-school sports. They are more than twice as likely to be the captains of their sports teams. They are much more likely to do nonsporting activities, like theater, yearbook and scouting. They are much more likely to attend religious services.

                It’s not only that richer kids have become more active. Poorer kids have become more pessimistic and detached.
                How many Thousands of dollars were spent by parents of Needham HS soccer players over the years, Club Teams, Camps, Clinics, Private lessons, Tournaments, etc..... compared to Somerville HS soccer ?

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                  How many Thousands of dollars were spent by parents of Needham HS soccer players over the years, Club Teams, Camps, Clinics, Private lessons, Tournaments, etc..... compared to Somerville HS soccer ?
                  And your point is....

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                    Not soccer related, but certainly plenty of evidence of what the author is speaking to in this forum. I can hardly wait to read those who will defend the status quo.

                    http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/10/op...unity-gap.html

                    (Harvard political scientist Robert) Putnam's group looked at inequality of opportunities among children. They help us understand what the country will look like in the decades ahead. The quick answer? More divided than ever.

                    Putnam’s data verifies what many of us have seen anecdotally, that the children of the more affluent and less affluent are raised in starkly different ways and have different opportunities

                    .......Affluent parents also invest more money in their children. Over the last 40 years upper-income parents have increased the amount they spend on their kids’ enrichment activities, like tutoring and extra curriculars, by $5,300 a year. The financially stressed lower classes have only been able to increase their investment by $480, adjusted for inflation.

                    As a result, behavior gaps are opening up. In 1972, kids from the bottom quartile of earners participated in roughly the same number of activities as kids from the top quartile. Today, it’s a chasm.

                    Richer kids are roughly twice as likely to play after-school sports. They are more than twice as likely to be the captains of their sports teams. They are much more likely to do nonsporting activities, like theater, yearbook and scouting. They are much more likely to attend religious services.

                    It’s not only that richer kids have become more active. Poorer kids have become more pessimistic and detached.
                    Good stuff and spot on. White suburban kids from upper middle class families are exponentially more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol than urban youths. Yet the urban youths are far more likely to enter the judicial system than the letter. Our country's law enforcement have waged a war against minorities and disproportionately sent them off to prison. Part of this admittedly is due to the violence (which suburban communities are not immune to....) associated with urban drugs.

                    Part of it is that the white media glorifies and promotes artists with violent imagery and reputations. But it does all stem from a generation of kids with no hope and no prospects. This is the tax that the corporations and rich impose on the 98% (including Mitt's 47%). The cost of low wage dead end jobs with no benefits. The middle class picks up that tab from the state and federal government.

                    Club soccer is clearly the most elitist of the team sports. It is a playground for the children of the upper white middle class. There is a lot of crappy soccer being played by these kids while a lot of good immigrant minority based soccer barely gets a nod from the soccer organizations. Sure some of these kids get identified and succeed but they are viewed as competition by the privileged.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Middle class? What's that?

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                        Good stuff and spot on. White suburban kids from upper middle class families are exponentially more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol than urban youths. Yet the urban youths are far more likely to enter the judicial system than the letter. Our country's law enforcement have waged a war against minorities and disproportionately sent them off to prison. Part of this admittedly is due to the violence (which suburban communities are not immune to....) associated with urban drugs.

                        Part of it is that the white media glorifies and promotes artists with violent imagery and reputations. But it does all stem from a generation of kids with no hope and no prospects. This is the tax that the corporations and rich impose on the 98% (including Mitt's 47%). The cost of low wage dead end jobs with no benefits. The middle class picks up that tab from the state and federal government.

                        Club soccer is clearly the most elitist of the team sports. It is a playground for the children of the upper white middle class. There is a lot of crappy soccer being played by these kids while a lot of good immigrant minority based soccer barely gets a nod from the soccer organizations. Sure some of these kids get identified and succeed but they are viewed as competition by the privileged.
                        Your last sentance sums it up nicely. Club soccer members also enjoy higher percentages of athletic aid than those that don't participate.

                        The business industry of Youth soccer has done a great job of targeting their market , and reaping the rewards.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                          Good stuff and spot on. White suburban kids from upper middle class families are exponentially more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol than urban youths. Yet the urban youths are far more likely to enter the judicial system than the letter. Our country's law enforcement have waged a war against minorities and disproportionately sent them off to prison. Part of this admittedly is due to the violence (which suburban communities are not immune to....) associated with urban drugs.

                          Part of it is that the white media glorifies and promotes artists with violent imagery and reputations. But it does all stem from a generation of kids with no hope and no prospects. This is the tax that the corporations and rich impose on the 98% (including Mitt's 47%). The cost of low wage dead end jobs with no benefits. The middle class picks up that tab from the state and federal government.

                          Club soccer is clearly the most elitist of the team sports. It is a playground for the children of the upper white middle class. There is a lot of crappy soccer being played by these kids while a lot of good immigrant minority based soccer barely gets a nod from the soccer organizations. Sure some of these kids get identified and succeed but they are viewed as competition by the privileged.
                          So let's pay cashiers and sales assistants 90K per year and that will make it all better. College, staying out of trouble for what? You are 100% correct we need guaranteed outcomes in this country to stop the evil racist republicans! It will also be agreat help to the middle class $30 cheeseburgers and $100 shirts. Great thought!!

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                            So let's pay cashiers and sales assistants 90K per year and that will make it all better. College, staying out of trouble for what? You are 100% correct we need guaranteed outcomes in this country to stop the evil racist republicans! It will also be agreat help to the middle class $30 cheeseburgers and $100 shirts. Great thought!!
                            I think you miss the point. One of the things listed in the link was about parental participation in 1972. In regards to soccer, I actually played during that era. I have a picture of my team from that era, and the diversity of the team is very interesting to look at. I only remember one parent ever coming to watch us play. Among the team members, quite a few went on to play College sports, including soccer. Some became very good D-1 players.Including Ivy League. That team was made up of mostly lower to middle class familes. There wasn't any families in any higher strata in my town.

                            Today, most likely none of those players and their families could afford to play Club soccer at the going rate.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                              So let's pay cashiers and sales assistants 90K per year and that will make it all better. College, staying out of trouble for what? You are 100% correct we need guaranteed outcomes in this country to stop the evil racist republicans! It will also be agreat help to the middle class $30 cheeseburgers and $100 shirts. Great thought!!
                              Costco pays its employees $15 an hour on average compared to just under $10 for Walmart. Despite this higher payroll their profit as a % of sales beats Walmart, as does their profit per S.F. and sales per S.F. which are the key metrics for retail. Furthermore their annual turnover is under 6% compared to 25%. Anybody who has spent time as a business person and is halfway competent understands that turnover is a profit killer.

                              Now go into a Costco and compare the prices to Sam's club. Pretty much the same.

                              I am assuming that you are a small business owner. I have several friends who are. One complains continously about taxes and the cost of employees. This guy owns a half dozen rolexs, a boat, a condo in Florida and driver a Mercedes (top o the line), he's also an NRA gun nut who burns about $500 a week in ammo - in other words a typical Republican A-hole..... Pays his employees minimum wage and a small commission and whines constantly about the commission.

                              What you are failing to understand is the high cost of the hidden tax that business impose on governments in terms of uncompensated medical care, food stamps, WIC, and other costs that taxpayers fund because corporations pay low wages and offer meager benefits. Fewer than 50% of Walmart employees have health insurance compared to over 90% for Costco. In many states Walmart employees represent the #1 beneficiaries of free medical care (most of which is paid back by the state to the FOR PROFT hospitals.

                              Is any of this sinking in. All your Repuclican friends in Congress have consistently voted against raising the minimum wage while voting themselves pay increases. If the Republicans had their way the minimum wage would still be $3.60 an hour.

                              Comment

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