Who Pays When Black Males Drop Out of School

Who Pays When Black Males Drop Out Of School?


When young Black males drop out of school, they either they wind up in the prison system, unemployed, or they’re underemployed in low-wage jobs. Who pays the cost for supporting these brothers when they can’t function in society? We all do.

It costs $120,000 for the college education of a black male. It costs taxpayers $60,000-$300,000 for the court costs to process a young black male through the legal system and take him to trial.

When seven out of ten black males drop out of high school and wind up in the legal system taxpayers have to fund the costs to book and process them through the judicial system and the cost of a jury trial. In most cases taxpayers have to pay for their defense because they can’t afford an attorney.

It costs $120,000 for the college education of a black male. It costs taxpayers $280,000 to house and feed an inmate in a prison facility for four years.

When seven out of ten black males drop out of high school and wind up in prison it costs taxpayers $70,000 a year to house and feed them as inmates in the prison system.

It costs $120,000 for the college education for a black male. It costs taxpayers $360,000 to take care of a black father’s children on welfare for five years. It costs taxpayers another $360,000 to pay for them if they have a welfare case as well.

When seven of ten black males drop out of high school and they have kids, they can’t pay child support. Taxpayers wind up taking care of their children when they get a welfare case. Moreover, taxpayers wind up taking care of them when they wind up a welfare case.

It costs $120,000 for the college education of a black male. It costs taxpayers $12,000 a year for the Federal Government to take care of a black male who winds up on SSI due to drug abuse, mental illness or alcoholism. It also costs an additional $25,000-$35,000 a year to pay for their aftercare such as drug rehabilition, Mental health counseling, and medication to deal with their various disorders.

When seven out of ten black males drop out of school and wind up addicted to illegal drugs and alcohol, Taxpayers wind up taking care of them with Supplementary Security Income payments because they’re disabled and unable to work. Taxpayers also pay for medical care for these brothers such as drug rehab and mental health counseling with Medicaid.

It costs $120,000 for the college education of a black male. It costs taxpayers $60,000 a year to house a black male in section 8 housing for five years.

When seven out of ten black males drop out of school and are unable to find jobs that pay a living wage it’s up to taxpayers to cover the costs of their Section 8 Vouchers so they can have a place to stay.

It costs $120,000 for the college education of a black male. It costs taxpayers $5,000-$10,000 a year to pay for a single black male on Food Stamps.

When seven out of ten black males drop out of school and are unable to find jobs that pay a living wage it’s up to taxpayers to cover the costs of Food Stamps so they can have food to eat.

It costs $120,000 for the college education of a black male. It costs taxpayers $10,000 a year to pay for the basic health care costs of a black male on Medicaid.

When seven out of ten black males drop out of school and are unable to receive health care at a place of employment, it’s up to taxpayers to fund their health insurance through Medicaid or other government funded programs.

It costs $120,000 for the college education of a black male. It costs taxpayers $70,000 a person to take care of a black male in need of homeless services.

When seven out of ten black males drop out of school and fall into extreme poverty, it’s up to taxpayers churches, and the community to help support them until they get back on their feet.

Some brothers get a few of these benefits. Many get all of them. Add up the costs of black males who drop out of school receiving a combination of government benefits over the course of five, ten or fifteen years and the loss to society is astronomical. Instead of these brothers paying taxes into the system, they’re taking money out of it. Instead of them bringing money into the black community’s economy, revenues are stagnant in communities of color. The poverty black male dropouts remain in cost all of America billions of dollars a year.

Imagine if those seven brothers who dropped out of school finished college and got jobs or started small businesses. They’d be bringing billions of dollars in revenue into the black community. They’d be improving the quality of life for all brothers and sisters and helping to rebuild the economic base for the entire black community.

Long-term the entire black community suffers as brothers, fathers, and sons don’t discover their talents and actualize their potential. When black males don’t graduate, the community loses potential doctors, lawyers, police officers, scientists, and other professionals who could contribute to improving the quality of life in Black America.