<p>I live in a community in the U.S. of 100,000 souls, ninety percent of whom are black (of African descent but people here do not self-identify as AA) and ten percent of whom are “other” (hispanic, asian, white). Schools here are dreadful: not enough teachers, teachers teaching subjects they are unqualified to teach, insufficient numbers of text books, corporal punishment, deplorable physical facilities, etc. Nevertheless, every year some students who have been educated under these wretched conditions attend universities, and every year a few attend elite universities. The students who achieve academic success almost never return home to live after earning their degrees, because there are few opportunities here for accomplished individuals. The students who do not attend universities tend to have low paying jobs, live in government housing, create children they can’t afford to rear, and perpetuate the cycle that has made their lives miserable. The successful students have one thing in common: effective parenting. Effective parenting can overcome lousy schools; I see it every day. In my experience schools can not become excellent if they have to overcome ineffective parenting, as ineffective parenting is simply too great an influence. For most people in my community, effective parenting is the only means by which they can rise above the circumstances of their birth.</p>