Who Will Teach the Children?
 

Education has been a determining factor for people of color. As a result, we have careers and steadily climbing incomes. Much like many of you, I’m proud of my educational and professional pursuits. However, this morning I had to have my oil changed. I drove my car to the local dealership and watched the guy spend ten minutes draining oil and then replenishing it. The fee was $45.00! It dawned on me that I know little about mechanics. I’ve never had the opportunity to learn to change oil which seemingly is very simple. My parents are professionals but I’m sure my father can change oil but he has never offered to teach me. To be honest, I don’t think he has changed oil in his vehicles within the last thirty years. Nonetheless, as I watched the mechanic I pondered who will continue to teach the things that all men should have some knowledge about like changing oil and tires, using a hammer and all the tools that every man once knew how to use. Who will teach me and who will teach the children?

As someone who works in the construction industry, I see the trend through all of the races. I think I have yet to see an African American who is a professional licenced plumber. The trades are dying out. It's moving toward educated fields and away from hands-on, sweat and get dirty work. There is a shortage of plumbers, electricians, masons, etc, and it does not look promising for the future.

Bro. Professor,
Your insight shows the true interdependency of family and kinship. No matter how high we rise, there is nobility in all work and everyone has intrinsic value. While we all must pull our own load and make our way in this world, there must always be the bigger goal of looking out for our fellow man.



now bruh, as for this tire and oil thing....don't we all learn how to changes tires and oil waaaay back-in-the-day? *sigh* once again the Ohio bruhs will have to bail out the NC bruhs. :) Maybe we can find a tutorial or somthing. lol

i need a class
 

LLLLLOOOLLLLL - frat, i can change a tire but have not had to in ten or more years but i'm sure if can figure that out. now i would need a class to change oil.

Professor, I can give you a tutorial in changing tires, but the oil...TonyB will have your back:p

come on now, i can change a tire but how many folk can change oil that are in our age group

said tutorial...
 

How To Do It:

Run your car until the engine is totally warmed. Park on the level. To unscrew the sump plug you may have to jack-up the vehicle. With some models you can simply crawl underneath. (Make sure the car is secure before you get underneath it.)

Unscew the oil filler cap on top of the engine. This helps the oil come out better.

Unscrew the oil sump plug under the engine and let the hot old oil flow into your container. Be careful you don't get burnt.

Leave the oil to drain for a while.

Meanwhile unscrew the old oil filter and fit the new one.

Now screw back the oil sump plug securely. Pour the new oil in through the oil filler and screw back the oil filler cap. Be careful to put the right amount of oil in. Do not overfill.

Clear away your tools and the old oil and start the engine. Let it run for a few minutes and check for leaks at the oil filter and oil sump plug.


...Now, if this is your wife's/girlfriend's car, after you finish go inside shower, and stretch really well because most likely homegirl is ABOUT TO PUT IT ON YOU!!!!

(Ohio bruhs don't have to fool with the oil change biz to get this attention, but, hey, I'm just looking out for my NC bruhs, is all :) )

simple
 

yea its simple - - - now that i have witnessed the process and received your instructions i wonder if i will make time to give it a try.

frat - - - if i $%^& up my car i'm holding you liable - lol

LLLLLOOOLLLLLL ....and there is always Jiffy Lube, too. But then you are on your own on the wife/girlfriend thing. :D

TonyB,

Lubs you like a play cousin, but leave my home state out of this! :mad:

Anyway. . .I work at a community college, and we offer apprenticeship courses for air conditioning, plumbing, pool screening/maintenance, etc. We do have a few Black students in the AC program, but I don't think there are any in the plumbing program. Our auto mechanics program is at another campus, and there are quite a few of "us" that inquire about that program. My friend's son is enrolled in the AC program, because he realized that living in Florida, there will always be someone that needs his services.

Who will teach us? I think, using myself as an example, until we really want to learn how to do something, we're not going to do it - we'll continue to pay someone else to do it for us until we get sick and tired of paying someone else. But if we're not willing to learn, then we don't need to complain about it (and Professor, I'm not talking about you paying $45.00 for an oil change, 'cause I woulda complained about that price too!).

Men aren't the only ones who need to be self-sufficient. Unless you're using "man/men" as male-centered language for people. :(

I admit I was tickled when I read your post. I think you're attributing not having been taught about cars to something larger. Positive parent-child interaction maybe? Well, if your parents spent time teaching you various things and passing general cultural capital to you (and perhaps wealth and their social networks), not being taught things like oil change is the least of your worries. ;)

But busy parents plus different skills these parents have will result in children not being taught how to cut the hedges and so forth. And sometimes parents possess the time and skills but are generally disinterested. They figure you can pay someone to do those things like they pay someone. I know my educator parents taught us car and home maintenance stuff but I have the attention span of a puppy for such things.

The trend you're noticing isn't just about people being taught, though. Many blue collar people come from blue collar families. Either they learn the trade in the family, in trade schools, or elsewhere. If there is indeed an overall change that you're observing, that's probably more about economic shifts. Just like what happened with de-industrialization and the shift to a service economy.

Other than that there will always be enough people to fill the roles of plumbers and electricians. With disproportionate poverty and inequality in education, there really isn't a shift to the field of education and away from blue collar jobs for most people in the lower middle to lower classes and minorities. If you're not seeing these people in these positions, that's mostly about discrimination in the labor market that keeps these jobs from being "stolen by the affirmative action crowd."

Thank You!!!!
 

Well stated - thank you for your insight!!!!!