Dictating Respect

The Conservative's prospective parliamentary candidate for Hammersmith, Shaun Bailey, makes some good points in the Independent on Sunday about Thursday's Reach report, which proposed setting up a structured national role model programme for black boys:

The problems that affect our young people go way deeper than just providing positive role models, although this could be a helpful step. We need to relearn what the parental and family role should be, and not rely on an ever-growing state that has shown it cannot answer the problems affecting many families. If you know children who are doing well, I bet you see parents who are involved with them, set a good example and take a leading role in their lives.

I would hate it to be thought that these are problems facing the black community exclusively. They are rife in the white community, too. If you think I'm wrong, take a look at the rates of sexually transmitted infection among teenagers, or our growing teenage prison population, or the number of children leaving school unable to read. These things are a problem for us all, black or white.

Have a read and let us know what you think.