‘The best examples for disaffected black youngsters are other black people who have made their way in society because they have a far better understanding of the pressures in these communities." How are black youths represented today and are these representations accurate? with specific reference to Coach Carter.

How are black youths represented today & are these representations accurate? Making particular reference to Coach Carter.

(keywords- representation, today and accurate)

Intro- mention today’ society- ASBO’s
· Newspaper stories- ‘lack of leadership’ young black teens needed positive support
· Synopsis.

Paragraph 1:
Representations today
· Newspaper articles. Lack of positive role models and fathers.
‘by other trends within black communities, such as lack of father involvement and the lack of positive role models, and the presence of powerful alternative negative role models in media and popular culture".
· Gangs/ going to prison.
· Films coach carter in particular reference to the character cruz. Look at the mis- en scene.
· Coach carter as an educational role model.

Paragraph 2:
Historical representations
· Intro to boyz n the hood.
· Quotes.
· Comparison to coach carter and furious styles.
· Teen movies: American youth on screen by timothy shary.
· Refer to second historical text ‘menace in society’
Caine: My father sold dope and my mother was a heroin addict. Moms and Pops were real popular in the neighborhood. They would always be giving parties for friends of theirs who just got out of jail or was on their way to jail. They only got married 'cause I was born. My pop sometimes worked as an electrician or a cab driver or a plumber, but his main job was selling drugs. Sometimes Mom would use 'em all up before he could even sell 'em. Then he'd have to beat her up. Growing up with parents like that, I heard a lot and I saw a lot. I caught on to the criminal life real quick. Instead of keeping me out of trouble, they turned me on to it.



Paragraph 3:
Change how & why.

· Clark University professor Timothy Shary has published a book about teen movies. the book is called 'teen movies: american youth on screen.According to Shary, recent films have addressed serious youth issues like never before - a trend he hopes will continue. “Coach Carter,” “Mysterious Skin” and “The Ballad of Jack and Rose,” all released in 2005, tackled such topics as the value of education among athletes,“These are films that show young people confronting issues about race, religion, body image, romance, drugs, parents, friends, sex, sexual preference and crime, and they explore these issues with a mature attitude while still allowing their characters to explore their youth,”
·Sir Trevor MacDonald- contradict article about the lack of role models in the media.


Paragraph 4:
So are these representations accurate?

· Stan Cohen was the first theorist to address this prejudice towards the teen, his study of the Mods and Rockers in the 1960’s, led to the infamous ‘Folk Devils and Morale Panic’ theory. Cohen believed that young teens were presented in an unfair, negative way, and he perceived this societal indifference towards the teen and the government’s failure at controlling them, as "a condition, episode, person or group of persons [who] become defined as a threat to societal values and interests."

Paragraph 5:
Conclusion