Eric Bennett is a four-year-old who lives in a predominantly Negro housing project in Detroit. His mother supports four sons on $198 a month in alimony and relief. Some of his playmates have never seen crayons, children's books, raw carrots or dogs (barred in the project). Many of them rarely see their fathers; others see too much of them because the men are jobless. Society has a way of dealing with boys like Eric. Sooner or later, they take an IQ test, get labeled "stupid." and quit school. The tests reflect "cultural" knowledge—things like dogs, crayons and fathers.
Last week Detroit had...
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