Reuters posted an article about the out-of-control murder rate in New Orleans.  The city has already recorded 27 violent deaths this year.  I was a bit confused by the way the article ended:

A recent murder encapsulated the difficulties. After a 17-year-old was beaten up, his mother gave him a gun and told him to get revenge, and he killed the boy he fought with.

When police went to his home to investigate, they found the mother with cocaine and a family photo on display of the son with a gun in one hand and a fistful of cash in the other.

“For us to correct this, we have to look at the root of the problem. The root of the problem is our education system,” Police Superintendent Warren Riley said in an interview.

I don’t know.  I am reluctant to believe that poor schooling was the primary cause of this particular shooting.  I’ll list the following reasons ahead of an undoubtedly horrible school system:

1. The shooter’s mother is a druggie.

2. There is no mention of a father.

3. Guns and wads of cash are seen as accessories that bring tears of pride to a druggie mother’s eyes.

The root of the problem was a breakdown in the value of family and a sense of responsibilty.  That root took hold years before this revenge shooting ever took place.

The public school system is certainly broken, especially in urban areas that primarily serve minority students.  Having a school that provides a safe and challenging learning environment for its students will make a difference in turning the violent tide.  However, these changes will be essentially negated if mama pleads with you to pose for just one more picture holding your piece and money earned from illegal activity.