In examining why so many families and schools do not educate their students to an appropriate level of competence, there are multiple explanations. Racial discrimination cripples the psyches of many young children resulting in low self-esteem, a damaged ego, a great amount of repressed anger, and other emotional defects and disorders. The absence of the male from the family and his inability to contribute to its upkeep are the most important reasons why so many minority youngsters are growing up in households mired in poverty. The combined inputs of race, poverty, single parenthood, adverse neighborhoods and distorted values contribute a great deal to the malfunctioning of the local school. Many minority young people come to view school as an institution aimed at keeping them in their place at the periphery of society, eligible only for the least demanding and rewarding jobs. Major problems facing young people today are teenage pregnancy, dropping out of school, the use of alcohol and crack, drunk driving, and homicide among black males. Prevention measures for these issues include better contraception and abortion procedures, the development of alternate schools, and the improvement of inner-city schools.