There is an air of desperation in the recent suggestion by the Concerned Citizens of Rome that same-sex classes be created for black students in the fourth-, fifth- and sixth grades. The propsal is well meant, and hopes to deal with a very real problem, but may entirely miss the root causes.

The Rev. Cary Ingram is absolutely correct in declaring "We have failed miserably in bringing up our young African-American males," both in this community, the state and the nation. "When we lose these kinds of men we all suffer because of it." It is indeed a problem that must be addressed and has festered for far too long.

Ingram has asked the Rome Board of Education to consider a pilot program, lasting for three years and beginning in 2003, to create a "boys academy" for grades 4, 5 and 6 at Anna K. Davie Elementary, a "girls academy" for the same grades at either North Heights or Main elementaries, and a center for both gifted and special-needs children at the present Southeast Elementary.

Ingram contends such a division would allow each of the sexes to be educated with different emphasis, a better chance for long-term success and a lowered risk of explosion or otherwise getting into trouble. While there are some studies indicating a benefit from such a policy, and the Bush administration has recently been supportive of it - although without the local emphasis on separating the races as well as the sexes - there is no evidence that such a relatively revolutionary approach would yield revolutionary result.

Unfortunately, what public education appears to require is revolutionary change, at least in the caliber of graduates, rather than tinkering of this sort.

The outline by the Concerned Citizens stated:

It is our belief that African-American boys, grades four, five and six, are at an age and place in life where they need to be trained in a positive environment which strengthens their personal identity and their worth.

This appears to be little more than a variation of the old "send them to military school" approach that upper-class white families once used to try to deal with their "unruly" younger males.

It is also a reflection of a piece-meal approach that is not suitable, even within the confines of a single community. What about Caucasian and Hispanic American boys? And what is being said sub rosa here ... that being in the presence of 10-year-old girls is so distracting to little boys that, like Adam before them, they risk being tempted into folly? And having single-sex classes for girls as well seems like an afterthought forced by the fact that taking the boys away would, of course, leave the young ladies in social isolation as well.

Beside the obvious implications of regression back toward some sort of "separate but equal" educational system, particularly troubling when the notion originates from within the black community itself, the really disturbing element is the continuing belief that it is somehow the responsibility of the public school to "fix" what is wrong with society.

Certainly, schools are a major component in what shapes our young people but they are hardly the only one and, under many circumstances, not even the biggest one.

The world in which young black males find themselves - and other males and females of other skin tone, including white, find themselves - that results in the "odds being stacked against them" can have as much to do with dysfunctional families, with poverty, with peer presure, with popular culture romanticising negative personal attributes and so forth.

To the extent that Concerned Citizens and other groups are helping to force a discussion of alternative approaches, such bringing of the issue to the fore is a good thing. To the extent that such seeking for instant "miracle" solutions diverts the community as a whole from the true task at hand it is a bad thing. It is society that has the problems, not the schools, and that recognition must be put into sharp focus. The schools only can reflect what they are being given to work with.

Improving educational achievement and standards can certainly have a positive impact on other fundamentals creating the general trouble: family stability, better jobs and so forth. Even so, this would be a process that will take decades in order to reshape generations. There is no "quick fix" to be found in gimmicks such as single-sex classes, or putting kids into uniforms, or year-round schools. They may or may not contribute to a positive outcome somewhere much further down the road.

However, to actually achieve a "turnaround" in the many things that continue to plague our society will require an awareness that a counterattack must be along a broad front, not in a single trench.

Do the schools need to consider innovative action? Of course. But so do the local, state and even national governments. So must the chamber of commerce and existing industry. So must the many social-service agencies, public and private.

Most of all, there has to be an awareness that this is not "their" problem, no matter who "they" might be, but rather our problem. Until that happens somewhat fringe ideas such as single-sex classes for black males - who are far from being the entire problem - will continue to divert attention from what really needs doing.

There are going to be no fast and simple answers to any of this. Only a lot of hard work, tough decisions and a lot of cooperation and energy will hold promise of reaching a better outcome than now exists. Until that happens, concepts such as this latest one will only provide distractions and keep us all from facing what is, indeed, a very difficult issue.