With the recent administering of the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT) and the subsequent boycotts under the leadership of some of the state's African American activists, minority youth are once again being encouraged to rebel against raising their achievement standards to level the playing field with their White peers in attaining educational and career goals. These actions need to be halted immediately.

Unless you have been buried in your private cocoon, you should be aware that some community leaders and legislators, including, many Black clergy and politicians, have decided to wage a boycott against some of Florida's industries in order to protest the results of the FCAT. Boycotts against major theme parks, the citrus industry and the state lottery system are being encouraged. According to statistics furnished by Florida officials, more than 43,000 third graders failed the test. Equally disturbing was the fact that close to 13,000 seniors would not graduate with their class because of failed exams.

The actions of the protesters were second only to the dismal test results. They encouraged the students to leave the classroom (the scene of underachievement) and take to the streets in an effort to push Florida's governor, Jeb Bush, to let these non?qualifying seniors receive their diplomas. Their organizing efforts were successful in that they managed to gather 2500 students and parents to rally outside of the governor's Miami Office. Sadly, the students who could benefit from extended classroom time were actually being pulled away from school. Can't you just hear there rallying cry, "Hey, we can't pass the FCAT ? let's go boycott!"

According to the Miami Herald, forty percent of the 13,000 seniors that failed the FCAT have not accumulated enough credits to graduate. So now we have students, with limited reading, writing and mathematical abilities, being told that they don't need to be in school because they need to hold rallies. If you've ever heard the expression, "the dumbing down of minority youth," this is "dumbing down" at its finest. And let's not overlook the parental roles in all of this. When was the last time those street-rallying parents attended a PTA meeting or an individually scheduled parent?teacher to discuss their child's progress, or lack thereof? Were these parents involved in their child's academic life to the point that they knew that the classes their child was taking in their sophomore and junior years were insufficient to produce enough completed credits for on?time graduation? When report cards revealed sub-par grades, did the parents seek tutoring programs to strengthen skills? Did they enroll their children in any of the FCAT preparatory sessions to build confidence in test?taking procedures? Doubtful!

That brings me to the point of our community leaders and the myths that they continue to perpetuate relating to how our minority youth, primarily Black and Hispanic, cannot compete with White youth because the tests are culturally biased. Although life experiences may factor into the interpretation of some of the questions on the FCAT, please explain to me how the solution to a math problem can be culturally biased. Are these protesting community leaders developing and implementing after-school and weekend programs that will expose minority youth to activities foreign to their everyday routines? Are professionals visiting the schools and, with the assistance of teachers and administrators, developing lunchtime seminars that demonstrate role models and images that are often nonexistent in the homes? Boycotting Florida industries can only add to existing problems and the lack of much needed co curricular and extracurricular activities since these very industries provide direct and Indirect supplemental funding for educational purposes.

It is time for real accountability in America. Our educational system, along with our parents and community, must begin to assume responsibility for the process that has customarily promoted a large percentage of our youth to the next grade. It is far too routine to move individuals to the next grade when they are unprepared to master a higher level. Let's examine how we can help the children who have failed rather then making excuses for why they did so. The problems in Florida are only one small part of a national trend. The Washington Post recently reported, "Legislators and educators in a growing number of states, including Nevada, Florida, Massachusetts, California and North Carolina, are facing pressure to delay or scrap the tests because of the number of students who are failing them."

I don't believe that lowering the bar will make it any easier for minority students to compete. Tests are a part of life, so we need to continue to raise the bar, not lower it. In my opinion, we need to motivate our children ? from pre?school through high school ? to compile the basic skills needed for graduation. If the FCAT results are a wake?up call for our parents and youth, then the FCAT is serving a purpose. Something needs to change with the manner in which our young people are learning. The system is flawed but the foundation has been laid to begin the process of searching for better alternatives. My mother always told me. "If change doesn't happen ?? create it!"

Our community activists, parents and educators can all benefit from an attitude adjustment. We need to eradicate the VICTIM MENTALITY by immediately changing existing adult behaviors. Let's stop ignoring the problems, denying our role in the failures and, above all, blaming someone else. The ACCOUNTABILITY MENTALITY can be established when we recognize the problem, develop strategies to redirect outcomes and accept ownership for the failures. Once we accept ownership of our failures in the education of our youth, we can begin asking the proper questions to solve problems instead of shifting blame. Only then will we change the results.

Other statistics reported in the Miami Herald revealed that less than half of Black fourth graders and just over half of Hispanic fourth graders are reading at grade level. Still, the 41 percent of Black fourth graders who read at grade level this year are up from 23 percent in 1998. For Hispanic students, the numbers have increased from 38 percent to 51 percent. Perhaps some of these fourth graders will have caught up by their senior year but many others will still be reading below grade level. The numbers are rising though not great enough or fast enough. Therefore, the requirements for graduation in Florida need to change. To have one determining factor as a pass or fail is harsh; however, to have 13,000 seniors in the state of Florida that can't pass a basic test is even harsher.

Sending our children to school and expecting the educational system to totally be the sole contributor so our youth could accomplish everything that we want is a dream. We need additional help from the community, parents, and programs that are already in place. The State NAACP Units took the position that is challenging having the FCAT as the sole indicator to determine the entire academic fate of students. But locally, I agree with the posture of our Fort Lauderdale Branch NAACP. This unit of the NAACP came out in a proactive and creative position. They didn’t sign on or support the concept of a boycott, rather they created supportive programs to encourage our youth to raise their academic standards. They rolled up their sleeves and provided assistance to needy high school seniors and early testers through their Youth Literacy initiative by creating their very own “FCAT Academy.” This type of community support falls in line with the entire process to ensure all our youth are ready, willing and able to learn. William McCormick, President of the Ft. Lauderdale Branch NAACP and his education committee have done an excellent job with this FCAT academy. Let's locate the initiatives that are working and support them. By doing so, we in turn support the educational system. President George W. Bush's administration's "No Child Left Behind" initiative can then truly have meaning for the children of Florida.

Sending students to the street to boycott and enabling them to develop excuses for poor performance is a disgrace. Those students who failed the FCAT still have opportunities to pass the test. I encourage them to find the programs that can help them and then come back stronger. I have never heard of anyone who failed in high school and then failed in life unless, of course, it was by his or her choice. It is my belief that these young people will learn from this and understand that life has many challenges. Their success or failure will be defined by how they respond to this challenge, not by boycotting but by understanding that they have more work to do with their education. Turning this situation into a learning experience will guarantee that they soar, if they dare!

One cannot overlook the thousands of minority youth in Florida who did pass the test. In my travels across the country, many youth have expressed to me that they wish to apply themselves and not blame their environment, their upbringing or their educators. These are the students who will succeed in life, in spite of the obstacles. Blacks and Hispanics can compete with other students in America and our activists need to stop playing "the race card" every time someone makes bad decisions. Yes, we have racial issues in this country, but when one makes bad decisions, recognize it for what it is. Bad choices!! I am weary of hearing that some kids of color can't learn. This type of thinking is generating disservice to the many kids of color who are proving they can.

I had the recent pleasure of being the keynote speaker for the Sumner Transition Program (School to Career) in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Sixty?eight seniors were graduating from this four-year after school program The program helps disadvantaged youth prepare for higher education and the work environment. Because of limited funding received from Work Force One, the program can only assist in preparing 68 students per year. After four years in the program, 62 of the 68 so?called "disadvantaged youth" passed the FCAT. The six remaining students did not blame any malfunction in the educational system, they did not blame their low?income family environment, they did not blame the color of their skin. What they expressed was their willingness to take the test again and try to pass it during the summer. Now that's accountability!

The Summer Transition Program, under the leadership of Davette A. Conner, proves that minority youth with limited resources at home can learn and excel at a pace on par (or better) than most students. All it takes is a great after?school program to create additional opportunities for success. Minority youth can compete and they can do it if they choose to.

I left that audience with the same message that I leave with all of my audiences, be they college students or corporate executives ? my mantra: "If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done."

The author, James Amps III, is a nationally renowned motivational speaker. His Web site is www.jamesamps.com. You can contact him via e-mail: ampscomm@msn.com