New York Times experts answer readers’ questions about the latest Raj Chetty study:

‘When I See Racial Disparities, I See Racism.’ Discussing Race, Gender and Mobility

… Michael Sundel, Falls Church, Va.:

Why is racism the only explanation for this phenomenon? Perhaps something happens to black boys while they are growing up that makes them less capable of succeeding in the U.S. economy. For instance, maybe cultural forces cause black boys — but not black girls — to focus on activities that leave them with poorer time management skills than those that boys of other races are developing. So, why do the authors take the easy way out and blame amorphous racism instead of exploring more subtle explanations that do not make the situation seem hopeless?

Ibram X. Kendi, History and international relations professor, American University, and director, The Antiracist Research and Policy Center:

Actually, the easy way out is to say there must be something wrong with these black boys. It is the easy way out that Americans have historically taken in trying to explain racial disparities in our society since the founding of the United States. Either there is something wrong with our policies, or there is something wrong with black boys (or black people). Either the United States is riddled with racist policies or inferior black boys. We have all sorts of evidence of racist policies. Where is the evidence that black boys as a group have “poorer time management skills” than white boys as a group? Personal observations of individual behavior is not evidence of group behavior. Racist ideas of black inferiority is the easy way out.