Why didn't the author simply ask the parents why they do that? Then maybe he would have learned something instead of publicly requesting payment to experience his own ignorance. Poor black kids come from generations of parents for whom hard work didn't matter or for whom hard work resulted in so much time away from their kids that they couldn't teach their kids much of anything. What progressives want is to break that cycle, so everybody is better off.
Yes, some fraction of individuals can break that cycle without government help, just as some fraction of the working poor can get to their workplace without government help and just as some fraction of kids will make good choices without their parents helping them learn how. Progressives understand that governments can affect society in the same way that parents can affect their children, and progressive policies are meant to increase the fraction of individuals that break the cycle to reduce crime and increase scientific progress faster.
Yes, some fraction of individuals can break that cycle without government help, just as some fraction of the working poor can get to their workplace without government help and just as some fraction of kids will make good choices without their parents helping them learn how. Progressives understand that governments can affect society in the same way that parents can affect their children, and progressive policies are meant to increase the fraction of individuals that break the cycle to reduce crime and increase scientific progress faster.