I suspect in any other context the idea that kids are playing more basketball or doing more art while growing up would be looked at as a huge positive.
However, because a lot of kids from “bad areas” are looked at as criminals by virtue of the place they were born and raised, their playing sports and doing art is looked upon negatively, because they are “not being prepared to work in a modern economy”.
As an aside, Id argue that in a modern economy it’s impossible to prepare kids anyways, because it moves so fast that we don’t know what it will look like by the time they are adults. As a result, a well rounded education, which includes sports and arts is the only way to prepare children for a modern economy, even if we are ignoring the mental and physical health related benefits.
However, because a lot of kids from “bad areas” are looked at as criminals by virtue of the place they were born and raised, their playing sports and doing art is looked upon negatively, because they are “not being prepared to work in a modern economy”.
As an aside, Id argue that in a modern economy it’s impossible to prepare kids anyways, because it moves so fast that we don’t know what it will look like by the time they are adults. As a result, a well rounded education, which includes sports and arts is the only way to prepare children for a modern economy, even if we are ignoring the mental and physical health related benefits.