JUELZ SANTANA SAID IT WRONG, BUT HE WASN’T LYING: OUR KIDS NEED REAL-WORLD MONEY SKILLS NOW

So, Juelz Santana sparked some major debate when he said that kids shouldn’t focus so much on learning to read — instead, they should be taught financial literacy so that by high school, they can start businesses. On the surface, that sounds wild. But, if you dig deeper, there’s something real there.

I don’t think he meant kids don’t need any reading or basic education — more like, the system is letting us undervalue real-world skills. Young people do need both: traditional education and financial literacy.

Why His Point Resonates

1. Schooling Isn’t Everything
   • In Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the four-year graduation rate for the Class of 2023 hit 84%, a record high. (Chalkbeat)
   • But even with more students crossing the finish line, many aren’t finishing college. For CPS graduates, after six years, only around 30–32% complete a bachelor’s or associate degree. (ERIC)
   • And while over half of CPS students are now earning early college or career credentials before graduating, there’s still a mismatch between credentials and long-term stability. (Citizen Newspaper Group)
   It’s like: we’re celebrating diplomas, but are we setting kids up for success after school?
2. The College Path Isn’t a Guarantee
   • Take Chicago State University (CSU) for example. According to reports, CSU has struggled with extremely low graduation rates — reportedly as low as 11% in some years. (Wikipedia)
   • That’s not just a “gap” — it’s a whole canyon. If students go to college without strong support or real-world skills, they may not finish or thrive.
3. Risk Isn’t Just About Crime — It’s About Opportunity
   • Now, I couldn’t find recent, reliable public stats that break down juvenile incarceration rates + young adult crime rates specifically for Chicago in a way that links directly to school dropouts. (If you want, I can dig into crime reports, but the publicly available data is murky and often not age-segmented cleanly.)
   • But what’s important is the idea: when young people don’t see education translating into opportunity, turning to entrepreneurship can feel like a more direct way to build something for themselves — less risk than “falling off a cliff” into the system.
4. Young Entrepreneurs Are Actually Doing the Work
   • According to business stats, the average age for first-time entrepreneurs in the U.S. is around 42 years. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
   • But that doesn’t mean young people aren’t building — in fact, many are. About 30% of startup founders are under 35. (WifiTalents)
   • And even though startups are risky — roughly 65% of new businesses fail within 10 years (ThinkImpact.com) — young people are still trying. That’s powerful. If kids had more financial literacy earlier, they might have better odds, or at least understand the risks and rewards.

So, Where Did Juelz Miss the Mark (and Where Did He Hit It)?

He missed the mark by framing it like reading = not important. That’s a dangerous oversimplification. Literacy is foundational. Without the ability to read, understand contracts, negotiate, do business — you’re starting from behind.

But his heart was right. He was speaking to something real: our education system doesn’t always teach kids how to navigate money, build something for themselves, or think entrepreneurially. That gap is real — and for many Black and brown kids, it’s the difference between generational wealth and generational struggle.

My Take — Balancing the Two Worlds

• We need both literacy and financial education. One does not exclude the other.
• Schools (especially in places like Chicago) should double down on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and real career skills, not just test prep.
• Communities and families should encourage young people to see business-building as a valid path — not just a side dream, but a serious way to create their future.
• Policy wise, we should push for curriculum changes that integrate money-skills early, not wait until high school or college.

Why This Matters for Us — Especially Black Girls

• As a Black girl, hearing someone like Juelz (with his flaws) say “Put money first” feels like an invitation: build something for yourself.
• Financial literacy isn’t just about money — it’s about power. Teaching kids to read and understand money is teaching them to control their destiny.
• When we normalize entrepreneurship and financial education alongside traditional school, we’re not just preparing kids for a job — we’re preparing them to create. That’s legacy-building.