Spending Cultural Capital-a balancing act for minority students

Carter writes that there are two types of cultural capital:  dominant cultural capital which is "a resource that can eventually yield some economic and social returns.  It constitutes the cultural knowledge and skills of high-status racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups"(oage 49), and nondominant cultural capital, which  is any resource "used by lower status group members to gain authentic cultural status positions in their respective communities"(page 50).  Carter writes that black students can possess dominant cultural capital, nondominant cultural capital, or both.  She refers to students who have dominant cultural capital as "cultural mainstreamers".  These students emulate those in the culture of power, and are most susceptible to being ridiculed by peers for acting white.  She refers to students who have nondominant cultural capital as "noncompliant believers".  These students do not conform to teachers expectations regarding music, dress, physical gestures, etc, but on the other hand are viewed as "keeping it real" by their black peers.  The most successful students in terms of being accepted inside (by teachers) and outside (by peers and family members )of school, are those Carter terms "cultural straddlers".  These students are more likely to be successful  academically (and later in the workplace) while maintaining their cultural identity.  They are better able to balance the capital they earn and spend between both arenas. 
There are obvious parallels to Delpit here.  But with this reading, I was thinking much more about the responsibility of society, the teacher, and the minority student as far as balancing dominant and nondominant cultural capital.  It's a reality that a culture of power exists, but should that simply be accepted?  Is the culture just too heavy and widespread to lift, no matter what we do?  How sad is it that teachers have to clue black students into how the culture of power works, rather than try and change it?  Carter suggests that teachers, and schools in general, should be more open-minded when it comes to those students who are "keeping it real"; we should be less judgmental of how a student looks and acts, and instead challenge them with high expectations.  From page 72, Carter writes, "until educators grasp the value and functions of black and other nondominant forms of cultural capital, they will continue to have difficulty in engaging many African American students."  But does she mean we should ignore teaching the black students about the culture of power?  That can't be the case, because we'd be setting them up for future failure, right?  And what about the students?  The majority of the cultural straddlers Carter interviewed were older kids already in the workforce.  These kids figured out how to balance their cultural capital as they experienced prejudice in their lives as young adults.  So, are we to put that burden on young black students who may simply be too immature to take this on?  I think it's too much to ask.  Will these kids be performing balancing acts for the rest of their lives?  Even if schools abolish tracking systems that keep minorities from having a chance at social mobility (from Kozol), what happens when they reach the real world?   Help me out Corey.There are a ton of initiatives out there to prevent kids from wearing saggy pants.  I came across a bunch, this one is pretty original:  Pull Up Yo Pants

GK