Who is raising America's children? Mentor warns kids are seeking role models online as communities fade

The question of who is raising America’s children highlights concerns that fewer in-person mentors are pushing young people to seek guidance online. King Randall, founder of The X for Boys and the Life Preparatory School in Albany, Georgia, warns that the decline of community “village” involvement leaves children vulnerable to harmful influences. He argues the issue goes beyond fatherlessness, saying technology and social media can fill gaps left by absent role models. Randall says parents sometimes use phones and tablets as “pacifiers,” which he describes as ultimately losing the child. He also links kids’ desire for validation to exploitation by social media personalities, gangs, and rappers. His program uses real-world lessons—such as grocery stores, doctors’ offices, and even the dump—rather than classroom instruction.