How does culture affect student learning in a West Philadelphia charter school?

If anyone is interested in how "ghetto" culture affects the potential learning of Black students in one particular charter school I taught at, one can start by reading through the article "Culture as Disability", by Ray McDermott and Herve Varenne. I grew up in a middle class culture. My parents were not very strict with me, and you can guess where this led me regarding my boundries. I found it difficult to modify who I am (for 12 teaching years) in such a way to actively teach and manage inner city students effectively. So, for the past years I struggled as a classroom teacher first, then as a specialist teacher.