Disparities in Education of Minorities in the United States

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The problem of educational disparities among various ethno-racial groups that make up the United States has been a long studied topic. Theories have ranged widely in what they consider as the primary factors for these disparities. Biological and individualist perspectives have cited inherent genetic inferiorities as the cause of these disparities. Others have taken into account social forces but have maintained that the cause is due to the creation of a culture of subordination and poverty that does not allow social advancement. Still others have tended to focus on systemic inequalities and on the roles of prejudice and discrimination (Sidanius et al, 1998).

This paper will attempt to frame the issue of educational disparities among marginalized minorities through the idea of “social dominance theory,” which states that social systems and structures are arranged hierarchically to benefit the dominant group and in turn create low-status among others (Sindanius et al, 1998). I will then more specifically look into the role of cultural mismatch between a student’s home culture and the cultural ideals that are embedded in the educational system. These cultural discontinuities affect minority students’ identities during this crucial period of development. From there, I will turn the focus to highlighting some possible solutions and alternatives to this problem of cultural mismatch and oppositional identity. These solutions will focus on the role of reclaiming education as a part of student’s home culture as well as the educational system’s role in recognizing and accommodating to these differences.

In order to understand the relationship between marginalized minorities and the educational system, it is importan...

... middle of paper ...

...d motivation. Psychological Review 98:224-53

Moll LC. 1992. Literacy research in community and classrooms: a sociocultural approach. In Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Literacy Research, ed. R Beach, JL Green, ML Kamil, T Shanahan, pp. 211-44. Urbana, IL: Natl. Counc. Teach. Engl.

Oyserman, D., Grant, L., and Ager, J. (1995). A socially contextualized model of African American identity: Possible selves and school persistence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69 (6), 1216-1232

Sidanius, J., Levin, S., & Pratto, F. Hierarchical group relations, institutional terror and the dynamics of the criminal justice system. Racism: The Problem and the Response, Sage Publications, 1998, 136-165.

Tatum, B.D. (1997). “Why are all the Black kids sitting together at the cafeteria? And other conversations about race.” (pp. 52-90). New York: Basic Books

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