Exploring the Reasons for Differences in Educational Achievement Between Different Ethnic Groups

Introduction Racial discrimination is a real problem in American schools where African American students are segregated and their rights violated in many ways. Racial discrimination is especially advanced in public schools where majority of the students are colored. In these institutions, the government has failed to offer credible support thus subjecting them to serious problems making the learning process close to impossible (Blank et al, p.108). The departments of justice and education have admitted that serious problems are experienced by school going children in most of the American schools. Positive policies on discipline are being put into measure as a way of reducing the cases of racial discrimination as it affects learning of students negatively and eventually leads to failure of the students.

The Effect of Racism in Schools on Education I recent years there have been considerable interest in the educational performance of ethnic minorities. A number of studies have been carried on this issue, a common example is the government - sponsored Swann Committee report Education for all. This report carries out research on different aspect on educational performance, and one aspect that stands out form all is, racism in school. Although the precise findings of studies have varied, most have found that, overall, ethnic minorities (blacks, Asians and other nationalities) tend to do less well than other members in the population. The Swann report found important differences between ethnic minorities' children and white children.

The achievement gap is defined as the disparity between the performance groups of students, especially groups defined by gender, race/ethnicity, ability and socio-economic status. The achievement gap can be observed through a variety of measures including standardized test scores, grade point averages, drop out rates, college enrollment and completion rates. The Black-White achievement gap is a critical issue in modern society’s education system. Although data surrounding the issue clearly indicates that the racial performance gap exists in areas of standardized tests, graduation rates, dropout rates, and enrollment in continuing education, the causative reasons for the gap are ambiguous—therefore presenting a significant challenge in regard to the most effective way to close the gap. The gap appears before children enter kindergarten and it persists into adulthood (Jencks 1998).

What remains certain is the urgent need to explain what accounts for the persistent academic underachievement of Black students. One widely held explanation for the achievement gap in test performance between Black and White students is that the tests are either culturally or racially biased. Jencks (1998) points out three types of biases... ... middle of paper ... ...lantic Monthly, 68-78. Steele, C. (1997). A threat in the air: How stereotypes shape intellectual identity and performance.

Racial segregation in schools is strongly linked to segregation by class, almost ninety percent of the student body, primarily black and Latino, is at an economic disadvantage (Segregation Today)—this is physically and mentally harming our students. Tozer introduces the concept of Pluralism which means valuing and maintaining cultural and linguistic differences within a society. Where has the respect gone? So what if children misbehave, they are kids they will act up, it is the responsibility of the teacher to discipline her class. As I have mentioned earlier, children, especially those of the black community, need to be respected before they can respect.

Those children had trouble developing self-esteem and self-worth because the society around them saw them as uneducated and unintelligent. The concept of “veneer” means to cover something to improve its appearance. The advertisement implied that the African-American children showed excitement when one child covers

How effective are the standards of Education towards young Black males? Education has proven to be more challenging to African-American males all across schools. In regards to David E. Kirkland’s article, “Focus on Policy,” the current standards movement in English language arts (ELA) is distracting in the perspectives of the young African-American males. The ELA system fails to consider how Black males live and learn. Furthermore, this movement especially affects the engagement of English that Black people are struggling from.

We saw this in the 1960s; poor African Americans performed inadequately in school because they were culturally or linguistically deprived. Not only is race a determining factor in the social reproduction of inequality, but it is a combination of how facets of our identity intersect with changing values and norms of our society.

They have argued that minority children are more or less forced to receive their education in a learning environment that is culturally or linguistically different from what they are use to. It has been reported that minority children have difficulty acquiring the content and style of learning that is required to master the curriculum materials and teaching methods used in school. Some prerequisites for understanding why some minority students do well in school because minorities are classified into three types: autonomous, immigrant, and involuntary or castelike. Autonomous minorities such as the Jews and the Mormons in the United States are minorities primarily in a numerical sense. They are victims of prejudice and pillory but not of stratification.

Dr. Mubenga also underlines the theory that "the legacy of slavery and poverty has a negative impact on the African American’s mind. These strains are so strong that they are passed on through centuries to the younger generation" (Mubenga 9). Mubenga’s work unveiled the idea that the most prominent social disadvantage of African Americans can be seen in education and academic achievement. It demonstrated how the concentration of African Americans in historically poverty-stricken areas contributes to a failing educational system. In addition, Dr. Mubenga’s essay made known to me the idea that because African American students are disadvantaged in schools, they shift their priorities away from education.