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Essay on Education Inequality in America
Cognitive effects of racism
Essay on Education Inequality in America
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In the figure presented above shows the ethnic groups who get suspended the most. It is evident from the graph that out of all the people receiving out of school suspensions, 20% are black male students. Meanwhile, White male counterparts stand at less than 7% This gives rise the feeling of self-hate which Dr. Khalifa notes “Victims of race and class exploitation sometimes grow to mimic the behavior and attitudes of their oppressors, and themselves victimize others of their own group over whom they have power” (Khalifa)” What the author is trying to say here is that because of a constant discrimination felt on a subgroup in the society, the subgroup will feel left out because of their physical limitations and slowly under the scrutiny start to feel inferior. …show more content…
The efforts of desegregation have to be back in order and this means that more adults have to admit their children to schools irrespective of the ethnicity. So, what’s stopping them? A Guest Post in Colorado school grades, a coalition of 18 non-profit community organizations, written by Michael Petrilli, an award-winning writer, and president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, which talks about pros and cons of choosing a diverse school for children might give us an answer. Focusing on the cons, we have the first one which is the child might end up in a school that has less funding and resources which is true as emphasized in the article Desegregation Since the Coleman Report. The next reason was having to take small risks regarding safety and finally, the third being even if the classes were not separated by race, they would be separated by intellect which was again both of which were discussed in “A Crisis of Authority in Predominantly Black Schools?” I.E the concluding that American education system is directly or indirectly involved in the matters of segregation and playing a huge role in discrimination and education
The second is the concern over segregation and the effect it has on society. Mr. Kozol provides his own socially conscious and very informative view of the issues facing the children and educators in this poverty ravaged neighborhood. Those forces controlling public schools, Kozol points out, are the same ones perpetuating inequity and suffering elsewhere; pedagogic styles and shapes may change, but the basic parameters and purposes remain the same: desensitization, selective information, predetermined "options," indoctrination. In theory, the decision should have meant the end of school segregation, but in fact its legacy has proven far more muddled. While the principle of affirmative action under the trendy code word ''diversity'' has brought unparalleled integration into higher education, the military and corporate America, the sort of local school districts that Brown supposedly addressed have rarely become meaningfully integrated. In some respects, the black poor are more hopelessly concentrated in failing urban schools than ever, cut off not only from whites but from the flourishing black middle class. Kozol describes schools run almost like factories or prisons in grim detail. According to Kozol, US Schools are quite quickly becoming functionally segregated. Kozol lists the demographics of a slew of public schools in the states, named after prominent civil rights activists, whose classrooms are upwards of 97% black and Hispanic — in some cases despite being in neighborhoods that are predominantly white. It has been over 50 years since Brown vs. Board of Education. It is sad to read about the state of things today.
The author argues that in order for oppression to be vitally explored, the factors that create oppression must be realized. Oppression gives material advantage to the oppressor. "All social relations have material consequences". The author argues that all identities must be considered interconnected.
Through programs that directly fuel desegregation in schools, our educational systems have become a melting pot of different races, languages, economic status and abilities. Programs have been in place for the past fifty years to bring student that live in school districts that lack quality educational choices, to schools that are capable of providing quality education to all who attend. Typically the trend appears to show that the schools of higher quality are located in suburban areas, leaving children who live in “black” inner-city areas to abandon the failing school systems of their neighborhoods for transportation to these suburban, “white” schools. (Angrist & Lang, 2004)
America demands that all youth receive an education and that its educational system is free and open to all—regardless of class, race, ethnicity, age, and gender. However, the system is failing. There is still inequality in the educational system, and minorities’ experience with education is shaped by discrimination and limited access, while white people’s experience with education is shaped by privilege and access. The educational experience for minorities is still segregated and unequal. This is because the number of white children that are withdrawn from school by their parents is higher than the number of people of color enrolling. White parents are unconsciously practicing the idea of “blockbusting,” where minorities begin to fill up a school; whites transfer their children to a school that has a small or no minority population. They unconsciously feel like once their child is in a school full of minorities that school would not get the proper funding from the federal government. Bonilla-Silvia (2001) states that “[i]nner-city minority schools, in sharp contrast to white suburban schools, lack decent buildings, are over-crowded, [and] have outdated equipment…” (97). The “No Child Left Behind” Act, which holds schools accountable for the progress of their students, measures students’ performance on standardized tests. Most white children that are in suburban schools are given the opportunity to experience education in a beneficial way; they have more access to technology, better teachers, and a safe environment for learning. Hence, white students’ experience with the education system is a positive one that provides knowledge and a path to success. Also, if their standardized testing is low, the government would give the school...
“There is exactly one sentence about why schools should want to discriminate… It reads, ‘When the state’s most elite universities are less diverse, [a school official] said, it doesn’t provide our students with a level of diversity they need in order to learn about other cultures and other communities’…And that’s supposed to outweigh all these costs of discrimination; It is personally unfair, passes over better qualified students, and sets a disturbing legal, political, and moral precedent in allowing racial discrimination.”
The issue of desegregation has been a very controversial issue since it was first legally introduced by the Supreme Court in 1954 with Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, KS. Favoring or not favoring desegregation has not been the issue; almost everyone says they are for it on the surface. The controversy arises when it comes to how to implement desegregation. Immediately following the Brown decision, which advocated school assignment regardless of race, many school districts adopted a geographic school assignment policy. This plan, especially in the 1950's, did very little to do away with segregated schools even though it was a race-neutral policy for integration. From that rocky beginning to desegregation, to the current battles over how best to implement desegregation through mandatory (or voluntary) busing of minorities and whites, this issue has been in the forefront of discussions about race and education. This paper will attempt to give a brief history of desegregation in the United States, followed by a discussion of the current events which surround this issue (with balance given to the viewpoints of both sides), and then offer advice on solutions which most benefit everyone involved.
In the essay “Still Separate, Still Unequal” by Jonathan Kozol, the situation of racial segregation is refurbished with the author’s beliefs that minorities (i.e. African Americans or Hispanics) are being placed in poor conditions while the Caucasian majority is obtaining mi32 the funding. Given this, the author speaks out on a personal viewpoint, coupled with self-gathered statistics, to present a heartfelt argument that statistics give credibility to. Jonathan Kozol is asking for a change in this harmful isolation of students, which would incorporate more funding towards these underdeveloped schools. This calling is directed towards his audience of individuals who are interested in the topic of public education (seeing that this selection is from one of his many novels that focus on education) as well as an understanding of the “Brown v. Board of Education” (1954) case, which ties in to many aspects of the author’s essay. With the application of exemplum, statistics, and emotional appeals, Jonathan Kozol presents a well developed argument.
Today, Americans may not recognize the substantial impact of integration, or at least at times, I don’t. In this way, racism and segregation are combatted. However, some people may still believe in segregation. The importance of integrating children’s education systems was, and still is, pivotal in combatting racism because in school, all children are equal regardless of personal beliefs.
America’s school system and student population remains segregated, by race and class. The inequalities that exist in schools today result from more than just poorly managed schools; they reflect the racial and socioeconomic inequities of society as a whole. Most of the problems with schools boil down to either racism in and outside the school system or financial disparity between wealthy and poor school districts. Because schools receive funding through local property taxes, low-income communities start at an economic disadvantage. Less funding means fewer resources, lower quality instruction and curricula, and little to no community involvement.
Muhammad Ali, a famous boxer, once said, “Hating People because of their color is wrong. And it doesn’t matter which color does the hating. I’s just plain wrong” (Goodreads, 2015). For many centuries, ethnic conflict between the humans have existed immortally due the never changing differences of culture and values, spinning the cycle of war. Fortunately, some have ended however some still remain immortal in the eyes of those who have experience struggle to this date. The lack of awareness of problems in a cultural crisis concerning those who fall victim to a system and society that discriminates and alienates. With assistance of Critical Race Theory, this essay will examine how the role of race with has affected has caused consequences within the lives of marginalized groups within society through the lives and their relationship with those in their communities.
Though, the rule motivation to desegregate neighborhoods is very difficult by a growing ignorance of the nation’s racial history. It must be talked about improving the social and economic conditions that bring too many students to school unprepared to take advantage of what even the best schools have to offer. There is a strong feeling of racial inequality in today's school systems, which harmfully effects the quality of education that its students receive. A schools potential to give an appropriate education often depends on the viewpoint on racial backgrounds of its students. America's school systems seem to be returning to their past state of segregation. There is an unfortunately small number of minority children who are lucky enough to attend such quality schools but white children defiantly make up the majority of upper class high. “All of them, of course, were white, and desegregation was far from their minds” (Margolick
U.S. Department of Education (2014) show that black students are suspended on average of 16.4% compared to white students who are suspended on average of 4.6% of the time (U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, 2014). Not only are the suspensions disproportionate but arrests have proven to be the same way. In the same study black students represent approximately 16% of the student body, however, they are subjected to approximately 31% of the school-related arrests. This is compared to Caucasian students who represent 51% of the student body and on 39% of the school-related arrests (U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights,
Once a school system drops their efforts to integrate schools, the schools in low-income neighborhood are left to suffer; not to mention that segregation in schools leads, not only to the neglect of schools, but the neglect of students as well. Resegregation quite literally divides the public schools into two groups “the good schools”, that are well funded, and “the bad schools”, that receive a fraction of the benefits-- more often than not the groups are alternatively labeled as “the white schools” and “the black schools” (and/or hispanic). Opportunities for the neglected students diminish significantly without certain career specific qualifications that quality education can provide-- they can’t rise above the forces that are keeping them in their situation.
This week’s class discussed disproportionality. By giving sample statistics of Lower Merion School District that shows disproportionality, I also found statistical data to reflect the same concept. According to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, Black children constitute 18 percent of students, but they account 46 percent of those suspended more than once.
Before talking about what goes on inside the schools, I'd like to mention the district itself. There will be no alternative school choices, bussing, or deliberate desegregation practices. Each school will be remarkably similar to the others in the district so that every child may receive a similar education regardless of the neighborhood they live in. When students are separated to different schools for any reason (academic talent, wealth, interests, race, gender) they fail to interact with different types of people that they will undoubtedly encounter in the "real" adult world. In addition, I feel that is very important for children from the same neighborhood to attend the same school in order to increase a sense of community. Finally, as the Case Study of Boulder Valley points out, school choice takes valuable resources away from teaching and places them in school competition (Howe 144).