An Argument on"Still Separate, Still Unequal: Educational Inequality"
The New York Times article encapsulates how ingrained segregation is in school systems throughout the country. The article provides various pieces of evidence that point to why school segregation is so imbedded in our country's system, and I could probably write an entire essay explaining all of it. However, I think there are a few points that really stood out to me. First, as we have learned throughout the semester, Brown v. Board of Education didn't solve as much as we may think. New York City is one of the most segregated school districts in the country, and the South certainly struggles with this as well. In the case study that covers Charlottesville, black students statistically have lower test scores than white students. High-achieving black students, such as in the case of Zyahna Bryant, are also not given the same opportunities as white students in the area. District leaders in Charlottesville argue that 'test scores do not measure the success of a student.' Some experts add that black students often have to acquire more skills in a shorter period of time than white students due to not attending preschools or traveling abroad. White students also make up a majority of the gifted programs there. However, with white supremacist rallies and supporters located in North Carolina, how can these issues end? Personally, these systems will not change until people start changing their racially biased ideologies. Unfortunately, I don't think this will happen until my generation begins to hold positions in the government. There are people alive that supported Jim Crow that continue with their harmful rhetoric and therefore impact black people's opportunities. In the South, they actually teach students about the 'Northern War of Aggression' instead of the Civil War. Once again, how will these issues end if racism is so deeply embedded in specific parts of the country? I find it ironic that America desires to be the smartest and best country in the world, yet we cannot even provide all of our students with an equal education. Another interesting point I wanted to cover was the ways in which desegregation is already happening. Like I mentioned, NYC is deeply segregated, and people are beginning to support the idea of Afrocentric schools to tackle this problem. These people believe that we are still divided on the issue of school segregation, therefore it may be best to create schools that adopt black-centered curriculums. This can circumvent the 'low-performing scores' and perhaps also find a way to fund these schools better (since majority white schools are funded ridiculously more, which the article touches upon, too). Will these Afrocentric schools help desegregation though? Yes, they will benefit black students tremendously, but will this put us back into a time of clear, outright segregation? Overall, there is a lot to think about in terms of how to approach modern day school segregation. I can only hope that more people hop on the same page as those that want equality in all aspects for everyone, but in our current climate, this is wishful thinking.
Hyperlink: https://www.kanopy.com/ric/video/155997?frontend=kui
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