Blog Post #4

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

Post #3

 Amazing Grace Reading and a Reflection

RACISM IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE!!!

"'We came here in chains and now we buy our own chains and we put them on ourselves'" is the line that really stuck with me after reading the first chapter of Amazing Grace. This chapter does a fantastic job of covering the sad truth that comes with poverty, particularly in an urban environment. I have visited New York City numerous times, I truly love it there. As I am not somebody that comes from much money and am not yet 21, I have not had the luxury of staying in Manhattan hotels more than a couple of times. When I visit, I tend to stay in Airbnbs that are outside of Manhattan. I have stayed in Canarsie, Washington Heights, and Brooklyn. The Airbnbs were relatively cheap, which did not always mean they were the safest places to stay as a young blonde white girl with her young white boyfriend. Numerous times, I have experienced people yelling at me for having a tote bag on me, telling me that I will get robbed. When I travel on the subway with my small bags of luggage, I get called out for it. I stand out, it makes sense. The areas I have stayed in are not used to seeing a face like mine do anything positive for them. With the way that poor people of color are treated in New York, I cannot blame them for giving me dirty looks. How are they supposed to know I mean no harm? The wealthier white folks that live in the city overlook these communities, blame them for 'keeping themselves in poverty.' In reality, this isn't true at all, as Kozol argues in this book. My boyfriend's mom grew up in NYC, and my boyfriend was born there, hence why we travel there quite often. His mom hears from her family that still lives in the city how the neighborhoods she grew up in are unrecognizable now due to gentrification. The rich believe that pushing the poor further out of the city is masking the problem, but it is just ruining their lives even more. This is a type of trauma to those in poverty that this directly affects. The dynamics of NYC are something I could go on about all day, and I wish every time that I visit that there was a way to show the people of color in these rougher neighborhoods that I am on their side. But how can they believe that when the faces that look like mine have neglected them for so long? 

Hyperlink: https://www.osc.state.ny.us/press/releases/2022/12/dinapoli-nearly-14-percent-of-new-yorkers-live-poverty-surpasses-national-average-eight-straight-years (Showing current poverty rates in NYC)

Post #2

 Delpit Reading and Outside Connections

The Delpit reading, The Silenced Dialogue, demonstrates how intertwined our education system is with cultural bias. As Delpit explains throughout his writing, progressive white people do not seem to account for how people of color may have cultural preferences when it comes to methods of learning. I think this often comes from the fact that the faces that are in charge of most school districts are white. When a child does not feel that their teacher is capable of representing their culture in any way, this can be isolating. Reading Delpit's analysis of how differently black students in particular are treated in predominantly white classrooms is eye-opening just before I start my placement. Delpit's thoughts have provided me a perspective that I would not have thought much about on my own. Inspiring Minds sent a sheet to everyone that briefly summarizes everything to know about the school we will be working in. The school I'm working in will have mostly students of color, whereas the teachers are a majority white. Throughout the semester, I will keep Delpit's thoughts in the back of my mind. He has raised a lot of questions for me, will the teachers have a way of teaching students that is reminiscent of their culture? Will the white teachers be inclusive overall? Will the teachers treat their white students differently, specifically if they tend to score higher on tests? I am curious to see what the answers to these questions will be, but I am certainly hoping that these teachers will prove Delpit wrong and be the change.

Post #1

 Johnson Reading and Argument - 1/24/23

Alan Johnson writes Privilege, Power, and Difference to showcase how we are all guilty of judging people for what makes them 'different.' Johnson's analysis of Rodney King's question, "why can't we all just get along?" is remarkable. Although Johnson is a white privileged male, he attempts to explain how humans 'fear the unfamiliar.' However, if we recognize that these fears are learned, we can hopefully no longer pit people against others based on sex, race, etc. When we see people succeed who exclude or oppress others, we may feel encouraged to do the same, whether or not we are conscious of this. Overall, I enjoyed reading Johnson's view on why humans focus so much on our differences. In fact, I find the most interesting thing from the first few chapters is his stance on reality. He argues that everything we do is really 'a cultural creation.' Essentially, humans are the problem when it comes to assigning privilege to certain individuals. We must undo these socializations to make America truly equal. 

About Me

I love to read in my free time! Last year, I read 54 books 😊

I love attending concerts! This is Lorde, who I saw last year.

This is my cat as a kitten, his name is Leo!