Inequality In High Schools

Some studies show that wealthier students that score high on the tests have taken numerous prep classes and even had private tutors come in and help them prepare for these tests, which cost hundreds of dollars, and lower-class students cannot afford them which puts them at a disadvantage no matter how smart they may be.(Soares and Ovaska). Soares ' research has found that tests like the ACTs and SATs put low-income and minority students at significant disadvantages and have resulted in a lack of diversity at the nation 's four-year colleges, including public universities in the University of North Carolina system. He thinks high school grade point averages (GPA) would give admissions counselors a better grasp of a student 's abilities without the gender and racial biases that test scores carry. Soares shared his thoughts recently with N.C. Policy Watch, and told us why he thinks North Carolina 's public university system should turn its back on the ACTs and

In the article “Still Separate, Still Unequal: America’s Education Apartheid” author Jonathan Kozol argues that segregation is still a major issue in our education system. Kozol talks about schools where minorities make up the major student body. He states that schools with namesakes tied to the civil rights movement are some of the most isolated schools for minorities where white students make up less than a third of the student body. Kozol proceeds to talk about these schools where minorities make up the student population, he says that these are some of the poorest schools they are old and in need of repairs and new technology and supplies. He says that the education of these students has been deemed less important and that they are not

Louis alone are certainly alarming, I am most dismayed by the responses of the children from Morris High. It is evident that the children at Morris High do not fully understand the implications of racial inequality, nor do they regard the immense suffering of children in schools like those in East St. Louis. However, if I were a young white girl from a high class family attending Morris high, I too might have the same outlook. I likely would have been taught to acknowledge the inequalities faced by the minority, but would not have been taught the privileges I have experience for being white. If I were suddenly to start attending East St. Louis schools, however, the inequalities faced by my new peers would become much more apparent. Although race appears to be the source of these inequalities, it should be noted that other factors contribute as well. For instance, if a black child came from a high class family, he could afford to attend Morris High. Likewise, a white child from a low class family might only have the option of attending a school in East St. Louis. Through Kozol’s Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools, it can be observed that children like those at Morris High are taught about racial inequalities, but are not taught to recognize white privilege. In addition, they seem to only be passionate about issues that have potential to benefit them personally. Helping children like those in East

It’s unfortunate that even in today’s society that institutional racism is something that happens in the everyday life of many people, especially minorities such as African Americans and Hispanics. Koppelman (2014) defines institutional racism as “establish laws, customs, and practices that systematically reflect and produce racial inequities in American society” (Koppelman, 2014, p. 189). One example of where institutional racism is prevalent is in standardized testing in schools. There has always been a question of whether standardized testing, in particular the SAT’s, have been fair to minority students. Even though the SAT board feels that the test has been researched to include questions that give students from different races and

Clifford Adelman states that, “Among high school students who graduated in the bottom 40 percent of their classes, and whose first institutions were four-year colleges, two-thirds had not earned diplomas eight and a half years later.” (121 qt. in Nemko). How is this data justifying our understanding of what influences the people’s success rate? Why should we believe there is a connection between a person’s high school class and their success rate in college? It is admirable that Nemko wants colleges more accountable towards the success of each student entering their campus, but his argument does not seem as if colleges are his target. His argument seems as if it is towards the parents of each individual hoping to get accepted into four-year colleges after high-school. Furthermore, His choice of words creates an image of the author having a one-on-one with every college hopeful’s parent while the hopeful is at the kid’s table listening in. His tone is also undermining, and creates a hierarchy. Those words blame and maintain the status of all disadvantaged students, and categorize them as inferior to all who come from wealthy households.

Every year, the daunting prospect of undergoing standardized testing brings anxiety to thousands of high school students, and for good reason: a student’s performance on standardized college admission exams - most importantly, the ACT and SAT - is a major determinant in deciding where they will go to college. For decades, such standardized tests have been universally accepted as part of the admissions process: proponents argue, as Syverson (2007) explains, that such tests are the only way of standardizing college admissions when students from different schools have such widely varying profiles. However, in the past several decades a growing anti-testing movement has begun to poke holes

“One of the most powerful tools for empowering individuals and communities is making certain that any individual who wants to receive a quality education can do so” (Christine Gregoire). Everyone deserves an equal education regardless of where they live or who their parents are. Children are facing the consequences of decisions they can’t make. The current way public schools are being funded is not working effectively, students are suffering and there needs to be a change. Basing school funding on property tax leads to unequal opportunities and environments for students, even though the government may claim it is not up to them, there needs to be a drastic change.

Considered the “melting pot” of the world due to its high diversity, the United States has been renowned for the varying cultures and races populating the country. However, with diversity comes inequalities that people of color face throughout their lives. A particular issue in the United States, specifically in education, is unequal opportunities and treatment in regard to race. Research shows that students from single-parent black families had a high chance of dropping out and participating in illicit behavior (Hallinan 54). While the issue of race is a complicated issue to breach for

Throughout Jonathan Kozol’s essay “Still Separate, Still Unequal: America’s Educational Apartheid” (347) and “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?” (374) by Beverly Tatum, both Kozol and Tatum discuss racial issues in the educational system. Kozol and Tatum explain racial issues by presenting two different instances that racial issues have played a roles. These two instances being visiting different public schools by Kozol and noticing the cafeteria segregation by Tatum. Using their own personal experiences, their arguments essentially come to similar conclusions, so by comparing their essays, the most significant problems are brought to the table.

Segregated schools ended in 1954. At least that’s what students were told to believe. So many working class students have been affected in almost every aspect of their life, such as academically, mentally and emotionally. There no longer have to be two completely different types of schools for whites and for blacks, in order to see that segregation is still a huge part of the school system today. Economic segregation in schools has impacted many working class students in a very negative way. These students don’t get equal opportunities as those students attending elite schools. Authors Toni Cade Bambara and Jonathon Kozol have written vivid examples on how working class students have been impacted by segregation in school.

It was my first day at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ). I entered the building and silence rippled through the hall and hung in the air like heavy fog until a sharp whisper cut through.

Educational system reflect social inequalities. And my analysis include sociological conflict theory like a key. And economical factor that affect educational, professional and social progression. Social conflict theory sees social life as a competition and focuses on the distribution of resources, power, and inequality. Social conflict theory is a macro-oriented paradigm in sociology that views society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and social change. Key elements in this perspective are that society is structured in ways to benefit a few at the expense of the majority, and factors such as race, class, and age are linked to social inequality. To a social conflict theorist, it is all about dominant group

As Americans, we view the Constitution as a stepping stone to making the great country we live in today. Yet, we the people of the United States failed to realize another component in order to form a perfect union. Which is to establish and promote equal opportunities for a quality education for all. However, we live in a society where social locators such as class, gender, and race are huge factors in the determination of one’s educational future. Our social location determines our access to power, privilege, or our lack of power and privilege. It gives us status and blocks us from having status. Statistically, there is thirty-seven percent of Americans who go to College while sixty-four percent do not. I am an African American eighteen-year-old

In collegiate education, American History has always, has been told from the white person’s point of view. It has also failed to recognize the contributions of African American culture that has helped create America. Overtime many thought this would change, but in reality majority of African-Americans know more about “American” history than African-American history. Because of the lack of knowledge that both black people and non-black people have about African-American history, they tend to have closed off mindsets about how the topic relates to educations. According to Aristotle, “ It’s the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” This powerful quote simply means the we as people must be willing to

Over the years, public schools in the US are required to provide quality education for every child, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. However, critics of the public education system argue that the majority of the children lack equal learning opportunities and access to quality schools (Nelson, Palonsky & McCarthy, 2010). Some critics argue that the public education system prolong poverty among low-income families as the rich are provided with better learning facilities (Granger, 2008). The physical surroundings of wealthy neighborhoods house innovative and safer school facilities that offer better learning environments. Students from low-income families, especially the ethnic minority families lower quality public schools in impoverished neighborhoods.