Minority Students: The Importance Of Diversity In Schools

Every student deserves an equal and effective education, no matter their race, gender or economic class. Minority students aren’t receiving an equal education in schools compared to the non-minority students. Whether it’s the lack of school equipment, teacher inefficiency, or discouragement in the classrooms, minority students are at a disadvantage. In today’s society, there are very few job opportunities for people without an education. Minority students goes to school in an attempt to make a difference in their communities, but how could they when the odds are against them. According to Rich (2015), “Ultimately, parents are going to respect anybody who they think cares for their kids” (p. 2). Therefore, in the classroom it shouldn’t matter
if a minority or non-minority teacher teaches students history. As long as they are efficient at their job and care for the students, then they should be able to teach the students. In some cases, if the topic has anything to do with black history, then an African American teacher should teach it due to the fact they’ll have more credibility. Where if a white teacher was to teach black history to the students, they would question the teacher’s credibility. Overall it shouldn’t matter who teaches the students as long as they’re efficient, their culture matches the topic, and care for the students. According to Rich (2015), “In New York City, where more than 85 percent of the students are racial minorities, 60 percent of the teachers are white” (p.
2). Diversity should be part of not only the student body, but also of the staff and leadership within the schools. If minority students are going through difficulties, they are most likely going to seek guidance from someone that looks like them. Without diversity within the staff and leadership, minority students will be discouraged to seek help. Rich (2015) found that “When minority students see someone at the blackboard that looks like you, it helps you reconceive what’s possible for you” (p. 2). Diversity among the staff and leadership gives minority students hope that they can actually leave the community to continue their education and do something positive with their lives. It also gives them a sense of comfort in having a role model figure who can relate and help them with their struggles inside and outside of
school. Poverty plays a major factor in limiting the success the students can achieve. Schools within a poor community may not have the most up to date equipment. Without the right funds they can have substandard classrooms, deficient air conditioning or heating systems, and inefficient teachers. All of these factors can cause students to be at a disadvantage with an unequal education. With lack of heating or air conditioning systems, students will be uncomfortable throughout the class which will make them unfocused. Also without the right equipment, the students might not have the right tools to succeed, which will make learning more difficult. According to Noguera (2017), “Parents are more likely to be excluded or disregarded if they are poor, uneducated, and non-white” (p. 49). With the lack of funds schools may be forced to hire the most inefficient teacher. Without a teacher that actually cares to connect with their students and have a love for their job, student’s success rate will be low. Therefore, schools in poor communities are at a disadvantage when it comes to achieving success with students due to the lack of support from the government. The issues of class and race can have a negative impact on a student’s education.
According to Noguera (2017) “Educators often equate differences (such as culture, language, or race) with intellectual deficiencies” (p.48). Which means students are labeled based on how they look, rather than what they actually know. This can lead to students being placed on lower grade levels when they actually belong in a higher grade. Stated in Noguera (2017) “Stereotypes and assumptions about the values and culture of students and their families to influence the way schools respond to their needs” (p.48). Just because a student is a minority or immigrant doesn’t mean they have an intellectual deficiency. Teachers should always do their best to work with students and give them a fair chance to succeed, rather than labeling them or giving up on them based on
appearance.