Remarkable Inequalities In Public Education

Public education promises that every student will be provided with equal opportunities in order to succeed. This promise requires great learning tools and access to the best teachers that this country can provide. Unfortunately, there are great disparities that exist between school districts. This can be seen in the low achievement levels and high dropout rates seen in areas with predominantly Black and Latino students. This shows that this country is falling well short of giving students of all races access to the high-quality education they deserve. Remarkable inequalities exist between White students and Black and Latino students in the world of education. The accessibility of necessary classes, the experience level of teachers, and the
A student’s social class, health, family, peer group, and poverty can all affect a student’s achievement level. While this is important, teachers should also note that children learn more in school than out of school. A disruptive student should not be allowed to keep his or her classmates from learning. For this reason educators should work together to develop better ways to keep students in school and learning, even when they do misbehave. Becoming aware of a child’s needs, moods, interests, and capabilities can all help teachers connect with their students in order to diminish the alienation that causes many students to drop out of school. Unfortunately there are many negative consequences associated with the discrimination minority students are faced with in school. According to an NASP Position Statement on racism, prejudice, and discrimination, “ethnic discrimination from adults and peers in educational settings is associated with increased negative perceptions of one’s ethnic group” (National Association of School Psychologists, 2012). The NASP suggests that rather than teachers should create a classroom environment that parallels the process used in extracurricular activities such as sports and they should “implement research-based strategies that mitigate the effects of racism, prejudice, and discrimination that will result in resilience and educational excellence” (National Association of School Psychologists, 2012). Teachers, like good coaches, should work to make students respect and support each other. Additionally, students should be taught that it is alright to make mistakes when learning something new. This method allows students to gain self-confidence when attempting to reach goals. While teachers should provide students with a clear guideline of their expectations,