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| The results of my Google search on the disproportionate number of black students suspended in U.S. Schools |
I ask again...what would the reaction be if we changed a few words around? What if the tables were turned? Imagine the outcry if this were the report's findings:
- African-American students, particularly males, are far more likely to be suspended or expelled from school than their peers. Black students make up 18% of the students in the CRDC sample, but 35% of the students suspended once, and 39% of the students expelled.
- Students learning English (ELL) were 6% of the CRDC high school enrollment, but made up 12% of students retained.
- Only 29% of high-minority high schools offered Calculus, compared to 55% of schools with the lowest black and Hispanic enrollment.
- Teachers in high-minority schools were paid $2,251 less per year than their colleagues in teaching in low-minority schools in the same district.
Nothing will change until white parents and educators start to think about how it would feel if the tables were turned. We need to see all children as our children because in this global village we call home, there is no such thing as other people's children.
- White students, particularly males, are far more likely to be suspended or expelled from school than their peers. White students make up 18% of the students in the CRDC sample, but 35% of the students suspended once, and 39% of the students expelled.
- Students who are proficient in English (ELP) were 6% of the CRDC high school enrollment, but made up 12% of students retained.
- Only 29% of majority white high schools offered Calculus, compared to 55% of schools with the lowest white enrollment.
- Teachers in majority white schools were paid $2,251 less per year than their colleagues in teaching in low-white enrollment schools in the same district.
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This is an excellent post challenging the media to focus on these issues rather than on the usual negative stereotypical stories of crime and violence in urban schools (read problems in schools with high enrollments of people of color). Instead, let's focus on the real issues at hand: discipline, curricula, and teacher quality. It is an interesting argument that I hope you'll take the time to read.
Jen, I'd be interested in drilling down to see what the statistics are in poor, White, rural towns, too. Is there any outcry there? What a depressing report. The mainstream is not bothered what it cannot see and has not experienced, but for a few who have lived on both sides of the fence. There is no equity in education. Just as there isn't any in healthcare. Darwin seems to rule. : ((((
ReplyDeleteIt is sad, Ezzy. I would imagine that in poor, white, rural towns there are low expectations and a lack of challenging curricula also. Social Darwinism is a concept I wish we'd do away with. No one loses out if everyone is successful. It's not like there is only a certain number of calculus grades to give out or else the supply will be depleted! If every kid is offered the opportunity to take calculus, it can only benefit the US as a whole.
ReplyDeleteI found the statistics about calculus interesting. When I was in school it was more unusual to find a school offering calculus at the high school level. Getting a kid on track to take calculus in high school isn't easy...you have to have a good curriculum and good teachers as well, starting at the elementary level.
ReplyDeleteMy kids go to a more diverse school. I found that the combination of a bad curriculum, plus a lack of real recognition by the teachers that math required much more intensity than what seemed to be expected meant that kids seemed to have diminished chances at success. The kids that seemed to do better at the elementary level were ones that seemed to have more involved parents. It seems truly odd to me that parents have to do the legwork to fill in the holes of what our kids should be learning in math.
Anyway, if we want a calculus class offered in high school....we have to make sure at every level the math curriculum is a quality one.
About your statistic about teachers earning less....from my own limited observation, I'd attribute that to more job openings at these schools for younger teachers. One of my family membis a teacher, and the system for bidding on job openings seems skewed to me. If you are a younger(and less well paid)teacher, you might end up in a school with higher poverty, due to how the job bidding process works. That doesn't seem like the best system to me.
HawkJRL, thanks for your comment. I agree that calculus didn't use to be a regular high school course offering. These days, with concerns over global competitiveness, the curriculum is being revamped to set kids up for opportunities in advanced math. National education legislation like Race to the Top is very unpopular, but I believe the goal is to motivate districts to make the move towards curriculum and teaching practices that will increase our global competitiveness--by increasing the rigor of our curricula, and making teachers more accountable.
ReplyDeleteYour observation is spot-on about teacher hiring practices, I think. Young, new teachers get hired in schools where the kids need teachers who have the most experience.