Racism Of African Americans In American Public High Schools

Name
Professor
Subject
Date
Racism of African Americans in American Public High Schools
Over the years racism has been a subject deemed to be slowly becoming extinct due to globalization. However, technological advancement and migration has not quenched people’s selfish desire to belong to a specific color. Ethnicity still has deep roots in America and across the world. Individuals define themselves on the basis of race rather than their professional prowess. Employment, schooling and interaction have also taken part based on racial affiliations. Evidently, race is here to stay but with dire consequences on those affected. America has had a history of racial discrimination especially between the whites and the blacks. Obama’s presidency has barely changed the mindset of many Americans in school systems and societal relationships. Racism and white supremacy still exist in the 21st century. Therefore, this paper analyzes racism with a focus on the African Americans in American public schools. It also evaluates the history and effects of racism on Black children.
Historically, Black children have had a different schooling experience compared to their White counterparts. Ani narrates that Black children receive poor quality materials, incongruent pedagogical and curricular methods and limited resources (408). Moreover, Black children face extreme inequality in schools that result in them dropping out of such schools. Nonetheless, racism did not start today. Ancient systems greatly contributed to the modern forms of racism. For instance, in 1849, the Supreme Court in Massachusetts made segregation of schools permissible, “separate but equal” (PBS). In 1850s, African Americans were termed as inferior to the Whites and had no rights in accordance to the Supreme Court ruling. The courts and government that were meant to protect and ensure equality of all citizens in access to resources were the same entities that harnessed racial discrimination.
The high number of desegregation cases in American courts is proof of the eminent nature of racism. For instance, between 1955 and 1969, there were more than 200 hearings on school desegregation by federal judges. The Master Timeline states, “A study by Harvard’s Civil Rights Project finds that schools were more segregated in 2000 than in 1970 when busing for desegregation began.” The court has been caught between making laws that promote segregation amidst efforts to desegregate the public-school systems. For instance, the Supreme Court in 1970s ordered the desegregation of Boston Public Schools due to high levels of violent resistance by whites to the desegregation injunction. The order led to withdrawal of white children from integrated schools. Racism led to the supreme court in North Carolina to inhibit public school systems as a way of avoiding desegregation. In essence, the constitution has laid down laws on racial prejudice but the societal beliefs and misconception on race is prevalent.
A report by the Los Angeles Sentinel indicates that 98% of 4,000 students in South Gate Middle School are Hispanic. Without the presence of racial discrimination, the school should have equal ratio balance across all ethnic groupings. Further, the rep...