Racial Inequalities In Education
EDUCATION INEQUALITY
In the US News article titled “An unequal start” Aparicio (2016) states that American students of color are not treated or protected equally especially when it comes to education. According to a report by the U.S Department of Education, there is evidence of troubling data that points to detrimental consequences of racial bias for students of color (Aparicio 2016). The data shows that Black and Latino students are disproportionately issued suspensions as early as kindergarten despite overall decline in suspensions nationwide (Aparicio 2016). Black and Latino students are four times more likely than their white peers to be suspended. Another study found that majority of suspensions issued to Black and Latino students were …show more content…
A structural functionalism theorist would argue that, education is necessary in society as it provides us with a sense of who we are. Education functions as a method in which people are placed into society. Students are identified by teachers as intelligent and motivated or less bright. These students are taught at the level that is best for them. (Treviño 2014). Therefore, they are prepared in the most appropriate way possible for their life after education. Meritocracy exists in society and those that work hard are able to advance in society (Treviño 2014). Being able to advance in society requires hard work and ability, therefore, inequality in the education system is necessary for functioning of society because the more intelligent students are allowed to press forward. The symbolic interaction lens allows us to see that certain education disparities are due to the messages students receive and how the students view themselves (Treviño 2014). The labeling theory has a direct correlation between those in power and those who are being labeled by the education system. When a student of color gets low scores on standardized tests or poor performance in particular class, they are often labeled as a low achiever. These labels are hard to “shake off”. With the student believing they are a low achiever, they can create a self-fulfilling
In the US News article titled “An unequal start” Aparicio (2016) states that American students of color are not treated or protected equally especially when it comes to education. According to a report by the U.S Department of Education, there is evidence of troubling data that points to detrimental consequences of racial bias for students of color (Aparicio 2016). The data shows that Black and Latino students are disproportionately issued suspensions as early as kindergarten despite overall decline in suspensions nationwide (Aparicio 2016). Black and Latino students are four times more likely than their white peers to be suspended. Another study found that majority of suspensions issued to Black and Latino students were …show more content…
A structural functionalism theorist would argue that, education is necessary in society as it provides us with a sense of who we are. Education functions as a method in which people are placed into society. Students are identified by teachers as intelligent and motivated or less bright. These students are taught at the level that is best for them. (Treviño 2014). Therefore, they are prepared in the most appropriate way possible for their life after education. Meritocracy exists in society and those that work hard are able to advance in society (Treviño 2014). Being able to advance in society requires hard work and ability, therefore, inequality in the education system is necessary for functioning of society because the more intelligent students are allowed to press forward. The symbolic interaction lens allows us to see that certain education disparities are due to the messages students receive and how the students view themselves (Treviño 2014). The labeling theory has a direct correlation between those in power and those who are being labeled by the education system. When a student of color gets low scores on standardized tests or poor performance in particular class, they are often labeled as a low achiever. These labels are hard to “shake off”. With the student believing they are a low achiever, they can create a self-fulfilling