Systemic Racism in Education

Black children make up 16 percent of the student body in American schools, but only 31 percent of those students receive referrals to agencies like police departments. Such statistics show that systemic racism in American education is still a problem, particularly for African communities. Therefore, systemic racism refers to bias or discrimination towards people from various racial backgrounds when the perpetrator thinks that one’s race is superior.

Racists also have the propensity to attribute particular traits, abilities, and attributes to a particular race, which they utilize to assess the supremacy and mediocrity of such ethnicities. This threat has significantly impacted the productivity of pupils who are the targets of systemic racism, infiltrating the country’s educational system. As a result, the essay will discuss how systemic racism in education has impacted the learners’ performance, sense of pride, and personality in urban secondary educational institutions in America.

Introduction

Discrimination in communities has spread to campuses, and some federal agencies and independent organizations have worked to lessen this threat there so that all kids, irrespective of their ethnicity or skin, can have an equivalent opportunity to succeed. Systemic racism in education can take many different forms, including segregation, which denies black students access to resources of a high standard or adequate finance, and discrimination, which prevents white students from associating with the black communities and denigrates them, particularly by lowering their IQ.

Such incidents have harmed the considered inferior race, which tends to avoid attending college, pay less attention in class, exhibit poor social skills, as well as reject its core culture in favor of assimilating into the civilization of the dominant race. Long-term, these pupils frequently perform below par and have signs of poor self-worth.

Impact of Systemic Racism in Education on Academic Success

Systemic racism in educational institutions makes one race feel inferior, which makes students reluctant to go to class. The pupils who come from the supposedly lower culture are typically treated unfairly in classrooms, where they grow to hate the establishment.

Dropout Rates

Some students choose to leave the program in response to these inclinations and participate in other initiatives where they will experience less hostility. The NCES records show that the prevalence of college dropouts among black pupils was 6.5%, whereas the rate among Hispanic pupils was the maximum at 9.2%. These findings were complemented by the 2.6% school dropouts for whites. Such data demonstrates how systemic racism in educational institutions of America has drastically decreased the likelihood that members of underrepresented populations will achieve their academic goals and perform well in urban institutions.

Reduced Classroom Engagement

The underrepresented races have mentioned academic difficulties, such as having issues focusing in classrooms. Stigmatization results from inequality and makes the stigmatized group feel worthless and unworthy of participation in activities run by their perpetrators. Several learners from the racial minority are less proficient in the English language than native speakers, therefore limiting their involvement in class because they are worried that their peers will laugh or make fun of their speech.

Such inclination is prevalent in urban classrooms, where native English speakers frequently dislike those of color or Hispanic descent for not speaking English well. As a result, they participate less in class, which lowers their academic achievement because they are unable to ask for clarification on concepts they do not understand.

Social Challenges

The hated communities have poor social skills because it is hard for them to make new friends. One of the main advantages of going to public institutions in America is that it enables kids to engage with their counterparts, especially when they are young, and have access to people from different walks of society. Nevertheless, segregation as a result of systemic racism in educational institutions makes the perceived superior people hate and shun the subordinate groups and their ways of life. Thus, this defeats the main reason for enrolling in state education, which causes a group to arise that demonstrates antisocial traits and low self-esteem. These characteristics manifest as a result of the regrettable environment these students are subjected to and the level of contempt they feel. As a result, it makes individuals feel less valuable in society.

Cultural Identity and Assimilation

Systemic racism in educational institutions has led the denigrated races to forsake their heritage, upbringing, and languages. Several black students in metropolitan schools have been compelled by the degree of prejudice to abandon their traditions and join the white lifestyles, which is seen as more strong in the country. To fit in and become recognized by white societies, these youngsters even go so far as to dislike their families and indulge in risky activities like drug usage. Others who lack assurance lighten their complexion to make themselves appear whiter, stand out from the crowd, and feel more authoritative and dominant.

Cooper asserts that skin whitening has become more popular recently. This suggests that people of the black have adopted the whitening method because they think it will render them as outstanding as white people and help them to avoid the threat of prejudice. The paper also discusses the expanding belief that white represents beauty. These occurrences, therefore, show that black people lack pride in their culture, skin, and values, which results from racial profiling incidents.

Discussion

Systemic racism in educational institutions has facilitated negative improvements in societies that are thought to be less advanced. However, the response of the authorities and the citizens of such cultures suggests examples of community mobilization and a decline in educational dropout rates.

Shifting Dropout Rates

Black along with Hispanic dropout rates decreased by 6.6% and 18.6%, respectively, from 2015 to 2016, as per NCES statistics, whereas the dropout statistics for whites were 1.3% over the same year. According to these figures, the racial bias hoax has had a good effect on perceived weaker communities by empowering them through awareness raising and constructive mobilization, which has led to a favorable response and enhanced academic achievement by such societies. These advancements do not, however, signify that systemic racism in educational institutions has been eradicated. Instead, it serves as a supportive response to the anti-racism movements taking place throughout the nation.

Effects of Anti-Racism Initiatives

Allegations of racism and incidents of it in schools have made it easier to launch both private and public projects targeted at uplifting marginalized groups. For illustration, the Southern Civil Rights Act, that attempts to reduce inequalities in classrooms, has been implemented in the majority of institutions and public school systems. Additionally, the federation has implemented full employment laws to guarantee that learners from state education have equality of opportunities and rights in the workforce as well as other public projects initiatives.  

Furthermore, the oppressed races have mentioned difficulties with learning, such as having complete focus in class, which has a negative impact on their academic achievement because they are unable to request clarification on concepts they do not understand. The marginalized groups also struggle to establish new friends, which results in diminished social skills and makes them feel inferior to other members of society. Ultimately, as shown by the rise in drug misuse and the skin-whitening sector, racial prejudice has led the denigrated races to forsake their dialect, tradition, and parental morals.

Conclusion

Systemic racism in educational institutions cannot be considered to have favorably impacted society regardless of the government’s response and the participants of such civilizations, as well as the formation of both voluntary as well as government-sponsored activities aimed at strengthening such groups.

References

Cooper, H. (2016). Where Beauty Means Bleached Skin. Nytimes.com.

NCES. (2017). The Condition of Education – Elementary and Secondary Education – Student Effort, Persistence, and Progress – Status Dropout Rates – Indicator April (2017). Nces.ed.gov.

Neblett, E., & Roberts, S. (2013). Racial identity and autonomic responses to racial discrimination. Psychophysiology, n/a.

Resmovits, J. (2018). American Schools Are STILL Racist, Government Report Finds. HuffPost UK.

The Conversation. (2015). Racism hits Indigenous students’ attendance and grades. The Conversation.

Thompson, N. (2010). Review: Todd D. Nelson (ed.) Handbook of Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination New York: Psychology Press, 2009, 604 pp. incl. Index, PS49.95, ISBN 9780805859522. Journal of Social Work, 10(1), 128-129.