Inequality in the Educational System

The United States of America has long been referred to as the “land of the free,” a place where “all men are created equal.” But how united is America in the classroom? Within America there is a large population of peoples who have been, and continue to be, oppressed in this land of the free. They are not treated as equal, and are sometimes treated inferior in comparison to the dominant culture. Indeed, this cycle of inequality can begin at a young age, through the experiences in a child’s environment. Since many children will spend a considerable amount of time in school, the importance of education’s impact on socialization cannot be ignored.

Racial bias in the education system is a widespread problem, with serious implications. The effects of socialization on the development of a child’s identity are crucial in these formative years. Bias in educational materials used, teachers’ expectations, tracking, testing bias, linguistic differences, and lack of positive role models all combine to offer a less than comprehensive education. Cultural differences between those who control educational insti

create the conditions where students come together to speak, to engage in dialogue, to share their stories, and to struggle together within social relations… (“A Critical Theory of Cultural Democracy,” p.67)

racial, class, and ethnic inequalities in education. An encouraging message was found in a Metropolitan Insurance Company’s report. Students show great interest and support for a multicultural curriculum, noting that it may lead to greater understanding, fewer negative attitudes and prejudices, and overall better social relations between students from all backgrounds (Hopkins, 1997).

Unfortunately, many in the majority culture disagree with the view that the educational system in America is lacking. These people often argue that everyone receives the same education and opportunity to succeed in society. Motivation and

Minority and poor children can be intimidated by the formality of the test structure. If English is the child’s second language, they may not test as well as they would on a test given in their native language. This can lead to labeling of minority children as slow learners, resulting in placement in a slow track. These consequences

The quality of education also relies on teachers’ expectations and teacher and student interaction. Teachers and faculty can hold negative judgments towards minority culture, which shapes their expectations and interactions. A study by Paul Willis and Jay MacLeod (Kornblum, 2000) found that students in inner-city schools were not encouraged to have high expectations. In fact, teachers, in subtle and blatant ways, discouraged minority students from higher educational pursuits. Having different expectations for students based on personal bias and uneducated assumptions, in turn

Some topics in this essay:
Classroom America, United America, African American, Pedagogy Practice”, Conflict Theory, Insurance Company’s, Democracy Giroux, Native Americans, Rutter British, Powell Garcia, classroom america, educational system, minority students, dominant culture, multicultural education, teachers’ expectations, teacher student, role models, farley 2000, english language, educational system america, values dominant culture, placed lower track, critical theory cultural, dialogue teacher student,