On the one hand it could be said that it is down to discrimination in schools that there is evidence of ethnic differences in educational achievement. One example of discrimination in schools is labelling and teacher racism. Interactionists focus on the different labels teachers give to children from different ethnic backgrounds. Their studies show that teachers often see black and Asian pupils as being far from the ‘ideal pupil’. For example black pupils are often seen as disruptive.
In the South however, the blacks were disfranchised, since the state governments introduced literacy tests, tests on the knowledge of constitution and Poll taxes, which African Americans had trouble with, because of poor education and financial problems. Both created through discrimination and racism. Racial hatred groups such as the Ku Klux Klan still existed. They advertised violent treatment of African Americans, and often engaged in violent activities themselves. Blacks were often beaten or killed by members of such hate groups.
For example Black, Pakistani and Bangladeshi students do worst compared to Indians and Chinese who do best. White students are very close to the average but this is because they are the great majority of the school population .Among black and working class students, girls do better than boys, and among Asians boys do better than girls. Working class black girls do better than working class white girls. Many sociologists argue that ethnic differences in achievement can best be explained by looking at factors inside the school and outside the school. As Item A suggests ‘Afro-Caribbean boys were often expected to behave badly and they received a disproportionate amount of negative teacher attention’ that teachers have lower expectations of black boys.
Also, the vast majority of black Americans were disenfranchised by grandfather clauses and literacy tests which made it very hard for black Americans to vote. Finally the Ku Klux Klan terrorised black Americans using techniques such as lynching. By contrast in the Northern States, segregation was rare. What is more, Black Americans has greater access to higher-paid industrial jobs and many were organised in unions. However, on average black workers earned 50% less than their white counterparts.
Limitations on Education Social stigmatism has an effect on the choices we make and the way we live our lives. For example, in the black community a high level of education, or speaking in a “white” fashion is something that people can get made fun of for. The high level of poverty in the African-American population in America isn’t solely due to social stigmatism, however. The choices each individual makes will also influence the outcome of their lives. To put it simply, there are two main type of effects on the poverty levels in the black community: structural and behavioral.
In the United States there are a lot of stereotypes about students of color. These stereotypes stem from facts regarding the current black-white achievement gap in education. Paige, Witty, Lynch, and Thernstrom give support on the facts of the achievement gap and why it still exists today. The achievement gap in education has also been discussed in many documentaries, including, “The Lottery” and “No Textbook Answer.” These two documentaries will be used to help answer the research question: Why does the achievement gap in education exist? This achievement gap is present before children even start school.
Since there are such differences between the wealthy and the poor in this country there're also large differences in the system of education from place to place. Throughout the years many have tried different solutions to attempt to close the gap. Under the Bush administration the No Child Left Behind Act was developed to address the Achievement gap. Since this Act, there has been a large amount of conflict concerning both the completion and the impact that the act has actually had on the achievement gap as it relates to Black and White students. This continuing challenge is deeply harmful to the African American community, to our state, our nation, and our democracy.
In his book, Acting White: The Ironic Legacy of Desegregation, Stuart Buck states “that the “acting white” phenomenon was an ironic legacy of desegregation” (637), and that the well-intention policies that were implemented eventually led to a reversal of intention thus having an inadvertent damaging effect on African American students. In agreement with Buck’s thesis, desegregation led to the demise of black schools, and the removal of black principals and teachers who could serve as role models. It brought black students in contact with white students who made school a strange and uncomfortable environment. It also enabled black and white students to view the other race as outsiders. Because of desegregation, many black schools began to disappear.
Angelica Nwandu Professor Lang Final Paper May 3, 2010 African Americans and the Mass Media The general population relies on the media as a main source of information and the basis on which many of their opinions and biases are formed. (lapham, pg. 37). The dangers of mass media is that it is a regurgitation of societal stereotypes that are being fed to the masses. Not only does the mass media have the power to influence opinions and encourage racism, but the media has the power to impact voting decisions as well.
It also affects the African American children as well. In today’s society African Americans are often stereotyped of using drugs due to any reason. In the article, poverty is considered to be one cause of substance abuse. Studies have proved that there are reasons that may cause someone to act in substance abuse. It has been estimated that approximately 35% of African-American families live at or near the poverty level.