American Dream of Education
Molly LeComte
Mrs.Kimball’s English Class Per. 5
The American Dream of a good education isn’t always attainable by African
American because of segregation in education, school inequality and income inequality.
Segregation may have legally ended in the 1960’s still political division on a daily bases.
The story of Brown v. Board of Education, a landmark case, put an end legal segregation in public schools, is one of hope and courage. When the people agreed to be plaintiffs in the case, they never knew they would change history. The people who make up this story were ordinary people. They were teachers, secretaries, welders, ministers and students who simply wanted to be treated equally. Sadly this didn’t fully end the different ways of segregation in America. African Americans aren't treated equally because they experience segregation in education, school inequality and finally, how income inequality still affects those of darker complexions. There is still segregation in education. According to news reporting out of Rockville,
Maryland, by Vertical News editors, the research stated, the differences between the
Keyes era of Ralph Keyes throughout today. They found that there is still segregation in education with certain classes being heavy with one minority compared to others. This isn’t just what’s currently happening to students in the American School System, according the lead article in The New York Times, “hundreds of students will not be allowed to enroll in their choice of highquality schools because their race is not the desired one according to
the goals of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.” (Carter,3)
This unspeakable misjustice is still happening and will continue to happen until something is done. It isn’t all bad, for example “Black children are more likely to attend preschool than white children, but may experience lowerquality care. Hispanic children are much less likely than white children to attend preschool. The types of preschool that children attend also differ. Both black and
Hispanic children are more likely than white children to attend Head Start.” (Magnuson, 4) My second point is that the American Dream of education isn’t attainable by African
Americans because of school inequalities. “Higher Education and the Color Line focuses on the racial transformation of higher education and the structural barriers that perpetuate racial stratification in colleges and universitiesand beyond. Taking on topical issues such as shifting patterns of financial aid, the growing importance of community colleges, and identifying model programs for retaining and supporting minority students, it lays the groundwork for realizing U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's goal of eliminating the need for affirmative action within twentyfive years. With these steps it is possible that eliminating such an action will make the school inequalities for minorities even more seen.” (Bivins,4) Eliminating a need might be positive, but fully removing the safety net is like throwing away an umbrella because it isn’t raining. The net is precautionary, wanted and necessary for the school system. My third and final point is that the American Dream of education isn’t attainable by
African Americans because of income inequality. The relation between race and class is
unmistakable. For example, “the 19982000 median household income of nonHispanic whites was $45,500; of Hispanics (currently seen by many as a race) as well as Native
Americans, $32,000; and of African Americans, $29,000. The poverty rates for these same groups were 7.8 percent among whites, 23.1 among Hispanics, 23.9 among blacks, and
25.9 among Native Americans.” (Gans 4) It is sickening that we still have such income inequalities in America, furthermore, creating a segregated nation. It might be hard to fathom, but the difference in income does mean differences in a
