Dismantling Systematic Segregation in Education Requires Work inside and outside of the Classroom
“I just want to make my parents proud” is a statement made by multiple students I have worked with through 826LA who are going through the college application process. The stress of getting into college, whether self-inflicted or inflicted by others, is a lot to handle. Unfortunately, not everyone possesses access to equitable education or a good support system, magnifying the already daunting challenges of the college application process and high school in general. Economic disparities and racial prejudices discourage many students from trying to perform well in school, increasing the already existing achievement gaps. When targeting these issues, it is a common misconception that “drop-in” service activities in the classroom (like tutoring), alone, can make an effective change. While well-intentioned “drop-in” services like tutoring can foster empathy in classrooms, they alone cannot bring about the systemic changes necessary for long-lasting solutions. To truly reform the education system, we must cultivate empathy, delve into personal stories, and simultaneously advocate for deep-rooted changes, dismantling systematic segregation.
826LA is a Los Angeles community-based organization that effectively provides immediate aid to students by offering writing help. During my first tutoring session at 826LA, I assisted Elsie with her college application essays. She shared her backstory with me, enabling me to help her brainstorm ideas. Although I could never truly understand the hardships she went through, it allowed me to form a connection with her, and it helped me give her advice on how to make her writing exemplify her perseverance. Elsie explained that attending a four-year college was not highly prevalent in her high school. Students in her school faced stereotypes based on their geographical background, with many telling them they would fail. Numerous students had additional responsibilities that made college applications a secondary concern. Many students also had other responsibilities piled onto them, making college applications a second thought. Elsie explained how she struggled with an eating disorder, her dad getting deported, and getting tasked with helping her nieces and nephews when her sister went to work. Nevertheless, she still tried to get involved in cheer at school and student government. Elsie exclaimed that she wanted to push past the stereotypes inflicted upon the students in her area and make her parents proud. Many students in these areas possess the drive to excel but are consistently told they will fail, causing their motivation to wane. The education system often gives up on students in these areas, resulting in inadequate funding and resources. Students’ futures should not be predetermined based on economic status, race, or any other identity. Implementing robust support systems in schools and creating more equitable resources and opportunities is crucial.
To create change in the education system, people must go into classrooms, help students, and empathize with them to comprehend the impact of the unjust education system. It is important to “… see community-engaged learning as an opportunity to build our understandings and capacities by tapping into the collective wisdom and strength of community members” (Deans, Roswell, and Wurr). Understanding the disparities in schools, as exemplified by individuals like Elsie, will help teach people how to fight for those students systematically. Many of these services that go into classrooms are “drop-in” services. “Drop-in” services are usually quick services that do not directly target the root causes of the social issues the services are connected to; an example is tutoring disadvantaged students. These services can allow people to empathize with students, understand their situations, and develop a passion for advocating for those students on a systematic level. However, “drop-in” activities cannot be the only focus. Services that target issues below the surface level are crucial because creating policy improvements leads to a longer-lasting impact.
Disproportionality exists deep within the education system, offering little to no aid to groups historically discriminated against. Discrimination persists based on economic status and race in education, automatically putting those struggling economically at a disadvantage due to the lack of resources in many schools. The National Coalition for the Homeless revealed that “All too often, homeless children have to change schools because shelters or other temporary accommodations are not located in their school district” (“Education of Homeless Children…”). Stability is crucial when it comes to education. The constant changing of schools causes kids to fall behind as they constantly try to adjust to new environments. Racial discrimination is a significant issue in education, particularly for Latino and Black students. Some research found that “California was the most segregated state for Latinos, ‘where 58% attend intensely segregated schools,’ exacerbating inequities in educational opportunities. More than half of the state’s Black students are concentrated in just 25 of the state’s 1,000 school districts” (C. Hong, J. Hong, and R. Hong). The discrimination these groups face marginalizes these students, making them seem like outsiders. It is essential to consider students’ differences based on their backgrounds, but it is equally important not to penalize students because of their identities.
A student’s economic and racial status affects their access to educational opportunities and mental health resources. Economic disparities prove to play a great role in the access to educational opportunities. The Public Policy Institute of California discovered that “Public schools serving greater numbers of disadvantaged students receive fewer educational resources than schools with more affluent students” (“Public Schools Serving”). Many students who are Latino and Black attend schools that lack educational resources, which is why there is a big gap between Latino and Black students and Asian and White students. A pressing issue is that not only does the access to resources affect their overall performance in school, but so do their situations at home. Many students from low economic backgrounds face hardships at home, whether it is balancing two jobs on top of school, taking care of their family, or dealing with their mental health. Some research revealed that “High-poverty schools faced a 39% chance that life problems would decrease their time for academic learning — in contrast to a 13% chance for students at low-poverty schools” (Kelleher). The issue is that these high-poverty schools are not provided with resources to help students combat the issues they are struggling with either academically or regarding personal life.
To combat the lack of education and mental health resources, we must implement policy changes for lasting improvements. We should focus on having both central mandates and giving the local communities and schools more autonomy. Including central mandates will allow for consistency across schools, which is needed to ensure students are on the same track. It is crucial to give local schools more power because they can make policy changes to best address the needs of their students. Fixing issues in the education system does not come with a one-size-fits-all solution. Without making changes on the systematic level, the cycle of discriminating against certain groups in the education system will never end. Although fixing this problem may seem overwhelming, consistent commitment to advocacy can make a difference.
Many changes could be made to improve education, but simply increasing the funding for these schools will not cure the harm that has been inflicted. There is a lot of work that needs to be done to help better support systems for minority students and those who come from lower-income families. A good start is to add more diverse and qualified teachers. Introducing diversity in the teaching staff can motivate students and foster a sense of security in the classrooms. Including different perspectives is crucial to education because it ensures students are not deprived of exposure to the diversity that exists in the world. Making sure teachers are qualified and willing to put in the work is extremely important. It was discovered that across public schools in California, there were “Profound differences in teacher preparation” and that “teachers at high-poverty schools spent nearly 10 fewer days every year instructing academic classes than teachers at low-poverty schools” (“Public Schools Serving…” ). 10 days is a lot of time and could be the amount of time that determines whether a student can move on to the next grade or get held back. Another way to help improve performance in schools is to offer access to mental health resources. The reason behind poor performance in many areas is because of issues at home. Once students can receive the help they need to combat issues at home, other weights will be lifted off them, and they will be able to focus more on school. When addressing these issues, those with authority often make the mistake of blindly pouring money into schools. It is important to keep tabs on how the money is being spent to ensure purchases are made in the student’s best interests. During this process of improving the system, it is important to understand that the service is not about improving your image. In the paper “The Student Companion to Community Engagement Learning,” Donahue and Plaxton-Moore stress that “‘…Those people affected by the change should be involved in making that change.’” Including the affected community will ensure that the services are helping those who have been harmed.
Creating a balance between exercising empathy while volunteering in classrooms to assist those harmed by the education system and actively addressing the root causes of societal issues through attempts to make policy changes at the systemic level has the greatest impact. Volunteering in schools alone cannot make long-lasting change because it does not target the root of the systemic issue. At the same time, fighting on a systemic level alone is also not extremely effective because, without empathy and talking to those affected, you cannot adequately fight for those treated unjustly. These two services should not be mutually exclusive, and it takes synthesizing both to create the change that is needed.
