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Pierce

Brooklyn Pierce
Professor Scott
2 March 2015
Op-Ed Final Essay
Pierce, Brooklyn. Something Has To Change. 2 March 2015.
I wrote this paper in my Composition class. The assignment was to pick a controversial
topic. I thought racism in schools was a very controversial topic. I couldnt pick a topic at first so
I didnt have as much time as I wouldve while writing this paper so it might not be as good as it
couldnt been but I am still proud of this paper.
Something Has to Change
In my high school there wasnt a single African American boy or girl in the entire school.
I didnt grow up with much diversity in my hometown, I have had the same friends since pre-k
and nothing really changed. If there had been more diversity in my town I think my friends
would be more accepting of other people and more understanding of different cultures. Racism in
public schools affects students in a negative way. Although studies have proven the facts, little
has been across the country. Joy Resmovits says in her article, American Schools are Still
Racist, Government Report Finds, public school students of color get more punishment and
have less access to veteran teachers than their white peers. Students with disabilities make up
one-fourth of students referred to law enforcement or arrested, although they represent 13
percent of the student population (Resmovits Par. 10). I agree with all the points in this article,
racism in public schools is harmful because the black students dont get a fair chance to succeed,
schools target them for suspension, and suspension sometimes leads to prison.
The suspension rate in Americas school system is outrageous. Im not saying these kids
arent doing anything wrong but I think a new, different form of punishment should be tested to

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see if the kids have a better success rate. Instead of suspending them the school should take the
time to talk to the kids and see what the root of the problem is. The schools should show the
scholars that there is a different way to deal with their problems other than acting out in class.
Black students were suspended or expelled at triple the rate of their white peers, according to
the U.S. Education Department's 2011-2012 Civil Rights Data Collection, a survey conducted
every two years (Resmovits Par. 2). The treatment of these students is appalling and it should
not be tolerated. I havent grown up with a lot of diversity in my life. So I havent seen this
happen first hand but I realize how damaging it can be. Five percent of white students were
suspended annually, compared with 16 percent of black students, according to the report. Black
girls were suspended at a rate of 12 percent -- far greater than girls of other ethnicities and most
categories of boys (Resmovits Par. 2). The facts and statistics are undeniable; something needs to
change in our school system. Not only does racism cause greater suspension rates, it lowers the
academic performance of these minorities.
The kids who get kicked out of school have no way of learning or graduating for that
matter. They are taught they dont matter or no ones care if they do well in school or end up on
the streets. Seven percent of black students attend schools where as many as 20 percent of
teachers fail to meet license and certification requirements. And one in four school districts pay
teachers in less-diverse high schools $5,000 more than teachers in schools with higher black and
Latino student enrollment (Resmovits Par. 3). The students who arent showed the same attention
and/or dont have equally qualified teachers as some of the white students may feel discouraged
or mad because they are being treated this way, its unfair. "Unfortunately, too many children
dont have equitable access to experienced and fully licensed teachers, as has again been proven
by the data in this report," said Dennis Van Roekel, president of the National Education

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Association, the nation's largest teachers union. "This is a problem that can and must be
addressed" (Resmovits Par. 7). The minorities in the public school systems have to fight for their
equal education and it is sad that even when they fight for it, its still not the same as other white
students.
Students who drop out are most likely going to end up on the streets or with no goals
and/or resources to reach those goals. Though 16 percent of Americas public school students
are black, they represent 27 percent of students referred by schools to law enforcement, and 31
percent of students arrested for an offense committed in school, according to the survey
(Resmovits Par. 9). The survey being that of the Education Department's Office of Civil Rights
and for the first time since 2000, the new version of the survey includes results from all 16,500
American school districts, representing 49 million students. The minorities in public schools are
targeted and it shows in the data. Suspension must stop; it is in no way helpful to the child.
Racism in public schools is harmful because the minorities dont get a fair chance to
succeed, schools target them for suspension and, suspension sometimes leads to prison. This
problem is real and must be noticed and stopped. If teachers and students would just see each
other as human instead of a race I think a lot of great advancements would get accomplished in
the public school system. This issue hasnt affected me personally but I believe it is wrong.

Pierce

Work Cited
Resmovits, Joy. "American Schools Are Still Racist, Government Report Finds." The Huffington
Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 21 Mar. 2014. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/21/schools-discrimination_n_5002954.html>

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