Racial segregation in schools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Racial segregation in schools - Essay Example This case had been by parents of Topeka city and called for the Board of Education to reverse racial segregation since educational in these schools were unequal (Miller, 3). The Mendez case of 1947 challenged segregation in education successfully. It involved Mexican-American California farmers who took their children to a local school but were rejected by the administration (Straum, 1). The parents had to take their children to a separate school reserved for Mexican Americans. The Plessy case legalized the establishment of separate schools for different races. These schools were supposed to have equal facilities but the races would never mix. The Brown and Mendez cases challenged racial segregation in the educational sector in Kansas and California states. Racial segregation in the education center has existed for several years since the legalization of separate public facilities in the ruling of the Plessy vs. Ferguson case. Racial segregation is a violation of the Fourteenth const itutional amendment that gives every child the full protection by the law. The separate public facilities were supposed to have equal resources. ... These conditions undermine student achievement and can be blamed for the small number of Latinos and Africans in higher learning institutions (Camille and Siebens, 5). White schools have qualified teachers, appropriate learning materials and environment, and adequate facilities. According to the educational report, majority of the students in colleges and universities are white (Camille and Siebens, 4). Blacks and Latinos have the lowest number in the overall number of citizens who have a bachelor’s degree, masters, doctorate or professional degree. This can be termed as the racial opportunity gap that disadvantages African American and Latino students. Asians have the highest percentage of people with bachelors, masters, professional, and doctorate degrees among nonwhite citizens. This opportunity gap greatly undermines the educational and career life chances of California Black and Latin students. This crisis can be attributed to under qualified teachers, little access to le arning materials, and few instruction days due to overcrowding. Racially segregated schools have lower API scores compared to those recorded in white schools. The state emphasizes the use of standards-based tests to evaluate schools, which requires sophisticated teaching, learning materials, and uncrowded school buildings (ULCA, pp.8). According to Strum, segregated education is damaging to Mexican-American children on the grounds of psychological, social, and pedagogical costs (Strum, 1). The struggle between Mendez and Westminster provided Latinos with equal educational opportunities in public schools. These students were considered to be white but experience a language deficiency. The ULCA report indicates that most segregated schools have few text books and