Introduction
The readings present some issues of concern in the education sector. They state that although racial differences play less damaging roles in the acquisition of education by a vast majority of children, schools still lack diversity due to a variety of socio-economic factors that hinder the poor from accessing quality education in high-performing schools. The readings to be used for this assignment address the issue of racial and economic diversity in the educations system as it affects students and their families. The reading titled “Income, More than Race, is driving Achievement Gap” states that although the achievement gap between the white and black students has narrowed significantly over the last 50 years, the achievement gap between the rich and the poor has widened . The reading titled “As Parents Get More Choice, S.F. Schools resegregate” notes that although educational authorities in San Francisco have made efforts to give parents more educational opportunities and choices in public schools, they still face the challenge of racial, economic diversity in the schools owing to a variety of socio-economic factors. Educational stakeholders ought to address shortcomings that hinder the achievement of diversity in the education system thereby guaranteeing students better chances of success and access to quality education without their racial and economic backgrounds becoming hindrances to success.
The diversity in education should be checked in order to assure all learners of better academic performance regardless of their racial and economic backgrounds. There have been numerous studies on the influence of diversity on academic performance. Studies from Stanford University and university of California-Berkeley have shown that student perform better when they school in integrated classrooms. These studies form the basis of calling upon education stakeholders to address diversity issues to improve the education levels in the country. Besides the academic performance, the students grow up to become more appreciative of other people and this helps as they progress into higher institutions of learning and at the workplace.
Lack of diversity in the education sector leads to poor performances and poor social relations among a future populace and this can erode the economic gains made this far. According to Wilkins, Vice president at Education Trust “education is the surest way out of poverty” and this worried her that if the country does not close the gap between the rich and the poor, then the country would be in trouble. There are many factors that play into the absence of diversity in school. These include shifting demographics, income inequality, and rising housing costs. When these issues go unaddressed, the absence of diversity increases and these factors continue to harm the economy fueled by a non-cohesive populace.
When the lack of diversity goes unaddressed, it could raise issues of racial discriminations and being about resentment and tensions in the society. Going by the current tricky and technical choosing process for students to join public schools in San Francisco, the “children from poor and working class families, who are disproportionately black and Latino often end up in underperforming schools” . When this continues to happen, it builds tension among the learners and the different races. The choosing systems are designed to be fair to all but they have ended up giving those with opportunities more economic might thereby widening the gap between the rich and the poor.
Addressing diversity has the potential to translate into less government expenditure and saving the funds for other sectors of the economy. The government must work hard to upgrade the academic performance in poorly performing schools. The training of teachers, supply of extra materials, finding research for lowly performing schools are all efforts that can take sizeable portions from the national budget. Monies saved when schools are running as expected can be channeled to health, and security among other areas of the economy.
When there is diversity the suitability of the American education system to meet its workforce and export labor will be met. Lack of diversity seems to influence learners not to graduate at high school. For instance “black and Latino students at racially isolated high schools were 11 percent less likely to graduate than their counterparts at diverse schools, even after controlling for other factors such as poverty”. The learners achieve better grades in lower classes, gain the motivation and support such as scholarships to help them reach the highest level of education they can. Learning in a diverse school, teaches learners to challenge each other in healthy environment with each having greater motivation to achieve. An educated workforce will be a huge catalyst to the county becoming self-sufficient in terms of its labor requirements.
While America has made great strides in addressing the racial issues and become he global example of peaceful, progressive multiculturalism it needs to address diversity issues in schools. The lack of diversity influences bad performance among learners, teaches them non-cohesive leaving and lead to many of them not graduating from lower level of education. It is in order educational stakeholders to address the diversity issues leading to more progressive societies that are not only educated but also capable of sustainable national development.
Works cited
NPR. "Income, More Than Race, Is Driving Achievement Gap." 3 Feb 2012. 2 March 2016 <http://www.npr.org/2012/02/13/146816813/income-more-than-race-is-driving-achievement-gap>.
Smith, Jeremy Adam. "As Parents Get More Choice, S.F. Schools resegregate." 2 Feb 2015. 02 March 2016 <http://sfpublicpress.org/news/2015-02/as-parents-get-more-choice-sf-schools-resegregate>.
