Growing up in the world is difficult enough without having to worry over matters that are either too difficult or impossible to change. An African-American cannot spontaneously become a Caucasian anymore than a Latino can become Asian. The point within such a statement is that one is no better or worse than the other, and in the field of education every single person who tries deserves at least the chance to show that they are capable of learning and making the best of what they can be. When it comes to learning what matters is the process of education and not the various other factors that keep people apart.
Released in 1995, the film Higher Learning follows the lives of three distinctly unique individuals who upon entering college find that the world they knew has become a place they no longer relate to. Through various twists and turns and several mishaps and decidedly deadly developments, each one of them becomes more aware of how the world and how it works along the racially defined lines that are in some instances unseen and even unobserved. While many institutions would deny the division of race, gender, and ethnicity in any way shape or form, the portrayal given by the media and by films such as this one are far too often accurate. Regardless of the contemporary manner by which so many institutions are run, there is still a very definitive issue when it comes to noticeable differences between students.
Where fact and fiction meet is easy enough to see as throughout America many
institutions still struggle with racial issues in this day and age. In the film the racial lines are
drawn clearly and without any confusion aside from what is experienced by the main characters. In reality the emotional and social distance between people is often not as clear, and not as easily resolved. It might be safe to state that in real life such strong biases and racial attitudes are not always as open or well-defined.
Some individuals go on hunger strikes, others form sit-ins and protests in which they vow
influential characters resign to keep the situation from escalating (Jaschik, 2015), and in others
protestors have gone from being high-minded individuals with a purpose to little more than thugs
who threaten and warn until their demands are met. Many agree that the protestors might have a
point, but also that the issue of race has gone too far in many cases. Despite being a hot topic
and a very serious matter, there have been cases in which entire protests have been revealed to be
elaborate hoaxes with no other purpose than to force certain individuals to step down from
office (Jaschik, 2015).
At this time campuses across America are more diverse than ever before, so it is with some difficulty that anyone attempts to figure out why the racial divides still exist. Some would claim that the old feelings of resentment and hatred have never died or even faded, being kept alive by the older generations and their unwillingness to let go of the old ways. Others might cite such sensationalist and ultimately hate-filled literature that is peddled by those groups that actively seek to keep the races apart, militant groups of all races that adhere to a “stick to your own kind” mentality. And yet others might even cling to the idea that socioeconomic status is the great divide between the races, adding yet another division to separate people into the haves and the have-nots.
Much of what is happening across the nation on campuses throughout each state is in part due to the lack of socialization by so many students that come from neighborhoods where diversity is extremely low. In the process of changing their environment once they reach a large, very diverse population those individuals, of whom there are reportedly many as is documented by CNN writer Brandon Griggs (2015), tend to stick closer to those who are more like them and in effect create very noticeable divisions between one race and another. This tends to create cliques and strengthen the idea of separation between the races as is depicted in the movies, as well as create blatant stereotypes that cause further harm to the unification of individuals. In other words, sorting people out by race, color, and ethnicity is a problem with which the educational system is not fully equipped to handle.
What is being done however is to date not as effective as many would and have agreed.
While the goals of having those in a position to alleviate such concerns move forward with
solutions resign has and still is taking place, the true concern is that such solutions are as of yet
It takes only a single push in the right direction for education to become the least important aspect of an institution, and in the film and in life such a push is often provided in the form of a racial epithet or an act that shows favoritism of one race over another. Several times in the film it is seen that Caucasians are free to do as they please, while those of color and other ethnic backgrounds are constantly put on notice of their differences as well as their supposed place within the academic community. African-Americans are depicted as thugs, gangsters, athletes, but rarely as students. Caucasians are shown as white supremacists, scared females, and power-tripping authority figures that lean heavily towards the favoritism of those who look and act like them. Few times in the film is there a positive lean towards the education of all and the equality that learning can bring.
In those few moments however the past and all its racially-inspired memories of hatred
are for a short time forgotten. During moments in reality and fiction it is always important to
take note of what good does come from the application of knowledge. The stories, images, and
sensationalist facts brought to light by the media and other sources are usually biased in one
manner or another, and are yet another source of racial tensions within the American college
system. In order to fully realize the problem and recognize what must be done to assure that the
privilege of higher education is available to all those who would seek to expand their minds, it is
important to recall the moments during which hatred does not rule the lives of those it touches.
In appreciating diverse perspectives that are always prevalent in such environments as college it becomes easier to acknowledge the lack of worldview that some individuals possess. Each and every person experiences the world in a different manner. By understanding the idea and application of racism it becomes far easier to acknowledge that it not only exists, but is easier to talk about when the reason for its existence is made clear. In order to move forward as a united student body in the search of knowledge it is quite important to understand the views of others, no matter if they are not inherently agreeable to all (Museus, 2015).
Moving on from that point there must be a mutual respect between individuals. While this is perhaps one of the hardest and least likely measures to be followed, it remains as a vital component to the social landscape of any institution. If students are to feel accepted and comfortable within their surroundings it is generally accepted that their social environment must be a hospitable location in which they can grow and develop as a human being. Racism is akin to a cancer in that it slowly eats away at the population of the student body by causing underlying racial tensions to surface and divide those who might otherwise coexist. Though not entirely possible to be stamped out, racism on campuses is without a doubt a less than acceptable practice, and has been an issue that many colleges have dealt with for decades.
Fiction and reality often show different pictures of the same settings, though in the depictions of race and education they are quite often close to being the same. While much of what is seen on film is exaggerated for entertainment value, the issues are very real, and the impact to the education of students even more so. When the curtain closes in the real world the peaceful resolutions are hard to find, and any true harmony that might have once existed is near impossible to find once again.
Works Cited
Farrar, Jennifer. “A Glance at Racial Tension on American College Campuses.” Huffpost
Griggs, Brandon. “Do U.S. colleges have a race problem?” CNN, 10 Nov 2015. Web. 15 Feb.
2016.
Higher Learning. Dir. John Singleton, Perf. Omar Epps, Michael Rapaport, Kristy Swanson,
and Laurence Fishburne. Columbia Pictures, 1996. Film.
Jaschik, Scott. “What The Protests Mean.” Inside Higher Ed, 10 Nov 2015. Web. 15 Feb. 2016.
Museus, Sam. “A College Professor’s Advice On How to Talk about Race and Privilege.”
Noodle, 19 Nov. 2015. Web. 15 Feb. 2016.
