Three in 10 Black students are expected to learn in environments plagued by profanity, fighting, disrespect and drug abuse, according to a new study that suggests academic disparities between the races cannot be addressed until disparate learning environments are improved.
Black and Hispanic students, teachers and parents are more likely than their white counterparts to report “very serious” problems with the academic and social conditions of their middle and high schools, according to a report released today (Wednesday) by Public Agenda, a nonpartisan research organization.
High dropout rates, social promotion and alcohol abuse are also found in the school environment of three in 10 black students, the study found. Half of Black (49 percent) and Hispanic (52 percent) parents say local schools are “not getting enough money to do a good job,” compared to a third of white parents. And teachers in Black and Hispanic schools are more likely to grumble about large classes, poor teaching conditions and lack of parental support than their White counterparts.
The study, “Reality Check 2006: How Black and Hispanic Families Rate Their Schools,” could serve as evidence in the standardized test debate for those that argue you can’t have standardized tests without equal schools.
