Week 4 readings
#TempleSocEd
How does housing inequality, and in particular residential segregation, affect inequality in schooling? Offer specific examines from the reading.
I personally believe that in order to afford certain housing units or afford to live in certain areas, you would need to be able to make a certain income. Residential segregation happens when people who make certain incomes are forced to live with those who are similar to them. This is the reason why a lot of lower income black families live in one community. The housing units are more affordable for them. This greatly affects inequality in schools because those communities are neglected which means they are not receiving the necessary recourses needed to succeed. Drop out rates are higher in lower income communities, which lead children to placing themselves in dangerous situations and when it’ll be time to find work, it’ll be hard because they could have a record, no degree or experience. This leads them to obtain minimum wage jobs that do not pay a lot, keeping them in the same community they grew up in. The cycle then continues and/or repeats itself.
In the article “Without Fixing Inequality, the Schools are Always Going to Struggle”, many teachers step forward and speak of their experiences teaching in racially segregated schools, schools that are in areas that would be considered lower income. Many teachers expressed that poverty, economic segregation and inadequate school funding has been adding to their student’s stress. Although they respect all the hard work and talent coming from the students, they also discussed the challenges that students in low-income schools face compared to the students in wealthy ones. One teacher stated that, even if students were geniuses receiving a top-notch education, that wouldn’t change the fact that they live in a two-bedroom apartment with 12 other people; or even worse. It doesn’t change the fact that they hear gunshots every night; that they have a parent in jail or ICE detention; that they don’t have food at home. If students’ basic physical and emotional needs aren’t met at home, how can they succeed academically? Many students aren’t responsible for their living conditions; it’s due to the lack of opportunities and work options for their parents/guardians.
One teacher explains that race plays a major factor and many do not realize it. It determines the future of students because many school zone lines are drawn that way, based on race and they are not only drawn for the school zones, but the neighborhoods as well. One specific teacher stated that, many wonderful, brilliant kids have come to his school. But those stories just happen less than the stories that would happen in the wealthy part of town. If you look at all the metrics, like test scores, high school graduation, college graduation, future employment, all of that just tracks worse for students in his ZIP code. The level of success in schools play a major factor, the condition of the schools have been greatly impacted because a lot of communities disown and disregard lower income areas. The article mentions that during the fires in California, the classrooms were full of smoke. Many school buildings are old and the windows don’t seal and this has resulted on a lot of students and teachers to have asthma. What makes things worse is that they can’t be dismissed or dismiss the students without district approval. In other districts, the buildings are newer and that’s less of an issue. Middle-class students and white students tend to flock to one or two schools.
The article How Home Ownership Became the Engine of American Inequality takes a closer look at different households, but mainly discusses how many Americans choose to develop their net worth through homeownership: It is a proven wealth builder and savings compeller. Many households who have high salaries and net worths are able benefit more due to tax cuts and other things. But for many other families, they do not make enough to own their own home, causing them to spend more on putting money towards renting especially if the rent keeps increasing, making it very difficult for households. According to the article, the average homeowner boasts a net worth ($195,400) that is 36 times that of the average renter ($5,400). When it comes to housing, many lower income families, in order to be able to living in better and safer areas would try to receive assistances from the government. In many areas, due to the high level of low income families, housing applications have been stalled or not reviewed preventing families to receive any form of aid. Red lining is also a very prominent thing when it comes to housing inequalities because loans and insurances are continuously being rejected to households that live in poor/lower-income areas. This prevents them from getting out, leaving many households trapped to may expensive rents in areas that are not safe and healthy for them and/or their children.
Identify at least one policy recommendation/ solution from these readings that could address educational inequality. Describes reasons why you support and/or oppose this recommendation.
I personally believe the government needs to do more to help lower income families and communities. They need to see that families are struggling and that poor communities are not only affecting the families, but the school systems, which affect the students drastically and prevent them from succeeding in life. It keeps them trapped. In the article, We Shall Not Be Moved: A Hunger Strike, Housing and Education in Chicago, it talks about how many schools did not receive enough funding to not only obtain and upgrade the necessary tools needed for the students, funding needed to keep the schools open. This resulted in a hunger strike. According to the article, it started in response to the closing, at the end of the last school year, of Walter H. Dyett High School. The closure was the final act in a four-year phase-out. The school was no longer allowed to enroll new students, teachers slowly left, and the students who remained were encouraged to transfer elsewhere. This forced families to try to move and place themselves in areas where their children would receive the education deserved, in open and functioning schools. But they asked themselves, would things get any better if they simply moved away? No, they would not. The government should work to ensure that all schools, especially lower income, have the necessary funding needed for students. They not only need to make sure the buildings are secure and safe, but that they receive the funding needed for materials and to remain open. They are aware that many parents cannot afford computers of textbooks for their children; the schools should provide them.
