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Racism in Us Schools for Black Students

In: English and Literature

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Racism in US Schools For Black Students
Karine Ndakwah
ENG 147
11/30/2015
Vera-Ellen Cruz

Racism is actually something we all are witness to, in one way or the other. Do you know that it has been a huge issue for black students struggling to go along with receiving their education? It has been defined in English as prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior. Racism in US schools has been a big issue that has to be addressed. Racism has a history, causes and effects on black students.
Racism as a whole that has become a big issue in the US schools on black students has a long history since the 20th century where Ruby Bridges was seen as the very first black student in school on the 14th of November 1960 (Bridges, 1999). The white students threw things at her in school and all the teachers equally refused to teach while she was enrolled in school. This prevented her from getting into other classes, but there was an angel teacher in the person of Barbara Henry from Boston who took upon herself to teach Ruby in a class alone for the whole year. Ruby would pray on daily bases on her way to school for protection from God Almighty. She was provided counseling in her first year in school, and her parents suffered a lot during this period because of how their child was being treated in school. Though she went through all the mockery and humiliations, she was bold enough, courageous, and determined on achieving her goals in school. Through My Eyes (Bridges, 1999). Racism is caused by many factors leading to serious effects.

Racism which is the belief that certain nations, tribes or culture are more important than others has caused a lot of sufferings for black students in US schools such as prejudice and stereotyping. This limits and disregards people's individualities thereby making the black students feel that nothing good can come out from them as far as education is concerned. There is equally no good or reasonable idea that a black student can contribute in school which can be beneficial to the white students. Learned behavior also is one of the causes of racism in schools. This can be from parents passing it on to children by the way they interact in the atmosphere of black people in the presence of their children, thereby causing the children to carry it to school, and do the same to black students. According to the Shadow League (2014), a standardized common picture being painted out by white parents when faced with disorderly black students is to say “they act like they don't have any home training." Brainwashing too can also be considered as a cause of racism in schools in the sense that white parents have fed their children with all types of stories. They have made them believe that black students are all monkeys, and slaves who do not have any sense of directions thereby causing them to treat black students in schools the way they are doing. Racism has been a big issue in the past, and it still continues to affect many black students in schools today.
Breathing is a necessity for life. The chant raises consciousness about the way racism takes an individual's life ( Mikulich,2015).Racism which has become a great issue that needs to be addressed in US schools has drastically affected the black students such as raising arguments on the topic of racism in schools. According to Mikulich (2015), the “I can't breathe" chant raises a critical question for Jesuit institutions: How do we claim that we celebrate the fullness of human diversity if we are not passionate advocates for racial equality?. Next, demeaning a person by humiliations or degrading black students, and lowering the esteem are other effects of racism. Another effect of racism on black students is aggressive behaviors which can cause black students emotional, and physical harm. Finally, lack of positive role models, and equally lowering the motivation of black students to continue their education since there were always in a tense, and an unwelcoming atmosphere in the school. As a result of this, the effects of racism on black students prompted the Student Government Association to pass a resolution titled “Expressing, Executing, and Evaluating the Racial Turbulence on the University of Dayton Campus". This was in response to a strong concern regarding the unwelcoming atmosphere experienced by minority populations on campus (Uloop, Inc, 2015).
Can you imagine being in school, and you are separated from all other students?. History, causes, and effects are the three key points of Racism on black students in US schools. Ruby being the very first black student in class in 1960 went through a lot in school. Racism has caused a lot of sufferings to black students in US schools such as prejudice that has limited and disregarded people's individualities. Racism has affected the black students seriously in schools because it has lowered their self-esteem, and motivation to continue their education. If students are being thought about the dangers of stereotyping in US schools, then racism can be minimized in the nearest future on black students.

References

Mikulich, A. (2015, October). Breathing Space. The Scandal of White Complicity in U.S. Hyper-Incarceration: A Nonviolent Spirituality of e Resistance (Palgrave), 213(4), 14-17.
Ruby Bridges (1999), Through my eyes.
The shadow league ( 2014, March 26). Culture. Retrieved from http://www.theroot.com
Uloop, Inc., (2015, November 4). SGA resolution offers support to minority students. University Wire, p. .

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