What is the true problem with minorities and education?

Question

It's as clear as day that many minorities would have better test scores if they had a better education. I have never gone to a school that did not have enough money, so I don't know what the struggle is like. Please enlighten me. Would enough funding be enough to help or would inner city life style (or whatever neighborhood) still be a big influence? I know that it is a combination of both, but does one factor outweigh the other?

I went to an inner city catholic high school. Many children came once they received a voucher. Some of them came in rough but soften up by their junior year once they realized that they had no enemies. Going to a catholic all of my life I was shocked to see some people seriously struggling with grammar.

Answer 1

There is no one single problem, there are many factors.  

Economically, it is extremely difficult to prioritize an education when there isn't enough food on the table, when the utilities have been shut off due to non payment or if you are expected to contribute financially to the family at a young age.

Unless you have lived and seen the circumstances of the disadvantaged, do not presume to think a school with better funding will make any difference at all.  It is the individual life situation of the children/young adults that most influence test scores and grammar.

Answer 2

Its Culture and lack of Father figure

Many Minorities excel in school like Asians and kids from Africa

Answer 3

If you ask just about any teacher, he/she will say that they can tell how involved the parent(s) are by how well the student is doing in school.  They can also predict whether or not a parent will show up for a parent/teacher conference (and what their attitude will be if they do show up).

The more involved a parent is, the better the kids will do in school!

Answer 4

Honestly, I think that it's inner city life and urban culture that affects minorities negatively. I grew up in a rural community where Hispanics where the minority (often the children of illegal immigrants) There parents weren't rich by any means, and there were often several families to a house, the difference is that these kids were SMART. Many of them got scholarships to college because they worked hard.

The more that I see, I'm beginning to think that inner-city urban culture breeds a certain type of laziness that's hard to kick. It can be done though :-)

I know not everyone can afford to do this... but for your kids sake, move out of the cities and into the midwest where the cost of living is lower, and where the quality of life is MUCH higher.

Answer 5

In New Jersey they have been pouring money into urban schools for 10 years or more. They were give 8 BILLION dollars for a school building program, they have preschools out the wazoo.  The per pupil spending hovers around $25,000 (check by the numbers at nj.com if you think I"m exaggerating)

It is a culture - no value on learning. The civil rights leaders of the 60's would be rolling in their graves if they saw this.  

Answer 6

In my experience it is up to the kid, if they want to learn they will if not then they just kind of zone out. Granted I can not speak for all but my school has a lot of kids that just came from Mexico and the teachers treat them like they would any other kid. This should be no problem but since they do not know English and have nothing to relate to or have friends that speak Spanish as well they do not wish to learn English. This obviously in turn shows up on test scores. The school I attend does not have a lot of money or the latest and greatest things but I honestly do not believe that has anything to do with it.