Critical Response to Race and the Educational System: An expectance of Success

Nastasha Pollard
Critical Response to Race and the Educational System: An expectance of Success

When I read this critical opinion piece titled Race and the Educational System: An expectance of Success, I felt as if Yolanda was a voice for me. Her experience and feelings parallel impeccably with mine. I also experience being the only Black-Puerto Rican-Native American student in all my AP and Honors Classes. And yes, you recognize it, and you feel the pressure that you didn’t ask for and then you question. I recognized I was the only one in these classes, and that my black and Hispanic peers were in the regular classes. I recognized I was an exception that came from a family that always encouraged me to reach for the best. I came from a family that brought these experiences I would face to light, and then in return prepared me for what I might experience, like a classroom where I was the only one of my race. I came from a family that had a healthy study environment at home, and that presented me with the resources I needed to achieve, but more importantly the encouragement. See, I also was the only black girl to graduate top 3% of my class, and win more scholarships than any Black, Hispanic, and Native American female in my class. And the response I got from both my white and Black peers were very interesting. Some of my white peers congratulated me, others looked confused, as to how it was a possible I could succeed more than them. Some of black peers looked at me, and just smile after the assembly with silence, and others said, “your special, thanks for representing” or “you show them how it can be.”
The article that this critical response linked to was titled, “AP Classes: What’s stopping Black Students?” and just from experiences, I can respond with what I’ve been exposed to. In my community, I was definitely the exception. I lived in a predominantly rich, white community, a community that housed most of if not all the white students in my AP BC Calculus, AP Chemistry, AP English, and AP Spanish classes. However, mostly all of my peers that were of color, who were in the regular classes lived across town in a poorer community. It was clear to me through interactions and friendships with my friends that were of color, they had uneducated families, families that didn’t support them, lots of responsibilities to take care (ones that most parents should handle), not enough money for resources, and bad influenced environment around them. The community was clearly poorly funded. And not poorly funded just in the sense that there wasn’t money given to the community; the money was going to the wrong places. Why were there more liquor stores than libraries? Just wondering. So, when it comes to school, these students are already coming in less privileged than their white counterparts. Then they are labeled with the perpetual discriminatory stereotypes that they aren’t capable of achieving, no matter how bright they might be. Or unintentionally white educators will take on the idea of the cultural deficit model that the culture of most people of color is inadequate and does not prepare them to achieve. This is all bullshit. Look at where these students are coming from.
Students of color need encouragement in schools. White educators put lower expectations on student of color, whether its unintentional discrimination or intentional. Students of color are just as academically inclined and motivated as their white students. However, it is hard to succeed and be determined when you are not encouraged and less is expected of you. Students of color are significantly likely to be given less opportunity or chance to be in an AP or honors class. Even if they have the same test score as a white student, a white student will be admitted but a black students won’t because it is looked at as “too much of a challenge” or “beyond their potential.” This systemic inequity is disgusting. Student of color receive of “lowered sense of self-efficacy” (Wise, 53). Lastly, something that contributes into making a decision for acceptance in to advanced courses is test scores. Certain school districts use standardized tests to determine placement. Because black students traditionally score lower on standardized test, especially cause some of them are culturally bias, school districts use that as an excuse not to allow them to take the AP and honors classes. We must choose not to ignore the inequities that still thrive in our education system. Yes, we have come a long way from history and the inequalities in our education system, but there is still work to be done.