The Racial Divide:
Prominent Segregation in New York City’s School Segregation
An American photographer Doug Menuez once said that “People say New York is a melting pot, but it’s really not it’s this mosaic of all these different cultures that really don’t understand each other very well.”
New York City is one of the most diverse cities in the world. It is filled with people who represent hundreds of different countries, languages and cultures. New York City has over 8.6 million people, and 40% of the population was born outside of the city. People continue to immigrate to New York where diversity is welcomed. If New York City is so diverse and so many people are integrated, then why does it have the most segregated schools in the United States?
A gap between the rich, the poor, and people of different races contribute to school segregation. Understanding these gaps of inequality is important because segregation as a result of racism is harmful. People’s lives differ because of how much money, power and wealth they have. These factors determine the benefits they receive in education. There are many factors to consider when studying school demographics which do not always depend on neighbourhood lines. Racism, income, and family conditions are all factors that contribute to why public schools in New York City are segregated, which negatively affects a student’s education.
“New York City is home to the largest & one of the most segregated public school systems in the nation.”(Gary Orfield)
Recent studies show that public schools in New York are deeply segregated. Williams’ article, “Separate and Unequal: The Real Reasons New York has the Country’s Most Segregated Schools,” discusses why New York City has the most segregated schools in the country. Segregation happens in black neighborhoods. Only one of the one hundred most segregated schools are mostly white, and there are 195 Manhattan Beach school has 384 white, 15 black, nine Asian, and three Hispanic. Two thirds of the city’s most segregated public schools are black, concentrated in deeply isolated black neighborhoods in central Brooklyn and central east Queens (Hannah-Jones).
Williams explains how over 90% of black students attended schools with 50% or greater minority students, and three quarters of these students attend schools with student bodies at least 90% minority students (Jones). This means that minority students are being put together in schools, while the students who are not considered minorities are attending schools with other non-minorities. Williams also argues that racial segregation in New York City is often coupled with socioeconomic segregation. He says that “across the state, the typical African American student attends a school where 69% of students are low income… for the typical Latino students, that number is 65%. For whites? Less than 30%.” In addition, 12.5% of public schools students are English language learners and 76.5% live in poverty. The reason that poverty rate in public schools is so high is that most white students in New York City attend private schools (Jones).
The demographics of race and poverty of New York City’s public high schools in 2015-2016 shows that the majority of white students attend private high schools. For example, 15.5% of the student population in public high schools are Asian and 14.8% are white, while 27.1% are black and 40.5% are Hispanic (Jones). These statistics reveal that most white students attend private school. These statistics are also surprising since nearly half (45%) of New York City’s population is white (Census 2010).
“Segregated schools in New York City are not the result of segregated neighborhoods, it is not an accident.”(Donna Nevel and Ujju Aggarwal; citylimits.org)
Most people might blame school segregation on district lines and segregated neighbourhoods but school segregation does not only dependent on the neighbourhood a student lives in. Researcher Ujju Aggarwal and community psychologist and educator Donna Nevel explain that there are many factors other than neighbourhoods lines that are causing school segregation. For example, public schools often want students’ families to donate money to their schools for additional staff, better resources, materials, and programs. This means that families who are of low socioeconomic status end up going to the low-ranked public schools because they do not have the time to volunteer for the school or the money to donate. There are systems in place that are creating student bodies that are separate and unequal (Jones). Patrick Wall discusses the ways that wealthy families get into high ranked public schools. He explains that some parents will pay $200 an hour for a private consultation about how to be admitted into the high ranked public schools. In addition, for their kids to attend a high ranked public school, parents sometimes will buy houses that are near the school they want to attend (Wall).
Wealthier families often give their children the time and ability to do well in school. Students with wealthy families help their children get into the top ranked public schools. Wall argues that for “The three top ranked middle schools, seats favors wealthier parents with the time and ability to navigate the process and to ensure their students are strong academically” (Wall). Wall goes on to explain that the top three middle schools are made up of the following statistics: more than 50% of the students are white, less than 30% from poor families. This highlights the fact that wealthier white families are attending high ranked public schools in greater numbers than other races. In the other nine middle schools in Walls study, only 10% of the students are white, but more than 80% of the students are poor (Wall). This causes separation between students of different races because of the connection between race and financial status. Furthermore, the author,Yasmeen Khan, argues that school segregation is a human rights issue. She argues that there are segregated schools with integrated neighbourhoods (Anya Kamenetz). A study about student enrollment in 2015-2016 shows over half of the city schools’ student bodies were more than 90% black and Latino. This shows that most of the public schools are made up of minorities while most white students attend private schools. Not only is there segregation in public schools, but there is also a racial divide between public and private schools.
Segregation has had very harmful effects on minority students. Segregation between race, schools and districts continued from the 20th to 21st centuries. Segregation creates a class division because white people are getting better educations generally and they also go to better colleges than minorities, which means they will get better jobs in the future. It is like a cycle, it perpetuates on and on and it never stops.
School integration brings benefits to both minority students and students who are not minorities. Because school integration has many advantages, minority students' receive higher academic achievement when they attend integrated schools. Furthermore, minorities also earn better future incomes and have better health outcomes. Some people argue that school integration would benefit only students of lower academic performance or those who come from lower ranked schools, such as minorities. Students need the skills and ability to figure out how to solve the problems that involve segregation (Kamenetz). NPR reporter Cordova discusses the importance of students coming into contact with different races because of “The novel ideas and challenges brought about by such exposure, leading to improved cognitive skills, including critical thinking and problem solving” (Kamenetz). In addition, students who are integrated have the opportunity to learn from each other and be less prejudiced and have more empathy (Kamenetz). She explains that students have the same test scores whether they go to the vast majority of white schools or the vast majority of black schools. Moreover, Genevieve Siegel-Hawley, an education professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, says, “white students' achievement is not harmed by the color of their classmates' skin.” Integration benefits all students regardless of their skin color, culture or socioeconomic status (Kamenetz).
A gap between the rich, the poor, and people of different races contribute to school segregation. Understanding these gaps of inequality is important because segregation as a result of racism is harmful. People’s lives differ because of how much money, power and wealth they have. These factors determine the benefits they receive in education. There are many factors to consider when studying school demographics which do not always depend on neighbourhood lines. Racism, income, and family conditions are all factors that contribute to why public schools in New York City are segregated, which negatively affects a student’s education.
“New York City is home to the largest & one of the most segregated public school systems in the nation.”(Gary Orfield)
Recent studies show that public schools in New York are deeply segregated. Williams’ article, “Separate and Unequal: The Real Reasons New York has the Country’s Most Segregated Schools,” discusses why New York City has the most segregated schools in the country. Segregation happens in black neighborhoods. Only one of the one hundred most segregated schools are mostly white, and there are 195 Manhattan Beach school has 384 white, 15 black, nine Asian, and three Hispanic. Two thirds of the city’s most segregated public schools are black, concentrated in deeply isolated black neighborhoods in central Brooklyn and central east Queens (Hannah-Jones).
Williams explains how over 90% of black students attended schools with 50% or greater minority students, and three quarters of these students attend schools with student bodies at least 90% minority students (Jones). This means that minority students are being put together in schools, while the students who are not considered minorities are attending schools with other non-minorities. Williams also argues that racial segregation in New York City is often coupled with socioeconomic segregation. He says that “across the state, the typical African American student attends a school where 69% of students are low income… for the typical Latino students, that number is 65%. For whites? Less than 30%.” In addition, 12.5% of public schools students are English language learners and 76.5% live in poverty. The reason that poverty rate in public schools is so high is that most white students in New York City attend private schools (Jones).
The demographics of race and poverty of New York City’s public high schools in 2015-2016 shows that the majority of white students attend private high schools. For example, 15.5% of the student population in public high schools are Asian and 14.8% are white, while 27.1% are black and 40.5% are Hispanic (Jones). These statistics reveal that most white students attend private school. These statistics are also surprising since nearly half (45%) of New York City’s population is white (Census 2010).
“Segregated schools in New York City are not the result of segregated neighborhoods, it is not an accident.”(Donna Nevel and Ujju Aggarwal; citylimits.org)
Most people might blame school segregation on district lines and segregated neighbourhoods but school segregation does not only dependent on the neighbourhood a student lives in. Researcher Ujju Aggarwal and community psychologist and educator Donna Nevel explain that there are many factors other than neighbourhoods lines that are causing school segregation. For example, public schools often want students’ families to donate money to their schools for additional staff, better resources, materials, and programs. This means that families who are of low socioeconomic status end up going to the low-ranked public schools because they do not have the time to volunteer for the school or the money to donate. There are systems in place that are creating student bodies that are separate and unequal (Jones). Patrick Wall discusses the ways that wealthy families get into high ranked public schools. He explains that some parents will pay $200 an hour for a private consultation about how to be admitted into the high ranked public schools. In addition, for their kids to attend a high ranked public school, parents sometimes will buy houses that are near the school they want to attend (Wall).
Wealthier families often give their children the time and ability to do well in school. Students with wealthy families help their children get into the top ranked public schools. Wall argues that for “The three top ranked middle schools, seats favors wealthier parents with the time and ability to navigate the process and to ensure their students are strong academically” (Wall). Wall goes on to explain that the top three middle schools are made up of the following statistics: more than 50% of the students are white, less than 30% from poor families. This highlights the fact that wealthier white families are attending high ranked public schools in greater numbers than other races. In the other nine middle schools in Walls study, only 10% of the students are white, but more than 80% of the students are poor (Wall). This causes separation between students of different races because of the connection between race and financial status. Furthermore, the author,Yasmeen Khan, argues that school segregation is a human rights issue. She argues that there are segregated schools with integrated neighbourhoods (Anya Kamenetz). A study about student enrollment in 2015-2016 shows over half of the city schools’ student bodies were more than 90% black and Latino. This shows that most of the public schools are made up of minorities while most white students attend private schools. Not only is there segregation in public schools, but there is also a racial divide between public and private schools.
Segregation has had very harmful effects on minority students. Segregation between race, schools and districts continued from the 20th to 21st centuries. Segregation creates a class division because white people are getting better educations generally and they also go to better colleges than minorities, which means they will get better jobs in the future. It is like a cycle, it perpetuates on and on and it never stops.
School integration brings benefits to both minority students and students who are not minorities. Because school integration has many advantages, minority students' receive higher academic achievement when they attend integrated schools. Furthermore, minorities also earn better future incomes and have better health outcomes. Some people argue that school integration would benefit only students of lower academic performance or those who come from lower ranked schools, such as minorities. Students need the skills and ability to figure out how to solve the problems that involve segregation (Kamenetz). NPR reporter Cordova discusses the importance of students coming into contact with different races because of “The novel ideas and challenges brought about by such exposure, leading to improved cognitive skills, including critical thinking and problem solving” (Kamenetz). In addition, students who are integrated have the opportunity to learn from each other and be less prejudiced and have more empathy (Kamenetz). She explains that students have the same test scores whether they go to the vast majority of white schools or the vast majority of black schools. Moreover, Genevieve Siegel-Hawley, an education professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, says, “white students' achievement is not harmed by the color of their classmates' skin.” Integration benefits all students regardless of their skin color, culture or socioeconomic status (Kamenetz).
Work Cited
Aggarwal, Donna Nevel and Ujju. "City Limits » Donna Nevel." City Limits. N.p., 24 Oct. 2016.
Web. 18 Mar. 2017. <http://citylimits.org/author/donna-nevel/>.
United States Census Bureau. "US Census Bureau 2010 Census." Visit Census.gov. N.p., 21 Oct. 2009. Web. 18 Apr. 2017.
Fessendon, Ford. "A Portrait of Segregation in New York City’s Schools." The New York Times.
The New York Times, 10 May 2012. Web. 16 Mar. 2017. <http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/05/11/nyregion/segregation-in-new-york-city-public-schools.html>.
Hannah-Jones, Nikole. "Choosing a School for My Daughter in a Segregated City."
The New York Times. The New York Times, 9 June 2016. Web. 13 Mar. 2017. <https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/12/magazine/choosing-a-school-for-my-daughter-in-a-segregated-city.html>.
Kamenetz, Anya. "The Evidence That White Children Benefit From Integrated Schools." NPR.
NPR, 19 Oct. 2015. Web. 15 Mar. 2017. <http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/10/19/446085513/the-evidence-that-white-children-benefit-from-integrated-schools>.
Wall, Patrick. "New York City's Great Middle-School Divide: How a series of choices has deepened the segregation of Brooklyn’s schools" The Atlantic. Atlantic Media
Company, 17 July 2016. Web. 18 Mar. 2017.
<https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/07/the-great-middle-school-divide/491483/>.
Williams, Conor P. "The Real Reasons New York Has the Country's Most Segregated Schools." The Daily Beast. The Daily Beast Company, 31 Mar. 2014. Web. 19 Mar. 2017.
<http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/31/the-real-reasons-new-york-has-the-country-smost-segregated-schools.html>.
Aggarwal, Donna Nevel and Ujju. "City Limits » Donna Nevel." City Limits. N.p., 24 Oct. 2016.
Web. 18 Mar. 2017. <http://citylimits.org/author/donna-nevel/>.
United States Census Bureau. "US Census Bureau 2010 Census." Visit Census.gov. N.p., 21 Oct. 2009. Web. 18 Apr. 2017.
Fessendon, Ford. "A Portrait of Segregation in New York City’s Schools." The New York Times.
The New York Times, 10 May 2012. Web. 16 Mar. 2017. <http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/05/11/nyregion/segregation-in-new-york-city-public-schools.html>.
Hannah-Jones, Nikole. "Choosing a School for My Daughter in a Segregated City."
The New York Times. The New York Times, 9 June 2016. Web. 13 Mar. 2017. <https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/12/magazine/choosing-a-school-for-my-daughter-in-a-segregated-city.html>.
Kamenetz, Anya. "The Evidence That White Children Benefit From Integrated Schools." NPR.
NPR, 19 Oct. 2015. Web. 15 Mar. 2017. <http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/10/19/446085513/the-evidence-that-white-children-benefit-from-integrated-schools>.
Wall, Patrick. "New York City's Great Middle-School Divide: How a series of choices has deepened the segregation of Brooklyn’s schools" The Atlantic. Atlantic Media
Company, 17 July 2016. Web. 18 Mar. 2017.
<https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/07/the-great-middle-school-divide/491483/>.
Williams, Conor P. "The Real Reasons New York Has the Country's Most Segregated Schools." The Daily Beast. The Daily Beast Company, 31 Mar. 2014. Web. 19 Mar. 2017.
<http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/31/the-real-reasons-new-york-has-the-country-smost-segregated-schools.html>.