2008 Woodie Awards
Letters
Issue date: 12/4/07 Section: Editorials
Lack of Miami diversity rests with other factors
Miami University is known to be the isolated college surrounded by serene trees and decorated with argyle sweaters and Polo brand clothing. Fans crowd Yager stadium to cheer on their football team, commonly mocked for sporting Hollister brand football jerseys. Students aren't known for being RedHawks or for attending an intellectual university; they are recognized as "J. Crew U" students. These stereotypes given to Miami students are plausible because honestly, our school isn't incredibly diverse. Although we are jeered at for pricey fashion, the fact is that most students here come from similar middle to upper socio-economic backgrounds. Most RedHawks attended suburban private or public schools, not inner city schools. This statistic isn't rooted in Miami's acceptance of only Caucasian, wealthy students; it is rooted within the unequal high school education systems. The diversity of inner city schools is not represented at Miami because most students are not provided with the tools necessary to succeed and achieve a high enough standing to even consider applying to Miami.
This problem directly results from the lack of funding provided for inner city schools. In many areas, urban parts are the most populated, yet they lack sufficient state funding for all the students that the school must accommodate. Because of this, these schools have less qualified, less experienced teachers, lower levels of peer group competition, more limited curricula taught at less challenging levels, more serious health problems and much more turnover of enrollment. Often times, there are not enough textbooks and even if there are, they are extremely outdated. In addition, vital resources such as science laboratories and technological equipment are simply non-existent in such schools. How can children get an education without adequate resources?
Insufficient resources are bound to provide an inferior education.
It doesn't make sense to have the most densely populated areas provide the worst education for their students, while a suburban school a few minutes away prospers on its funding and gives its students a myriad of opportunities. Rooted within the inequality of urban schools compared to suburban schools, lies the racial factor. Statistics show that more than 70 percent of African Americans and 86 percent of Latino students attend urban schools that hold a majority of minority students. Ultimately, shortchanging resources to minorities in urban schools results in lower test scores, less graduates, and a lower standard of education.
Miami University is known to be the isolated college surrounded by serene trees and decorated with argyle sweaters and Polo brand clothing. Fans crowd Yager stadium to cheer on their football team, commonly mocked for sporting Hollister brand football jerseys. Students aren't known for being RedHawks or for attending an intellectual university; they are recognized as "J. Crew U" students. These stereotypes given to Miami students are plausible because honestly, our school isn't incredibly diverse. Although we are jeered at for pricey fashion, the fact is that most students here come from similar middle to upper socio-economic backgrounds. Most RedHawks attended suburban private or public schools, not inner city schools. This statistic isn't rooted in Miami's acceptance of only Caucasian, wealthy students; it is rooted within the unequal high school education systems. The diversity of inner city schools is not represented at Miami because most students are not provided with the tools necessary to succeed and achieve a high enough standing to even consider applying to Miami.
This problem directly results from the lack of funding provided for inner city schools. In many areas, urban parts are the most populated, yet they lack sufficient state funding for all the students that the school must accommodate. Because of this, these schools have less qualified, less experienced teachers, lower levels of peer group competition, more limited curricula taught at less challenging levels, more serious health problems and much more turnover of enrollment. Often times, there are not enough textbooks and even if there are, they are extremely outdated. In addition, vital resources such as science laboratories and technological equipment are simply non-existent in such schools. How can children get an education without adequate resources?
Insufficient resources are bound to provide an inferior education.
It doesn't make sense to have the most densely populated areas provide the worst education for their students, while a suburban school a few minutes away prospers on its funding and gives its students a myriad of opportunities. Rooted within the inequality of urban schools compared to suburban schools, lies the racial factor. Statistics show that more than 70 percent of African Americans and 86 percent of Latino students attend urban schools that hold a majority of minority students. Ultimately, shortchanging resources to minorities in urban schools results in lower test scores, less graduates, and a lower standard of education.
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