Interviewing Black Students on Their Awareness of the Challenges of Inequality in Education

It's no secret that unfortunately many schools with black students are treated unfairly. As a result the students do not receive an adequate education as compared to other privileged white schools. In his journal article titled, Educational Inequity from the Perspectives of Those Who Live It: Urban Middle School Students' Perspectives on the Quality of their Education, Mark G. Storz explains a study where over 250 6th-8th grade urban students were interviewed as to whether they thought they were getting a fair education. With so much talk of unjust treatment and school conditions, it was time to ask the students themselves what they thought. Were they aware of the shortcomings of the schools?

The study consisted of choosing students at random (to avoid volunteer biases) from four urban schools, three of which were inner city schools. Interviews were made with the students, guided by the following questions: "1) How do urban middle school students define a quality education, and from their perspective, are they receiving one; and (2) What are the types of teachers and pedagogical practices that both enhance and hinder their success in school.

Based on many of the students' responses to these questions, a third research question surfaces early in the project: (3) Are urban middle school students aware of educational inequity in their schools, and if so, how do they conceptualize educational inequity? (Storz, p. 2)" Storz and his co- researcher gathered and separately reviewed the material to come to their conclusions. The research revealed that students clearly understood the inequities in their schools as well as the privilege given in their peers' schools.

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Through the interviews, the students touched on three main topics of inequities they saw which were that of curriculum, teacher quality and the lack of school resources. The students noted that they were not being academically challenged in their school as other kids were. They wanted to grow, yet were not being pushed or taught adequately.

The students testified that their teachers were apathetic towards them and that they lacked commitment in teaching and just wanted to be paid. In addition, the teachers' expectations of the students was notably lower than teachers from other schools, holding them to a lower standard. The lack of resources was recognized by students as playing a key factor in impacting their learning as well. Other schools had science laboratories for instance while their school didn't.

This goes back to the educators, who, according to students, play an active role in their school days and education in general. As a teacher I have the power to encourage and believe in my students. Listening and regarding them as real people makes a significant difference because it will make the student feel better about themselves as well as try to please their teacher who they know cares about them. I want to be that teacher that his students know cares about them. The study appears credible due to measures taken to ensure validity such as the choosing of random students (and lots of them), looking at multiple schools, and reviewing research results without outside influence.

During my first semester at Grove City College, one of my teachers was describing how school faculty would make faulty decisions, thinking they were helping their school improve without taking the time to actually ask the teachers what the teachers thought they should do. Such is the similar case with kids in suffering schools that may be receiving aid but not in the areas of school that matter or that the students care about. By simply going to and listening to what the students have to say can help everyone reach better and more effective decisions in schools. Thus my question is why do you think organizations or faculty make poor decisions without asking the very group they are helping? Is it arrogance?

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