There are various factors that affect the development of a child academically. The school experience that they undergo determines the environment, which is a major factor that affects the level of understanding for a student. If the environment is not suitable for the learning of the particular student, then it is likely that the student might not perform excellently in their studies regardless of their level of intelligence. Race and ethnicity have been considered as the major factors that have affected education in American schools. This paper describes the various effects of ethnicity and race on school experience.
Lack of parenting in the home
The black Americans have been the most affected minority group in the American society in schools. Due to their historical background, some of the Americans still view the black Americans as individuals who do not fit in the American community. Their historical background has led to various situations in the American community that do not provide a suitable environment for their children to learn. The history of the black Americans puts them in situations where a considerable percentage of the black parents are single. The squalid conditions that some of these families live provide an environment where rape cases are common, irresponsible fathers, criminals are at large, among other situations where most children find themselves being raised by a single mother. In other cases, some children find themselves having to raise themselves since their parents are into drugs or were shot by the police (National Institute of Education, 2015). Through such an environment, a child is usually under constant destructions physically and emotionally since they do not have a fatherly figure during their development. Such destructions have a major negative effect on attaining academic excellence since the child does not dedicate their time to learning and their mind is not yet settled in grasping the educational content.
Parents with no educational background
Most of the black American parents have little or no education. As mentioned earlier, most of these parents live in squalid conditions where their children have to survive in getting food to the table. These parents have to survive by any means and some of them do not see the value of education in their lives. They usually have negative attitudes towards the education system and in most cases, their children emulate them in ignoring education. Through such, it becomes difficult for the children to be convinced that education can transform their lives if they see that their parents are still surviving yet they do not have an education. Even in light of such an environment, there are still some of the black American students who are willing to attain their educational dreams (Arrighi 2007, p.112). However, the lack of motivation and a negative environment makes the children lose their dreams. Since the parents are usually busy in multiple jobs these once motivated children fall prey of the lifestyle in their neighborhood and end up being like their peers and elder brothers and sisters.
Lack of funding
Technological advancements have contributed greatly to education. Students are nowadays using technological devices such as tablets, laptops, and smartphones in accessing learning material and being able to advance in their education level. Due to the lack of well-paying jobs for the parents, it becomes difficult for the parents to buy these devices for their children in aiding them to learn (Grigorenko 2013, p.81). Additionally, the neighborhoods in which these students live are not safe and when a parent buys their children such a device, chances are that they may be robbed off while walking on the streets.
Due to lack of funding and the low-income level for the parents, it is highly likely that the children will have to struggle in accessing internet services. With the advancements in technology, the internet has become a medium where students can access learning material, visit online libraries, or even conduct research that will be helpful in helping them through their education. Additionally, the internet enables the students to connect with other students on social platforms where they can discuss on various courses being offered in school. Due to lack of funding, most of the students from black American families cannot access the internet, which means that these students do not enjoy the benefits offered by the internet on learning.
Negative behavior
As noted earlier, some of the black American families live in neighborhoods that are prone to violence and crime. Growing up in such an environment makes it difficult for a student to attain their academic goals and objectives. This is mainly because there is a lot of peer pressure where some of the students feel that the only way to survive is through indulging in criminal activities. Some of the negative behavior is also influenced by the songs from most of black Americans popularly known as ‘hip hop,’ which always glorifies drug dealing, dodging away from the police, among other criminal activities that influence the behaviors of the growing children (Weinberg 2011, p. 78). When a child grows in an environment where violence and crime are glorified, chances are that they will also grow knowing that the only way to survive is through violence and crime.
There are some of the children who are usually focused on attaining their educational dreams. One of the major challenges that these children face is the fact that trying to be a good person in such a community is usually regarded as being a traitor. Most of the people living in these areas feel that everyone should be against the administration and that they have to struggle in any way in seeking recognition within their community (Hallinan 2006, p.101). In most cases, the children who do not believe in crime usually find themselves in crime since they fail to stand the pressure of their friends. Additionally, some of the students who do not believe in crime are usually bullied. When these students cannot stand to be bullied, they result to crime, which disrupts their learning and their academic goals.
In summary, ethnicity and race have affected the equality in attaining education within the American community. The black American students have been mostly affected. The environments in which these students are predisposed do not provide the required environment for learning. Most of the parents of these children are usually not available where they are either in jail, working a part time job, or engaging in criminal activities. The parents do not, therefore, provide the required support for their children, which affect their learning. Additionally, the environment in which the children grow encourages criminal activities from the genre of songs to the bad examples that these communities have. Such an environment makes it difficult for a child to attaining their academic goals.
Get Your Custom Paper From Professional Writers. 100% Plagiarism Free, No AI Generated Content and Good Grade Guarantee. We Have Experts In All Subjects.
Place Your Order Now