It is very clear that the United States has a very grim past. Various time lines give proof to the continued discrimination that Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, African Americans and Puerto Ricans endured over a period lasting almost 100 years. During these times, the ideal American society only comprised of Anglo-Saxon, white, Protestant individuals and anyone else deserved to be excluded and often times, exploited. The list of injustices against these groups is extensive and the evidence of continued abuse is found virtually anywhere. Spring gives a comprehensive account of the serious impact that racism had on education for these groups. Like the Irish- Catholics, Mexican Americans, Native Americans and African Americans established their own schools to cater to their own communities. However, they were completely excluded from public schooling and denied funding. Also, Spring mentions that the easiest way to maintain social control is through education. With this in mind, it is clear that the federal and local governments used education to deny these groups the opportunity to advance socially and include themselves in “American” society.
It is safe to say that our modern American society has accepted these groups but, of course, there are remnants of this discrimination that still plague the educational system. In the United States, it is clear that the quality of education is closely linked to social economic status. In other words, wealthy families are able to afford better schooling. Not only that but public schools are better equipped and have high performance rates if they are in affluent communities. Unfortunately, most minorities live in semi-segregated poor neighborhoods where local schools perform below standards. Statistics show that Hispanics and African Americans have the highest high school drop out rates in the country. The first main question to ask is why are these ethnic groups less likely to complete their education and is the cause something that has been dragging on for many years? Also, the current immigration policies must be addressed immediately. Immigrant students from these racial groups, and many others, exit high school and aren’t able to continue their education because of their legal status. College is an expensive but beneficial investment, however, many students won’t have the opportunity to continue their education because they have no legal documentation and are unable to ask for financial aid. If the goal of the United States, as a nation, is to improve educational performance worldwide and effectively compete internationally, can these issues remain ignored?
