Issues caused by a lack of diversity
Private Schools provide smaller classroom environments, opportunities for experiential learning, and college preparation. However, private schools are costly and are often not extremely diverse. The lack of diversity can lead to issues inside and outside of the classroom for minorities.
The FEW: Ethnic Demographics in Private Schools
It is not uncommon for black students at private schools to be among the minority because the demographics in many private schools across the country are not very diverse. The National Center for Education conducted an ethnic demographics survey during the 2011-2012 school year of a representative sample of public and private K-12 schools across the country. The results of the survey showed that on average black students only made up 8.8% of private school students, versus white students who make up 72.2%. (Bitterman) They conducted this survey over multiple years and each survey showed similar trends.
There is a similar trend seen at the college level, and many black students that graduate from private high schools continue their educations at private colleges and universities. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education has done a survey every year for the past 23 years of the percentages of black first year students vs white first years at non-HBCU top universities. Many of these institutions are private colleges, and have shown consistent trends of black students making up 2-12% of the population while white students make up the majority. (Black First-Year Students at the Nation’s Leading Research Universities) For example, Emory University’s current first year class, class of 2020, is 7.1% black, which is representative of their total population which is about 9% black. (“Fast Facts- Admission Profile,” 2016) Black students that attend private schools, whether it be for high school or college, are often among the minority.
What are the PROBLEMS The Few Face?
There are many stereotypes and microaggressions black students encounter in predominately white educational environments. A research study conducted by Dorinda J. Carter-Andrews in 2012 studied how ethnicity brought emotional, psychological, and academic stressors upon nine black students. (“Black Achievers’ Experiences With Racial Spotlighting and Ignoring in a Predominately White High School”) There were unfair assumptions made about these students, “stereo- typing them as delinquent individuals based on preconceived notions about their neighborhood environment” and ethnic backgrounds. (Carter-Andrews) It is not uncommon for students who come from neighborhoods in “the bad part of town” to be stereotyped, even if they are high-achieving students, like the black students followed in this study. Occasionally racial slurs were thrown at these students both in and out of the classroom, which discouraged them from socializing with certain classmates. Not only were they emotionally and psychologically targeted, but their race also served as a distraction in the classroom. For the nine students at this high school, “devaluing their thoughts and ideas during class discussion[s]”, and “staring at them during race-related discussions” was not uncommon. (Carter-Andrews) These distractions can lead to black students being uncomfortable in the classroom, and can deter them from participating.
College Students face these same issues; sometimes on a more extreme level. There was a study done at a predominately white university entitled “A Fly in the Buttermilk” that showed similar results to the Carter-Andrews high school studies. All of the black college students described experiencing the same ignoring, isolation, and stereotyping (Davis, Mitzi, et al.). However, the authors of this study said many of the black students said “I have to prove I’m worthy to be here” when discussing their feelings about their academic eniorments (Davis, Mitzi, et al.). This is because, according to one of the students in the survey, many white students and professors “assume that you’re on some kind of minority scholarship and you’re here because of affirmative action and that sort of stuff.” Authors of “A Fly in the Buttermilk” discuss how these feelings are shared by many black students at predominately white universities, and many black students feel like they have to work harder than others. Uncomfortable interactions with students and professors inside the classroom, can often lead to discomfort in student organizations, during office hours, in residence halls, and social events. The purpose of attending school is to learn and equip oneself to move on the next level of education, or into the real world. Many private schools pride themselves in providing its students with superior educations, however, this education cannot be attained by all students if the learning and social environments aren’t suitable for them.
SAFE Spaces
The creation of safe spaces is popular method used by educational institutions— at both the high school and colligate levels— to make school environments more welcoming to all students. In addition to writing an article on racial spotlighting, Carter wrote another article about the importance of safe spaces in 2007, in which she observes the benefits of having “identity-affirming counter-spaces”, or safe spaces, for black students at a predominately white high school. Carter emphasizes the importance of having both formal and informal safe spaces because they serve different purposes in the lives of the students. In the article, the black students created an “informal counter-space” at “The Stairs.” These stairs provide the black students an informal setting where they can meet between classes, before, and after school to talk, do homework, or recharge. For some of the black students who are severely struggling, like a student named Rodney highlighted in the article, they gain “the necessary psychological, social, and cultural support and visibility needed to cope with the alienation and otherness he often feels” at The Stairs. (Carter) In these informal settings students are able to be themselves, not be fearful of judgment, and find commonalities easily with those around them. “Formal counter-spaces” are organizations or offices created in collaboration with the school in order to promote a welcoming environment for black students through discussions, and educating students about black culture and issues. (Carter) For example, the black students in Carter’s article had the Office of Human and Civil Rights for academic and personal counseling services, and the Black Leadership Advisory Council (BLAC). BLAC sponsored events like “Black Culture Day” to rally and educate the students about black culture. (Carter) Many schools have both formal and informal safe spaces for various underrepresented groups, and those places provide a place of refuge for those that identify with that specific group. In Carter’s article “Black Achievers’ Experiences with Racial Spotlighting”, she discusses that black students should not be belittled by the struggles they might face while attending predominately white institutions, rather be resilient by utilizing the safe spaces for support. These articles are not suggesting that all private schools struggle with these issues surrounding race, and that all black students at private schools are unhappy. Rather they highlight that at predominately white institutions, like some private schools, black students sometimes struggle to deal with the problems that they face due to their identity.
The FEW: Ethnic Demographics in Private Schools
It is not uncommon for black students at private schools to be among the minority because the demographics in many private schools across the country are not very diverse. The National Center for Education conducted an ethnic demographics survey during the 2011-2012 school year of a representative sample of public and private K-12 schools across the country. The results of the survey showed that on average black students only made up 8.8% of private school students, versus white students who make up 72.2%. (Bitterman) They conducted this survey over multiple years and each survey showed similar trends.
There is a similar trend seen at the college level, and many black students that graduate from private high schools continue their educations at private colleges and universities. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education has done a survey every year for the past 23 years of the percentages of black first year students vs white first years at non-HBCU top universities. Many of these institutions are private colleges, and have shown consistent trends of black students making up 2-12% of the population while white students make up the majority. (Black First-Year Students at the Nation’s Leading Research Universities) For example, Emory University’s current first year class, class of 2020, is 7.1% black, which is representative of their total population which is about 9% black. (“Fast Facts- Admission Profile,” 2016) Black students that attend private schools, whether it be for high school or college, are often among the minority.
What are the PROBLEMS The Few Face?
There are many stereotypes and microaggressions black students encounter in predominately white educational environments. A research study conducted by Dorinda J. Carter-Andrews in 2012 studied how ethnicity brought emotional, psychological, and academic stressors upon nine black students. (“Black Achievers’ Experiences With Racial Spotlighting and Ignoring in a Predominately White High School”) There were unfair assumptions made about these students, “stereo- typing them as delinquent individuals based on preconceived notions about their neighborhood environment” and ethnic backgrounds. (Carter-Andrews) It is not uncommon for students who come from neighborhoods in “the bad part of town” to be stereotyped, even if they are high-achieving students, like the black students followed in this study. Occasionally racial slurs were thrown at these students both in and out of the classroom, which discouraged them from socializing with certain classmates. Not only were they emotionally and psychologically targeted, but their race also served as a distraction in the classroom. For the nine students at this high school, “devaluing their thoughts and ideas during class discussion[s]”, and “staring at them during race-related discussions” was not uncommon. (Carter-Andrews) These distractions can lead to black students being uncomfortable in the classroom, and can deter them from participating.
College Students face these same issues; sometimes on a more extreme level. There was a study done at a predominately white university entitled “A Fly in the Buttermilk” that showed similar results to the Carter-Andrews high school studies. All of the black college students described experiencing the same ignoring, isolation, and stereotyping (Davis, Mitzi, et al.). However, the authors of this study said many of the black students said “I have to prove I’m worthy to be here” when discussing their feelings about their academic eniorments (Davis, Mitzi, et al.). This is because, according to one of the students in the survey, many white students and professors “assume that you’re on some kind of minority scholarship and you’re here because of affirmative action and that sort of stuff.” Authors of “A Fly in the Buttermilk” discuss how these feelings are shared by many black students at predominately white universities, and many black students feel like they have to work harder than others. Uncomfortable interactions with students and professors inside the classroom, can often lead to discomfort in student organizations, during office hours, in residence halls, and social events. The purpose of attending school is to learn and equip oneself to move on the next level of education, or into the real world. Many private schools pride themselves in providing its students with superior educations, however, this education cannot be attained by all students if the learning and social environments aren’t suitable for them.
SAFE Spaces
The creation of safe spaces is popular method used by educational institutions— at both the high school and colligate levels— to make school environments more welcoming to all students. In addition to writing an article on racial spotlighting, Carter wrote another article about the importance of safe spaces in 2007, in which she observes the benefits of having “identity-affirming counter-spaces”, or safe spaces, for black students at a predominately white high school. Carter emphasizes the importance of having both formal and informal safe spaces because they serve different purposes in the lives of the students. In the article, the black students created an “informal counter-space” at “The Stairs.” These stairs provide the black students an informal setting where they can meet between classes, before, and after school to talk, do homework, or recharge. For some of the black students who are severely struggling, like a student named Rodney highlighted in the article, they gain “the necessary psychological, social, and cultural support and visibility needed to cope with the alienation and otherness he often feels” at The Stairs. (Carter) In these informal settings students are able to be themselves, not be fearful of judgment, and find commonalities easily with those around them. “Formal counter-spaces” are organizations or offices created in collaboration with the school in order to promote a welcoming environment for black students through discussions, and educating students about black culture and issues. (Carter) For example, the black students in Carter’s article had the Office of Human and Civil Rights for academic and personal counseling services, and the Black Leadership Advisory Council (BLAC). BLAC sponsored events like “Black Culture Day” to rally and educate the students about black culture. (Carter) Many schools have both formal and informal safe spaces for various underrepresented groups, and those places provide a place of refuge for those that identify with that specific group. In Carter’s article “Black Achievers’ Experiences with Racial Spotlighting”, she discusses that black students should not be belittled by the struggles they might face while attending predominately white institutions, rather be resilient by utilizing the safe spaces for support. These articles are not suggesting that all private schools struggle with these issues surrounding race, and that all black students at private schools are unhappy. Rather they highlight that at predominately white institutions, like some private schools, black students sometimes struggle to deal with the problems that they face due to their identity.
Works Cited
Bitterman, A., Gray, L., and Goldring, R. (2013). Characteristics of Public and Private Elementary and Secondary Schools in the United States: Results From the 2011–12 Schools and Staffing Survey (NCES 2013–312). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 10 Sept. 2016 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.
Carter, Dorinda J. "Why The Black Kids Sit Together At The Stairs: The Role Of Identity-Affirming Counter-Spaces In A Predominantly White High School." Journal Of Negro Education 76.4 (2007): 542-554. PsycINFO. Web. 6 Sept. 2016.
Carter Andrews, Dorinda J. "Black Achievers' Experiences With Racial Spotlighting And Ignoring In A Predominantly White High School." Teachers College Record 114.10 (2012): 1-46. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 Sept. 2016.
Davis, Mitzi, et al. "A Fly In The Buttermilk": Descriptions Of University Life By Successful Black Undergraduate Students At A Predominately White Southeastern University." Journal Of Higher Education 75.4 (2004): 420-445. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Sept. 2016.
Duncan, Kevin C., and Jonathan, Sandy. "Explaining the Performance Gap between Public and Private School Students." Eastern Economic Journal 33.2 (2007): 177-91. Web.
“Fast Facts- Admission Profile.” Emory University, 26 Sept. 2016, http://apply.emory.edu/discover/fastfacts.php.
Monto, Martin A., and Dahmen , Jessica. "College Success Among Students Graduating From Public And Private High Schools." Journal Of School Choice 3.3 (2009): 307-312. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 Sept. 2016.
"Black First-Year Students at the Nation’s Leading Research Universities." The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, vol. na, no. na, 2016, https://www.jbhe.com/2016/01/black-first-year-students-at-leading-research-universities/. Accessed 26 September 2016.
Carter, Dorinda J. "Why The Black Kids Sit Together At The Stairs: The Role Of Identity-Affirming Counter-Spaces In A Predominantly White High School." Journal Of Negro Education 76.4 (2007): 542-554. PsycINFO. Web. 6 Sept. 2016.
Carter Andrews, Dorinda J. "Black Achievers' Experiences With Racial Spotlighting And Ignoring In A Predominantly White High School." Teachers College Record 114.10 (2012): 1-46. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 Sept. 2016.
Davis, Mitzi, et al. "A Fly In The Buttermilk": Descriptions Of University Life By Successful Black Undergraduate Students At A Predominately White Southeastern University." Journal Of Higher Education 75.4 (2004): 420-445. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Sept. 2016.
Duncan, Kevin C., and Jonathan, Sandy. "Explaining the Performance Gap between Public and Private School Students." Eastern Economic Journal 33.2 (2007): 177-91. Web.
“Fast Facts- Admission Profile.” Emory University, 26 Sept. 2016, http://apply.emory.edu/discover/fastfacts.php.
Monto, Martin A., and Dahmen , Jessica. "College Success Among Students Graduating From Public And Private High Schools." Journal Of School Choice 3.3 (2009): 307-312. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 Sept. 2016.
"Black First-Year Students at the Nation’s Leading Research Universities." The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, vol. na, no. na, 2016, https://www.jbhe.com/2016/01/black-first-year-students-at-leading-research-universities/. Accessed 26 September 2016.