Separate (Still) but Equal (Not so Much)

This week we facilitated a discussion around Michael J. Klarman’s book read, From Jim Crow to Civil Rights. The focus of our facilitated discussion was surrounded how America navigated decision making from the Plessy Era to Brown. One of our last discussion points and question was what had changed since the Brown decision? Did Brown “fix” school segregation? From both a K12 and Higher Ed. standpoint the group collectively landed on a unanimous no and that school segregation just looks different that the blatant school segregation the NAACP once fought against in 1954. This can be seen throughout our current history like reading cases where admission practices have inherent biases towards students of color, in the HBCU and PWI funding debate, in K12 zoning practices, in K12 specialty center locations and also in the executive summary that outlines the public college vs. private college white racial privilege and marginalization of Black and Latino college. These examples are just mere tip of the iceberg topics that contribute to the larger topic and notion that we are not so far removed from the Plessy “separate but equal” finding. Needless to say in focusing on the executive report specifically I still have many wonderings and notices I’d like to share.

First, I recognize now more than ever some of the inequalities are finally coming to forefront, not because of large public attention but because of the larger number of Black and Latino students who are now attending college. Hats off to the cultures for putting education at the forefront and student breaking generational curses. This hit home hard for me as I am a first generation college graduate, masters graduate and will be doctoral graduate. Now that the Black and Latino enrollment in college outweigh the white enrollment I wonder if the new layer or segregation of open-access vs. selective public college is by design. It sometimes seems as if we have not learned from history. What I find most egregious is the justification of the disparities among the number Black and Latino students who gain admission to selective colleges and why their white counterparts have a higher enrollment. The report indicates it is because their white counterparts score higher on standardized admission tests (SATs and ACTs). It’s almost like they are completely aware of the historical context surrounding access to education, achievement and learning gaps, overrepresentation of children of colors and special education and many other issues that occur in K12 education that could contribute to lower SAT and ACT scores. Furthermore, despite struggles large numbers of Black and Latino students test above average whereas a quarter of those students are admitted to selective public colleges.

The report brings up many points but the last point I want to focus on is the funding. Selective public colleges are significantly higher funded than the open-access college, which are funded by tax-payers. However, in 15 states the selective public colleges at least double the amount per pupil from state and local appropriations that public colleges receive. Which we just established the majority of Black and Latino students majority attending. Not to mention the number indicates that is exactly all we are doing for the majority, attending. The report indicates Black and Latino students who attend an open-access college are graduating at a 46% rate vs. those attending a selective public college are graduating at a 81% rate. So. my wonder is, is it by design? Is it “fixable” or do we need to tear the system down and design one built to be inclusive and incumbent of all. When we look back at brown I look at how some of these very points were brought up back just with a different context. Resources were an issue while it was as black and white like children learning in a one room shack and walking hours to school, now it is underfunding to open-access schools where majority Black and Latino students attend. In Brown the argument was not necessarily test scores, but it was access to books, social and economic disadvantages that did depress academic advancement. Had those circumstances changed it would contribute to a better education and learning experience not only for blacks then but for all. These same sentiments carry society today. There is clearly something stifling this process for children of color and in 2021 we still have not figured it out so it is easy to ask oneself, will we figure it out or are we really trying to figure it out?