Separate and Unequal

After seeing Kandice Sumner's TED Talk, I feel a range of feelings. The significant inequalities in the American public education system are made clear by her speech. especially the systematic underfunding and undeserving of schools in urban, mainly Black and Brown neighborhoods. It's not just about some schools performing better than others. It's about a system that has historically supported inequity.

One of the most significant points in the talk was Sumner's difference between the "achievement gap" and what she refers to as the "education debt." If on purpose or not. The term "achievement gap" attaches blame to failing children. It implies that they are either incapable or not making an effort. However, by rephrasing it as "education debt," people see that the issue is not one of students' lack of effort but instead of society's lack of investment. 

Her experiences clearly supported this problem. She experienced firsthand the clear disparity. She describes the facilities, the challenging curriculum and even the physical state of the educational institutions. I was especially struck by her student's question. "Why would anyone give us books for free?". Students in low-income communities are being taught that they don't deserve better, and this goes beyond just offering them access to resources. This shows them that their schooling is not a top concern. that they are not as important.

She is also connecting the historical causes of inequality, which date back to slavery and segregation to the contemporary status of public education. White, wealthy suburbs were given priority in the construction of the American educational systems which wasn't meant to serve everyone equally. And while legal segregation may no longer exist, segregation based on location, race, and income is still very much in place. Even now schools in underprivileged areas which are frequently communities of color receive less money, less resources, and teachers with less experience. These inequalities don't just happen. The system has them built in.

 She shows that students from under-resourced schools are equally capable, interested, and worthy as any other students, despite all the structural obstacles. What they need is opportunity, not talent. It's devastating to see how many kids across aren't given the opportunity to succeed just because of their residence. She wants all of us, not just educators or policymakers, to do more. This talk got me thinking about how often we take this inequality for granted. Everyone can change things but only if we are prepared to face hard realities and challenge the norm. This includes supporting programs that give all schools, not just the wealthiest ones.  fighting for fair school funding policies.