Reflection on Social Justice Article

A segregated, predominantly black elementary class sits on the rug with their legs crossed.

This photo, taken from an article I will be discussing further, can be found here.

This post is a critical reflection on The New York Times article titled New Jersey Law Codifies School Segregation, Suit Says by Sharon Otterman. As a future educator, I find this particular topic of segregation both intriguing and complex.

       The article, published in May 2018, serves to inform people of the segregation present in New Jersey Public Schools and the ensuing lawsuit filed against the state. According to a UCLA study, New Jersey is currently the sixth most segregated state for black students, and seventh for Latino students. The man at the forefront of the lawsuit seeking to change this is Christian Estevez, of Plainfield, NJ. Plainfield still consists of the predominantly black and Latino schools that his family managed to move away from. Now, he says that the promise resulting in the Brown versus Board of Education case (of which we discussed in class) is not being practiced in New Jersey. The article continues to say that the segregation in this school system is 'de facto' or by fact, versus legal requirement. They say it is institutionalized by a state law that requires students to attend the public schools in the towns they live in. Since the towns and neighborhoods are racially segregated, the schools are too. The lawsuit calls for the ability of students to cross town lines to attend school, as well as a detailed plan suggesting ways to desegregate the schools. Gary Stein, a former New Jersey Supreme Court justice says "here in NJ, we have segregation that's more intense than any state today in the south." The lawsuit suggests creating magnet schools aimed to attract students across all towns. The article begins to conclude by saying how research supports integration. "Children in integrated schools do better than children in segregated schools." Lastly, New Jersey governor's press secretary says that he is committed to combating the deeply rooted segregation problem. 

       The three course texts that relate to this article are U.S.A., Land of Limitations by Nicholas Kristof, Separate and Unequal by Bob Hebert, and the Brown v. Board of Education website. This ties into the Kristof article because those in the segregated schools are at a disadvantage to success. The parents simply do not have the money for them to live in the areas of New Jersey where the high performing public schools are located, giving them more difficulty in receiving a quality education. Without this quality education it is tough to pass the rigor of college courses and receive a degree. It also directly relates to the Hebert article as they both share the same main idea of segregation. They both point to research that suggests integration is beneficial for the success of all students. Lastly, this article mentions the Brown v. Board of education case as a promise that is not being met in New Jersey. 

       The article where the above picture is taken titled The Real Reasons New York has the Country's Most Segregated Schools by Conor Williams is also related. Perhaps the geographical relationship between New York and New Jersey has a correlation to their school segregation. Also, both articles mention the socioeconomic relationship between the school segregation. I think the fact is: this problem reflects the social conditions of these states, where real-estate prices determine where a child goes to school. 

       Another article, pointing to the segregation of my home state, Rhode Island, also shares similarities between these two articles. After reading through all of these, it has me feeling like racial segregation in schools is everywhere in America, some places less than others. I'm sure that there are SOME awesome integrated schools where students are successful, but I feel like this issue is prominent throughout the entire country. I'm not saying these schools are 100% segregated either, as I know there is a small majority of black students in predominantly white schools & vice versa. It's also not just a white and black thing, America is a diverse country filled with all kinda of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. It just seems like the schools in low-income geographical areas are low performing, versus the high income areas where the schools are high performing. Of course, I stand with integration. Hopefully one day American schools can be fully integrated.