Student Achievement Gap Analysis

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Sophia, a sixteen-year-old student of Columbian decent, lives in the outskirts of a primarily white neighborhood. Her family cannot afford for her to have the books she needs for school. Since starting high school, Sophia’s grades have declined. Her parents cannot help her with her homework; English is their second language. On top of that, they do not have the money to have someone tutor her after school. Everyday, Sophia sees her classmates, mostly White students, with the most advanced technology, personal tutors, and plenty of books. She wonders when will she be able to enjoy such things. This example illustrates the ways in which privilege within white communities has created racial achievement gaps in education, thus giving White students with an abundance of educational and financial resources, a dominant position of success in society.
Because of the unequal distribution of wealth and cultural resources, privilege is a problem in the United States. People generally associate privilege with rich, White males but fail to realize that is
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They believe that students develop an attitude gap in school instead. According to Mr. Kafele, a former principal who became an author and motivational speaker, “ [an achievement gap] is the gap between [students] who have the will to strive for excellence and those who do not” (Baruti, K, 2013). He stressed the “determination factor” of a student. Mr. Kafele explained that a student’s attitude towards school is what determines their success, not a gap within certain groups of races. With that being said, critics may have their statements wrong. A teacher, friend, or any other persons cannot change what a student goes home to or their attitude as stated by Mr. Kafele. Therefore, a student’s home life may affect what they can and cannot achieve in school, which can be attributed because of their

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