In her essay “Why Are All the Black Kids sitting together in the Cafeteria?” Beverly Tatum, analyzes the significance of African American students migrating towards each other in social outings within schools. Many people believe that the kids migrate towards each other simply because they are friends, however Tatum argues that the reason goes far beyond friendship. As children began to grow into adolescents, they become curious as to who they are or what their purpose is in the world. However, according to the studies of Tatum, the African American student experiences a different search of identity, they began to wonder what it means to be black. For the first time in their lives, these African American adolescents are exposed to a world that
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Sadly, the education system is failing these students by limiting their knowledge of powerful, and inspirational African Americans in history that could serve as role models to these lost adolescents. The average African American student is not exposed to these role models until college, but many of these students lack the initiative to make it this far and will never learn that success and intelligence is not limited to being white. The high school graduation rates of African American students would increase significantly if these students were exposed to role models of their race at a younger age. The education system should teach more detailed African American history, as early as primary school, to provide African American students with role models that will inspire them to be …show more content…
and Rosa Parks in celebration of Black History Month.” (Jocz huffingtonpost.com) Sadly, only the surface of African American history is covered in the shortest month out of the year; “teaching black history only in February is like teaching American history in July because of Independence Day.” (Dorsey oureunitedvoice.org) Every student across America knows the story of Rosa Parks refusing to move and Martin Luther King Jr. having a dream, unfortunately many lack the knowledge of the “tremendous contributions and sacrifices” that went into “making that dream a reality,” (Jocz huffingtonpost.com) because they aren’t exposed to this information until they reach a higher level of education, which some may never make it to. The education system should go more in depth in African American History as early as primary school to allow students to learn all of our nation’s history. By “moving beyond superficial hero worship” (Jocz huffingtonpost.com) students are able to have a “sense of empowerment” and “critical thinking skills that will allow them to have
Sadly, the education system is failing these students by limiting their knowledge of powerful, and inspirational African Americans in history that could serve as role models to these lost adolescents. The average African American student is not exposed to these role models until college, but many of these students lack the initiative to make it this far and will never learn that success and intelligence is not limited to being white. The high school graduation rates of African American students would increase significantly if these students were exposed to role models of their race at a younger age. The education system should teach more detailed African American history, as early as primary school, to provide African American students with role models that will inspire them to be …show more content…
and Rosa Parks in celebration of Black History Month.” (Jocz huffingtonpost.com) Sadly, only the surface of African American history is covered in the shortest month out of the year; “teaching black history only in February is like teaching American history in July because of Independence Day.” (Dorsey oureunitedvoice.org) Every student across America knows the story of Rosa Parks refusing to move and Martin Luther King Jr. having a dream, unfortunately many lack the knowledge of the “tremendous contributions and sacrifices” that went into “making that dream a reality,” (Jocz huffingtonpost.com) because they aren’t exposed to this information until they reach a higher level of education, which some may never make it to. The education system should go more in depth in African American History as early as primary school to allow students to learn all of our nation’s history. By “moving beyond superficial hero worship” (Jocz huffingtonpost.com) students are able to have a “sense of empowerment” and “critical thinking skills that will allow them to have