A new report from researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University and Pennsylvania State University finds that school segregation by race and poverty is deepening in Virginia. The report reveals that segregation among schools in the same division contributes to half or more of all multiracial school segregation in Virginia’s metropolitan regions. It also found that school division boundaries surrounding independent cities are related to higher school segregation across Virginia’s rural and metro regions.
“School boundaries matter. The lines separating school districts and school communities within those districts continue to shape racial and economic segregation and educational opportunity,” said Genevieve Siegel-Hawley, an associate professor in the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University.
“School segregation is a fundamental barrier to equitable educational opportunity and outcomes. It is also antithetical to preparation for citizenship in a multiracial democracy,” Dr. Siegel-Hawley continued. “After decades of neglect, policymakers should urgently confront this issue, starting with raising awareness and followed by concrete policy action and accountability.”
The report lays out a variety of state-level policy recommendations designed to help local divisions better understand and address the role boundaries play in structuring segregation.
The full report, School Segregation by Boundary Line in Virginia: Scope, Significance and State Policy Solutions, may be downloaded here.
The facts remain, the so-called Black community and especially Black students (K-12) Do Not need to sit next to White, Asian, or Latinos in order to reach their full intellectual potential. The so-called Black community just need to consistently embrace high academic performance in the home, the school, and all places in between. The will only occur if the so-called Black community have a serious mental cleansing of Eurocentric thoughts, values, customs, and beliefs. This especially includes those so-called Blacks with degrees from PWIs which furthers solidifies and perpetuates Eurocentrism of the highest order. For those who dissent, I just bet you can’t wait until “Thanksgiving and Christmas” as well. Sad.
Well said!
Because there are literally tens of thousands of students in the two + racially mixed category – a category which did not exist in 2009-2010 school year the comparison is , well, meaningless . the tabulations depict a significant drop in the number of Black students which might not really be accurate as a finding. The 2+ racial category should be broken down to calculate the # of students who have at least one Black parent . A more accurate picture of
the Black student population growth in VA schools.
Are you KIDDING ME! Your neoliberal and intersectionality misguided comment is indicative of years of miseducation. In other words, spare me with the inherently flawed biracialty narrative in another feeble attempt to address the issue of “native born Black Americans”. You do know what that mean, right! Further, I just bet you have low race salience along with residing in a majority White area all the while being treating as a 2nd class citizen.