<p>Ok...So according to my classes, most of the kids in honors are all white...I mean it. So is there something that they don't want us to know? I would say that like only 5% are other...So get me out of doubt.</p>
<p>What do you mean? Nationwide, minorities typically do not take as many AP or honors classes. It's not some covert way for The Departement of Education to segregate classes, it's just a factor of differing socioeconomic levels among races. A Mexican immigrant with uneducated parents is not going to be taught the importance of an education, and many minorities(hispanics and blacks) do not understand how a college education can better one's social standing.</p>
<p>being in honors and being in regular is a chocie, the school can not make a choice for the person deciding on his schelude but can sway the student; many of the "other" kids compared to white kids do not have their parents influence to do well in school, their were a couple of kids in my school taking all reg just to say they would be the first people to graduate h.s. from their family; im not saying this is true everywhere but most high ranking people are white(all presidents, top 10 richest men, et cetera) it seems in todays society that white people are pushed harder than black people but at the same time are given the equal oppertunity to do better and then some.. so in the end theo choice is up to the indivudal and not the school in charge</p>
<p>My school has a white majority (80-85% of 2800), yet my AP Chemistry class is mainly Asian. I found it quite funny.</p>
<p>the purpose of honors is to separate the kids who want a challenge from those who don't. if it happens to be all white kids, so be it.</p>
<p>It is a choice....it's not being forcefully done. My classes are pretty diverse, but there are more whites in ap/honors than in regular classes.</p>
<p>Well you are all correct, however; not all white kids in honors are there because they're "smart", a bunch of them are failing, also; I think that their parents made them take the classes, so they wouldn't be with the "ghetto" people. So its not their choice. Yet, I'm like the only, I mean only hispanic in the honors classes who has a current 4.0. Graduation data when disaggregated shows that only 40% of Hispanic students graduate when compared to 60% of white students.The hispanic population in my school is less than 20%. Also, I think it has to do something with the counselor...</p>
<p>I don't want to sound racist (and I don't intend to be), but the Hispanic population of the U.S. is under a glass ceiling of sorts. Like many first generations, they need the inspiration and motivation to succeed and join Honors and AP courses. Sadly though, a lot of them don't recieve the proper motivation, and don't capitalize on these opportunities.</p>
<p>there are exactly two white people in my honors lit class. Four in bio ap. five in calc ab. three in apush. the rest? asian asian asian. of course, my school is 60-80% asian. 20% white. maybe under ten people in over two thousand that are hispanic or black. oh the joys of norcal. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>when my harvard interviewer asked me if my school was diverse, I had to answer no b/c of the stratification you're talking about. my ap classes are all white and asian, with the exception of a grand total of 2 students. that's about the average of urms in my classes every year. I think something really does need to be done starting from day 1 to help urms. by the time they get to college and can get affirmative action, it's really not that helpful... the time when people fall behind begins at an early age, and steps should be taken to help improve their skills. aa in my mind really does nothing other than help students get into colleges which are more competitive than they would've entered, and really doesn't help overcome the educational obstacles. not sure if that makes sense, but what I mean is that our country needs to be proactive in teaching urms, so that they then can in turn up their educational stats. what we're doing now doesn't seem to be helping their stats as far as standardized tests and the like go, because the only effort we're making to further their education is granting them less rigorous college standards, not actually helping them learn more.</p>
<p>I think it's more an economic issue. The kids in my non-honors courses are still mostly dumb white kids, but there are also a lot of poor kids (poor=minority here) which often translates into racial minorities too.</p>
<p>In honors and especially in AP, I find that, yes, there are fewer minorities but also that the minorities there are middle or upper class just like the white kids.</p>
<p>I feel you mexican dude. I'm the only black male in ALL my classes with 30% of my school's entire population comprising of African-Americans. My cousin's the only black male in his AP Euro class and 90% of the school is black. I have to officially agree with lionswim, and speculate that this is due to socio-economic stratification among races/ethnic groups. BUT I am led to believe, deep within the realms of my subconscious, that from observation and testimonies that more white students are encouraged into entering AP than minorities by their teachers/guidance counselors. Anyways, don't sweat it bro and be glad that YOU ARE HERE.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, very few underrepresented minorities take AP, IB and honors classes.
Why?
1. Many don't know the importance of those classes as pertains to college admissions. I have seen graduate level educated black parents who didn't have their gifted kids in AP or honors classes. The parents thought that taking easier classes would help their kids get higher grades and thus be on track for college.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Due to racism, URMs are less likely to be steered into AP/IB/honors classes by teachers and guidance counselors. They also are less likely to be put into gifted classes, which feed into the AP/IB/honors high school tracks.</p></li>
<li><p>Unfortunately, there's negative peer pressure from other UMRs, who may taunt URMS in AP/IB/honors classes by saying they are "acting white."</p></li>
<li><p>Schools with a high proportion of URMs (and/or low income students for that matter) are less likely to have AP/IB classes.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Here's an article describing the situation in Arizona. It's very representative of the rest of the country, too:</p>
<p>"Fewer minority kids in college prep classes
Trend holds true in TUSD for both blacks, Hispanics</p>
<p>ARIZONA DAILY STAR
24 November 2003
By Sarah Garrecht Gassen </p>
<p>Minority high school students are taking college prep courses in disproportionately low numbers - a trend TUSD is trying to reverse by making high school courses consistent from campus to campus. </p>
<p>In some areas of study the number of minority students participating in Advanced Placement classes is in the single digits, according to Tucson Unified School District data. Advanced Placement classes are rigorous national courses where students can pass a test for college credits. </p>
<p>"We don't have just an achievement gap: We have an opportunity gap," said Kelly Langford, senior academic officer for student services. </p>
<p>"Children of color often aren't encouraged to take those classes," Langford said. "We have kids with 4.0 grade point averages who have never taken an AP or honors class and they tell us, 'I didn't know I could take those classes.' " </p>
<p>Out of TUSD's 11 high schools, only nine black students are taking AP math classes this school year, according to district numbers. There are more than 1,000 black students enrolled in TUSD high schools." <a href="http://azbilingualed.org/AABE%20Site/AABE%20NEWS%202003/fewer%20minority%20kids%20in%20college%20prep%20classes.htm%5B/url%5D">http://azbilingualed.org/AABE%20Site/AABE%20NEWS%202003/fewer%20minority%20kids%20in%20college%20prep%20classes.htm</a></p>
<p>Barack Obama recently said, "A black kid with a book is not 'acting white.'"</p>
<p>My School's Students:
25% economically disadvantaged
78% white, 9% black, 4% hispanic, 9% other (mostly Native American, I would think)
17% learning disabled
89% graduation rate</p>
<p>This means we're a not-so-diverse, but pretty good quality school made mostly of kids who are well-off. And I think because of that our minorities are largely ignored (except the rich ones).</p>
<p>Number of minority administrators: 0
Number of minority teachers: 4 (2 black and aging-math, English, 2 hispanic-math, English/Spanish)
Number of minority security guards: 2 (out of 2 total)</p>
<p>I think we're sending the wrong message.</p>
<p>well...I'm black and my school is 90% black...about 9% white and 1% asian
total school population= approx. 1950-2000</p>
<ul>
<li>Everybody in the gifted program is black except for 1 white person and 1 Korean out of nearly a total of 60 gifted students...</li>
<li>Everybody in all of the AP US History classes are black (3 classes) except 1 white person and constantly score 4+ on the exam</li>
<li>AP Biology: All black and a few koreans...constant 4+ scorers</li>
</ul>
<p>This is the case for just about all of the AP courses (12 offered)...all of the teachers are black except for about 6...and our Gifted teachers persuade just about every gifted student to take AP/Honors courses...we have a wide range of subjects which include Anatomy, Psychology, PROstart Culinary Arts Program, CISCO Technology Program, Art Appreciation courses, multimedia design, Journalism/Creative Writing, and a strong Performing Arts program with award winning symphonies, jazz ensembles, marching band, and drama dept.</p>
<p>I know I complain about my school ALOT lol...but I actually kinda like it...</p>
<p>wow I actually said something good about my school...what is this world coming to...</p>
<p>but uhh...when it all boils down it's up to the student to challenge themselves or to skate through high school...</p>
<p>It's not segregation at all. It's not like people are barring the doors for honors classes to certain people. It's the person's choice to do it!</p>
<p>What I really hate nowadays is how minorities (especially African Americans) tend to blame everyone else for their own problems. The teacher is mean to them, since they were mean first, and they go like "You're Racist!".
My lord, I really despise those kind of people!</p>
<p>*waits for backlash</p>
<p>" It's not like people are barring the doors for honors classes to certain people. It's the person's choice to do it!
"</p>
<p>People get into honors classes in general because they have been encouraged to use their intelligence in that way. Historically, African Americans and some other minorities have been encouraged to take vocational track courses no matter how smart they are.</p>
<p>I am a middle aged African American and know successful, professional black people my age and far younger who escaped being put into special education classes only because their parents fought to keep them out. One such person is now a doctor, graduated from college Phi Beta Kappa and graduated from Stanford's medical school. Another person has a doctorate from Berkeley.</p>
<p>I have even in recent years brought up this issue with black college students, and many of them, including some at the top of their class, had faced the same problems when they were in elementary school. Only the aggressive intervention by their parents had kept these intelligent students in classes designed for college-bound students. </p>
<p>Some of the signs that students are gifted are similar to the signs that students have low intelligence. This can include students' acting out in class or not getting good grades. From what I have seen, the gifted black student who acts out is likely to be viewed as a disciplinary problem and kicked out of school or stuffed into special ed classes. The similar gifted white student is more likely to end up being placed in gifted educatio n classes.</p>
<p>I experienced this even with one of my sons. It had been clear since he was in preschool that he was gifted. His verbal skills and humor were so advanced that I can remember even being approached by a stranger when S was 3, and the stranger said that S belonged in a gifted school. His preschool director also noted S's intelligence, and made accommodations for him.</p>
<p>S didn't need a special school or gifted placement, though, until we moved when he was in elementary school. That's because his original elementary school was a private one that did an excellent job of meeting each student's individual needs.</p>
<p>When we moved, though, we put him in another private school. The class was way behind S, even though he had been skipped ahead. S began to act out. The director said she thought he was gifted, but would send him be tested for the area's gifted program "only if he learned to act right in class." This was, of course ridiculous. Gifted education isn't a reward for good behavior.</p>
<p>I should add, that particular school was predominantly black, and only 1 student was in the region's gifted program! That doesn't make sense since by the law of averages, more should have qualified.</p>
<p>Anyway, we took him out of that school, and put him into a school where his needs were met. They even expedited his entrance into the region's gifted program.</p>
<p>Anyway, ilovetocamp, I suggest that you learn more about URMs placement in gifted/honors/etc. curricula before you comment further. Just do some reading on the subject and take the time to talk to some URMs about their experinces. Don't jump to conclusions. </p>
<p>For people who are interested in the lack of URM participation in things like AP classes, here's an interesting article that includes suggestions for ways to improve the situation: <a href="http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/article/0,3045,150-157-0-36935,00.html%5B/url%5D">http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/article/0,3045,150-157-0-36935,00.html</a></p>
<p>"Gifted education isn't a reward for good behavior."</p>
<p>My brother's in fourth grade and is both gifted and learning disabled (ADHD). He's having the same problems. They won't meet his needs because his behavior is bad. His behavior is bad because they won't meet his needs. SO frustrating.</p>
<p>I attend a school that is 74% black, and in the traditional program the only AP classes available are US History and Euro History. However, I am in the IB program at the same school, and out of 150 seniors only15 are black and only 3 of them are black males. This raises many questions.</p>
<p>Believe it or not, the situation is even worse at S's IB program, which is a magnet program in a majority black school.
Are you and your parents trying to do anything to address the disparity? If so, I would be interested in your ideas. This is something that I have been working on with other parents, but it is hard to find solutions.</p>