The Struggle Over School
Desegregation
Alfiatunnur M.Ed
The Struggle Over the School Desegregation
School is the major player in the process of
education, which is expected to take over the responsibilities for the ethical,
physical, and emotional development of children. Unfortunately, the school environment is
often unfriendly for the children to growth.
In the United States, school segregation issue has been widespread since
a long time ago. The Committee on Social
Issue in the book Psychiatric Aspect of
School Desegregation explained “the existence of segregation as an unsolved
conflict leads to a chronic state of tension”(1957, p.12). After reading the article and book, I can
interpret that school segregation is not a mere social problem, but rigid
stereotype, lower cultural status, economy and education as compared to white
people lead to violent outbreak of racial tension are the root of the
problem.
In
1954, the Supreme Court declared, “separate educational facilities are
inherently unequal” (Eaton & Rivkin, 2010, p.1). In 1970s, the Urban Education Reform was
working to ensure that black students had opportunity to attend the school with
their white peers (Eaton & Rivkin, 2010). The Committee on Social Issue
said, “ Segregation can affect the levels of aspiration, the capacity to learn,
and the capacity to relate in interpersonal situations, because of the
rejection of one’s own group” (The committee on the social issue, 1957, p.10).
The
segregation issue has developed to the present days, however, I do not think
that Busing program to promote school desegregation, where the minority
students are transported to large white school, and white students are brought
to largely minority school is the solution to create diversity and provide
equal opportunity in public education.
Learning from experience, this program can affect the next phase of
students’ psychological issue. For example, the students feel uncomfortable
when they have to travel, and another possible problem is shock culture.
Persuasive
approaches are needed to end the segregation hierarchy at the school for the
educational realm movement:
Policy
Strengthened
Though the school
segregation has been declared illegal in the United States,
the doctrine of the white people
over the school regulation is extended and dominates the education realm
unconsciously. It is important for the policy makers to strengthen the
educational policy at state and school level to help the minority acquire an
equal educational opportunity. The
today’s movement is at hand of the policy maker, by putting a good foundation
on the school regulation, it is expected that all the school structure will
support this movement.
Building
Character in Students
Developing the character in students is important,
which include shaping their mind-set, help the students to have an open-minded
thinking, develop a sense of community and how to appreciate others who differ
from them. It is such a persuasive and
educative way in dealing with human being.
I have never advocated any physical movement in dealing with social
problem. I believe that every one has
the right to live their own life, and the students have to learn how to
appreciate others’ choices. And the most important thing is students’ self -
conscious is needed to make them aware of what they want to do and achieve for
their future. It will help them in deciding which school is the best to sharp
their skills, not attending the school for prestigious only or looking for the
most popular school.
Staff
and Teacher Qualification
School principal, staff and teachers are the people
who are going to deal with the students’ daily activities. As the main operator for the central object
at the school, it is not surprising if their qualification is in high
demand. Ideally, all the school elements
must be qualified to deal with the challenges and bring a good environment for
the students to learn and growth. In
this case, school can be seen as the learning system for the principal, staff
and teachers to gain more knowledge about human being and how to deal with
them. Richard A. Swanson and Elwood F. Holton describe six learning theories in
the book Foundations of Human Resources
Development, which are humanism,
social learning, constructivism, holistic learning, behaviorism, and
cognitivism (2009, p.194).
As the educator, the Humanism theory will help
them to integrate with the students and gain more understanding how to
socialize with the diverse students.
Swanson and Holton claimed that Humanism is not a mere learning theory,
but rather as a general approach to psychology (2009, p.119).
Scoring
System
The most effective way to have the diverse population
at the school is by judging the student based on scoring system. Indonesia is the country made of multi
cultural community, languages, religion and socio economic. Poverty is the
biggest challenge for the government. I have to admit that we really struggle
over the poor educational system. Yet, this poor condition has challenged the
students to compete for a better opportunity.
Basically, the children are required to attend the closest school to
them, but for those who can make good scores, they can have an opportunity to
cross the border and attend neighborhood school. The local educational
department will provide a recommendation letter to help those students. I was one of the students and being so
grateful, because of my good academic performance, brought me to move to
another school in the town.
Classified
the Students Based on Their Talents and Interest
The school can gather students from the very diverse
community by evaluating their talents and interest. Before enrolling the
school, the students are required to take the test or walk through an interview
to find out what they are interested in. It will automatically address the
students to the school where they want to, and help the school desegregation
naturally. This method can be used to select the students who are interested to
enroll in Vocational School.
Student
Exchange Program/ Sponsorship program
This program will be very beneficial for the
educational realm, not only for the school desegregation program, but also for
the students cross culture understanding. It is a typical worldwide program,
however, to help the students enhancing their understanding about the
diversity, this program can be developed within the states.
Boarding
School System
Boarding
school is another great option to store the diverse students at the
schools. This kind of school system will
not only support the school desegregation, but it helps the students’
personality growth. Being apart of their families, they will have an
opportunity to be more independent, engage in the diverse group and develop
their perfectives over the diversity. I believe the more the children engage
with the diverse group, the more they value others.
References
Eaton, S., & Rivkin, S. (2010).
Is desegregation dead? Education Next.
Retrieved
Swanson, R.A., & Holton III,
E.F. (2009). Foundations of human
resources
Development. San Francisco: Berret-Koehler
Publishers,Inc.
The Committee on Social Issue.
(1957). Psychiatric aspects of school
desegregation.
Group
for the Advancement of Psychiatry.
New York: Group for the
Advancement of
Psychiatry.
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