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Students Push Back Against Segregated Schools
Jace and Joaquin are on a mission through activism to fight for your rights by integrating New York City's public schools. American schools are still widely segregated — 65 years after the Supreme Court's landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision.
“I was in kindergarten when I found out what racism is, I was around 5, 6 years old, maybe younger. I went to an all-white school, I was the only black student, I had problems with my complexion. I hated how my hair was, I hated how there was differences in how I was treated compared to the other kids.” Jace tell Brut.
On the anniversary of the 1954 historical landmark ruling, through the student-led organization IntegrateNYC, they launched the #RetireSegregation campaign. New York remains one of the most segregated states in the U.S., with 83% of black students and 73% of Hispanic students attending schools that are less than 10% white according to NYC Department of Education.
“I first experienced segregation in my school when I first moved to New York from Chile when I was 9 years old. I came here to New York City in the middle of 4th grade. I was placed in an ESL class knowing no English at all, with a teacher that knew no Spanish, which was my language, and just that lack of resources, it just failed me, you know, I had to learn English myself.” Joaquin recollects.
Black and Latino students are also experiencing the “double segregation” of race and poverty and attend schools with fewer educational resources. A recent study found a $23 billion gap in funding between white and non-white school districts of equal size across the country based on studies by EdBuild. To push back against this, students from IntegrateNYC designed the "5 R’s of Real Integration," a policy framework addressing race in enrollment, resource distribution, relationships within schools, restorative justice and representative staffing.
IntegrateNYC work is part of a global movement striving for racial equity and human dignity. Specifically, they align their advocacy with the platforms and goals of the Movement for Black Lives and United Nations.
Brut.
