Native American and African-American Studies Term Paper

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Race and Education

Appreciation of the value of an education, upholding high family values and morals, and displaying the physical characteristics is associated with the European culture. Upper class values are viewed as adopting the European culture, which is also known as acting white. An African-American dressed in business attire, and holding a white-collar job is considered to have adopted the European culture values. High achievement is expected among the western culture. Identifying white collar African-Americans as Eurocentric is racism, because it diminishes the importance of the tradition among the black culture. White collar, well-educated African-Americans should not be identified as adopting the Eurocentric lifestyle, because it would eliminate much of the prejudiceness, and high achiever's accomplishments and capabilities would not be predetermined by their race.

The western culture will always be considered as the highest social status of all cultures. This belief and tradition has developed through history and will be here for a very long time. High social standards and behaviors are sent down form the western culture. The purpose of eliminating racist Eurocentric attitudes is not to diminish the history of the values sent down from the western culture, but instead to wipe out racism.

The minority child has to prove their capabilities of achievements, because the educators are following the statistics when assumptions of the child's abilities are made by their race along. Western cultures are associated with the value of an education, where as African-Americans are associated with putting low importance on the value of an education. Because of these, assumptions, the African-American child already has barriers placed in front of their success. White students are going to be corrected for using slang terms, where as the educator may feel that correcting the African-American student for using slang is discriminatory. During job interviews and formal social gatherings adults are expected to know the proper English. Proper English is not automatically developed, it is taught. If the African-American child is not taught the proper English, although the slang terms are used in the child's home, then he or she will not know how to use the proper English vocabulary. An adult who did not learn the proper English, will be considered uneducated and will case barriers to success and upper social status.

In the history of the western culture, colonies merged together, the British colonies considered the highest of the socioeconomic class. The expectations of their abilities were predetermined by the social status of the colony they derived form. The western culture found ways to take responsibility for their own success and acceptance. Western cultures derivatives of the lower class colonies, which were judged by of capitalism development, removed these obstacles.

Capitalist development has produced the automatic assumption of the African-American children. Highly expected standards of the western culture are passed down through traditions of expected behavior. Obstacles that involved capitalism, or presumptions, which were passed down to the western culture from previous, cultures, where removed successfully by the Europeans. The outstanding beliefs of the western culture that is recognized today, has developed by their removal of the barriers of their success caused by predetermination of achievements.

All of the colonies of the western culture decided their accomplishments were not going to be predetermined by their background. Today, for high achieving African-Americans to stop being considered as acting white, or behaving in the way of the western culture is taking responsibility for their own success. The values that individuals carry are not dependent on their race. Today, there are many well educated, high-status African-Americans, and their accomplishments needs to be recognized as the black race, working hard for their deserved accomplishments, and not related to any other race.

Race primarily is defined as ones national heritage of their or their parent's original birth country. For most individuals living in their adoptive country, socializing and working with individuals of their same national background will give them a sense of belonging in their country, away from their homeland. Sometimes, race has a deeper meaning than the national origin. Race is more than just cultural; race can depend on incorporating the same lifestyle of two different nationalities.

Interracial marriages involve two individuals who have found the same beliefs, traditions and values that they hold important, in another person outside of their race. For these people, race goes deeper than skin color. The offspring of the couple will create a race of their own. A new a race is developed.

Especially African-American and Hispanic students are expected to be violent and have low academic achievement scores in school.

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They are the ones who are assumed as the ones who cannot learn. Expecting a particular race to be violent and low achievers, with no other reason except for the national origin is clearly an example of racism and discrimination.

Many times, the black student being labeled as the violent one has developed the aggressive behavior as a matter of survival. After being constantly beat up, ridiculed, cut down and prejudged because of race, a violent behavior can expect to erupt. Black students are disciplined more severely and harsher than white students, even by a black principle. When the teachers and principal do not step in and defend the black student from a violent attack, the black child has no alternative to develop a behavior considered violent. When the authorities are accusing the black student for violent behavior when it was self-defense, in order to prevent unjustified suspension or other harsh discipline, the student is forced to defend his rights to the authorities at a very early age. All respect of the teachers and principals, as far as the student is concerned is lost. The student then views the teachers as in no position to be in authority. Disobedient and low achieving labels are then put on the student.

It is important to the minority child's self-esteem to see that he is treated fairly by students his own age. Being rejected by peers his own age is more damaging than being rejected by the teachers. Moving the African-American or Hispanic child to a lower income school is a common correction of the situation. This reveals the teachers and principals' weaknesses in their abilities to handle problems. Although the easiest and quickest way to solve the problem, teaching the child to run from his problems is not preparing him to take care of the obstacles he will face in adulthood.

The schools have been learning the importance of diversity, since the September 11th incident. Children are learning to integrate and make friends with other cultures. Adults are also learning to integrate and accept other cultures, although this should have been natural to grown ups before the attack.

Everyone must take responsibility to stop racism, or prejudging ones behavior or abilities, because they are Black, Hispanic or lower financial status. Ones national origin does not affect ones ability to succeed and make unique contributions to society. The minority people are not asking for handouts or any special favors or breaks, they are wanting discriminating people to stop putting up false barriers to their achievements.

One is judged by image they choose to portray, more so than ones race. A Black, educated, and church going woman who manages her finances will be considered of higher status than the white woman, who has a high school education, spends her weekends in the nightclubs, and does not pay her bills. Likewise, the black man who is well groomed, and wears well tailored and well pressed clothes will be expected to be more financially stable and will secure a job of any worthy status than the white taxi cab driver. Image is a stronger visualization of ones identity than one's race.

People of the same races interact because the personalities are similar. Two different races will sometimes interact much more agreeably than one of the same race. People of the white race, but lower economic status, may find it easier to socialize and communicate with a Hispanic or black person because the personality may be closer than individuals of Caucasian race.

Caucasians, which are identified with the western culture, are expected to succeed, have higher academic achievement, and greater success than those of other races. On the surface, Whites do have an advantage because of their race, but the correct training and education is still necessary for their chosen profession. High morals and behavior must still be upheld to be accepted by the upper social status class.

One will find more minorities working for whites than whites working for minorities, especially in the higher status jobs. White people are still considered the master race in America, especially the blonde hair, blue-eyed race. White children are expected to have higher grades by teachers, and in school still have better communication with the educators, usually because the majority of the teachers are white.

This is a result of African-Americans not expected to do well in school because of their race, Dropout rate for minorities is higher for blacks, than whites,….....

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