This house supports the creation of single-race public schools

Schools in the US focus primarily on European history and a version of American history that does not adequately cover African-American history. A few experimental schools with all black students have incorporated an "Afrocentric" curriculum, which focuses more on African history than European history and places a greater emphasis on the role of African-Americans in United States history.¹When students learn history as something that includes them, rather than the story of some other people, they are more likely to be engaged in the subject matter as they have a personal connection to the history, they will be learning their own history not someone else's.¹ Ibid, 37.

This is a problem with the curriculum and should not be solved through segregation. White students should also receive an education that fairly covers the accomplishments of other cultures. To separate students on the basis of race and teach each group only one version of history does not benefit any group; each group simply learns that they need only pay attention to "their own kind." Instead, the curriculum should be adjusted to reflect a universal history.

In mainstream schools which track students by ability, as many as 1/3 of black male students are incorrectly placed in slower classes.¹ These lower-end classes are often assigned the worst teachers, reserving the better teachers for a school's honor classes.²Consequently, black males are often prevented from receiving an equal education in integrated schools. Allowing black males to be educated in an environment isolated from racial tensions and inequalities eliminates the psychological impact of "tracking" in integrated public schools.

¹ Narine, 25.

This is a problem with the way tracking is implemented, not a problem with integration. If students are incorrectly being placed in lower classes, a new criteria needs to be used for evaluating students. Students should, perhaps, be frequently re-evaluated, or initially placed in a regular class until there is proof that the student cannot keep up. Racially segregated schools are not an appropriate solution to an improper tracking system.

Despite almost sixty years of integration, black students lag behind whites, and the difference is even greater for males.¹ Only 12 percent of black fourth-grade boys are proficient in reading, compared with 38 percent of white boys, and only 12 percent of black eighth-grade boys are proficient in math, compared with 44 percent of white boys.² Figures that are not explained just by poverty. The idyllic image of integrated schools does not line up to reality; black males are still at great risk for dropping out of school, being imprisoned and murdered at rates several times higher than young white men. There is evidence to show that this alternative school system may benefit its students; educators should not reject the opportunity without giving it a fair chance.

¹ Lewis, 3.
²Gabriel, 2011

One-race schools are a dangerous idea that will do more harm than good. Before Brown v. Board of Ed., black schools were at a striking disadvantage; they received less funding, had bigger classes, and lower performing students. While the education system still does not adequately service minority students, going back to intentionally segregated schools reinforces assumptions that interracial cooperation is not possible, thereby isolating the black community more and causing black male students even more disadvantages

Schools in the US focus primarily on European history and a version of American history that does not adequately cover African-American history. A few experimental schools with all black students have incorporated an "Afrocentric" curriculum, which focuses more on African history than European history and places a greater emphasis on the role of African-Americans in United States history.¹When students learn history as something that includes them, rather than the story of some other people, they are more likely to be engaged in the subject matter as they have a personal connection to the history, they will be learning their own history not someone else's.¹ Ibid, 37.

This is a problem with the curriculum and should not be solved through segregation. White students should also receive an education that fairly covers the accomplishments of other cultures. To separate students on the basis of race and teach each group only one version of history does not benefit any group; each group simply learns that they need only pay attention to "their own kind." Instead, the curriculum should be adjusted to reflect a universal history.

In mainstream schools which track students by ability, as many as 1/3 of black male students are incorrectly placed in slower classes.¹ These lower-end classes are often assigned the worst teachers, reserving the better teachers for a school's honor classes.²Consequently, black males are often prevented from receiving an equal education in integrated schools. Allowing black males to be educated in an environment isolated from racial tensions and inequalities eliminates the psychological impact of "tracking" in integrated public schools.

¹ Narine, 25.

This is a problem with the way tracking is implemented, not a problem with integration. If students are incorrectly being placed in lower classes, a new criteria needs to be used for evaluating students. Students should, perhaps, be frequently re-evaluated, or initially placed in a regular class until there is proof that the student cannot keep up. Racially segregated schools are not an appropriate solution to an improper tracking system.

Despite almost sixty years of integration, black students lag behind whites, and the difference is even greater for males.¹ Only 12 percent of black fourth-grade boys are proficient in reading, compared with 38 percent of white boys, and only 12 percent of black eighth-grade boys are proficient in math, compared with 44 percent of white boys.² Figures that are not explained just by poverty. The idyllic image of integrated schools does not line up to reality; black males are still at great risk for dropping out of school, being imprisoned and murdered at rates several times higher than young white men. There is evidence to show that this alternative school system may benefit its students; educators should not reject the opportunity without giving it a fair chance.

¹ Lewis, 3.
²Gabriel, 2011

One-race schools are a dangerous idea that will do more harm than good. Before Brown v. Board of Ed., black schools were at a striking disadvantage; they received less funding, had bigger classes, and lower performing students. While the education system still does not adequately service minority students, going back to intentionally segregated schools reinforces assumptions that interracial cooperation is not possible, thereby isolating the black community more and causing black male students even more disadvantages

The landmark Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education, was based on the fact that deliberate separation cannot be equal.¹To separate black students from white students teaches black students that they are unable to function competitively with whites. Because the majority of the United States is white, black students are learning that they are better off if they are removed from mainstream society; that they cannot handle being around most students. This implied assertion teaches black students that they are incompetent and lowers their academic performance.

¹ Brown v. Board of Education, 347 US 483, 

The proposed plan is not like the segregated school system of the past. When public schools were intentionally segregated, the purpose was to prevent any blacks from interacting with any whites on the basis of white superiority; no student could opt out of the system. Furthermore, a major difference was that white schools received much more funding than black schools. The proposed plan would provide equal funding, and is simply an alternative- black males would not be compelled to attend these schools. Furthermore, far from isolating minorities to keep them at the bottom of society, these schools would address unique problems that young black males face and help them to overcome these problems to succeed.

Children must learn to interact with all kinds of people, especially those that are different from them. Separating children from anyone of a different background teaches them that they are inherently incompatible with these other people. Children learn that they cannot get along, and are therefore more likely to develop an "us versus them" attitude. This mentality has been the cause of centuries of oppression and racial violence; going back to race-segregated schools is a step in the wrong direction.

The status quo does not teach diversity. Approximately 2/3 of black students today attend schools that are predominately black- "integrated" schools are not teaching diversity or tolerance because truly integrated schools are few and far between.¹ School districts across the country have tried to increase integration by bussing children and reforming district line- this attempt has often ended in violence. Rather than assuming black students will suddenly perform better if they sit next to a white student in class, we should foster education programs that target their specific needs.

¹ Narine, 16.

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