Book Description

None of the problems confronting the black community today are more critical to its future than those related to education. Blacks must demand that schools shift their focus from the supposed deficiencies of the black child to the social barriers that stand in the way of academic success. The historical interest of the black community in education can be traced back to the antebellum South and the leadership of W. E. B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington. Despite the social and political accomplishments of blacks since the Brown decision, the following barriers still diminish the education of many black children: (1) schools often reinforce social inequalities rather than overcome them; (2) stereotypes about low income groups and their lifestyles form the basis for low expectations and self-fulfilling prophesies of failure; (3) black and other low income students are shunted away from mainstream classroom instruction by the track system; (4) the use of standardized tests discriminates against the intelligence styles of minority students; (5) the number of black teachers is decreasing; and (6) successful programs such as Head Start and those funded under Chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act (ECIA) are not adequately funded to serve all eligible students. Research on school effectiveness identifies the characteristics of schools that successfully educate students, and the work of the School Development Program in New Haven (Connecticut) focuses on the social context needed for improved teaching and learning. Progressive educational reform must focus on the following areas: (1) recognizing the centrality of human relationships; (2) eliminating barriers to effective teaching and learning; and (3) mobilizing physical and political resources. A list of 60 references is appended. (FMW)