Group Discussions - Kori, Rashard, Chutney, Naomi, Devon, Rebecca

QUESTION: Which is more the underlying education problem in the U.S.--- race or poverty? How do we fix it? Where do we start?

" I think race and poverty fall in the same line. In most cases, private schools tend to have better education because they have more money in the school. Those who don't have the means, or cannot afford private school aren't able to receive that same level of education." - Kori Burston

" I think that race and poverty goes hand and hand." -Chutney Yates

"I think that race sometimes implies the economic status of the people, in which influence the education they have. Something that we can do is to create a equal opportunity for everybody to afford a decide education." -Devon C. Floyd

"I actually do not think either of the two are a problem in education. Some students do well and work hard and others do not, no matter the race or finical status"- Rashard Roles

"I really have issue with saying that race causes problems in education, the way that this question seems to be phrased. Segregation and race does occur in institutions of education but people of all races are equally able to learn. I think that education problems come from economic origins. Schools without funds simply have to struggle more to provide opportunity for the students. By no means am I saying that richer schools provide better educations. But I think that schools that are perceived as poor will get less attention and less money and are valued less in our capitalistic society. In many places poverty falls along racial lines and because public schools that aren't magnet schools are zoned, many schools end up with groups of less well off people that in many cases are the same race, creating segregated schools which are often perceived as not as able as richer schools and get less attention and funds. It's a vicious cycle that might involve both race and poverty, but I think ultimately money is what puts positive focus on a school and, subsequently might lead to a "better" school whether it be private or public or anything in between. But I also acknowledge that I might have a screwed view not living in a city and going to a predominantly white private school. " --Rebecca Schwartz