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Maddie Heiner

Mr. Boyatt

Pre-AP English 9

15 May 2019

Segregation Essay

Is the war with segregation really over? Many United States citizens have been lead to

believe that racial discrimination ended when the Jim Crow laws were defeated, and all races are

now free to equal opportunities. In reality, segregation is only getting worse as the years pass by.

Our country is filled with injustice and separation, even though we are said to be “united” and

whole. Is unity being shown when black Americans are restricted from purchasing certain homes

that are for whites only? Is the act of having poor schooling for children of color and exceptional

education for whites demonstrating the unity that our country is declaring? This is the society we

live in, where one race is being favored over another in housing, schooling and even riding the

bus. American citizens need to recognize the apparent segregational problems that are real and

take action to improve our society. Since racial division is stripping citizens of their rights and

privileges, de facto segregation should be considered a number one priority in the effort of

creating a more united America.

To begin, the educational opportunities that children are receiving vary depending on the

color of one’s skin. The schools in America are said to be integrated and multi-race, but some

schools are slipping away from that vital concept. One instance where schooling is becoming

more and more segregated is Westside Academy Middle School and Wellwood Middle School in
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New York. Westside is in desperate need of renovation, has “no orchestra or band” and “85

percent of its students are black or latino”(Theoharis). On the contrary, Wellwood is a very high

quality school in the suburbs that offers “five music teachers, band, orchestra, musical theater,

and dozens of other clubs and activities”(Theoharis) while the entirety of the population is made

of white students. All the schools in America are said to be equal in race, quality and education,

but some schools are secretly being deprived of the opportunities they deserve through the

ongoing segregational split. Children are living through their school years being stripped of the

rights they deserve, just because they live in a district where the majority is dark skinned. One

solution to this racial problem is to “merge neighborhood campuses in segregated communities”

so that students from different races will go to the same school building, seeing as they would

live in the same neighborhood(Theoharis). This would help integrate schools and make the

learning experience at school and the extracurricular activities more equal for all the races.

Education is just one example of the apparent segregation in our society, and citizens need to see

the great importance in having a ​nondiscriminatory​ America.

Second, residential segregation is also apparent in the US and is depriving many people

of their natural rights. Houses are being labeled for specific races, subtly banning people from

the neighborhoods. Some housing programs created rules that “black families be excluded and

that house deeds prohibit resale to them...homes were for whites only”(Rothstein). Through the

act of deeming specific houses for particular races only, other ethnicities are forced to go find

different neighborhoods that allow living. This is how residential segregation is arising in our

very country and we need to take action. How is this society any different from the time of the

Jim Crow laws? To continue, during the Great Depression many workplaces and neighborhoods
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were integrated with multiple races. This good step toward unity and humanity was defeated

when the PWA “demolished such neighborhoods...to build segregated housing instead, creating

segregation where it had never before existed”(Rothstein). The government plays a role in

segregation, yet nobody brings themselves to believe it. Since segregation is apparent in

neighborhoods and forcing different ethnicities to search for other places to live, natural

privileges are being withdrawn. The government is being unconstitutional and purposely creating

residential boundaries to separate different races from one another. For the reason that this issue

of discrimination in neighborhoods is creating unfair divisions and prohibiting people from

living because of their skin, this topic of de facto segregation should be considered a priority.

Although there are many accounts of segregation occurring in our country, some people

believe that it isn’t a pressing issue in our society and we shouldn’t do anything to impact racial

separation. Some areas in our country have become more economically and racially diverse, and

this leads to the idea that segregation has ended. For example, in the metro area of D.C. the

“Hispanic American population increased by almost 300 percent from 1990 to 2016”(Williams).

This statistic shows the increase in racial diversity in areas around America, signaling to the

potential end of segregation that many people believe to be occurring. Although it is true that

America is becoming more diverse, this does not mean that the issue of segregation has ended

once and for all. Races are still being separated from one another even if they live in the same

general area. There are some cities in the world that have improved dramatically with race

separation, but there are also cities that “still have large areas dominated by a single racial

group”(Williams). Some of these cities are so segregated that living conditions and life

opportunities are limited. Some members of different races are “concentrated in neighborhoods
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lacking well-resourced schools, good jobs and transportation to better opportunities”(Rothstein).

These neighborhoods are trapping members into a life of less fortunate living all because they

are different races. Segregation is apparent in our country and even though America is constantly

becoming more diverse, groups of different ethnicities are still being separated from one another.

Also, segregation is a problem that is denying students from reaching their full potential

in learning. Schools are becoming more and more segregated as time goes on, and this means

that children will go to school with those of the same race for the entirety of their educational

years. Richard Rothstein’s article “America is still segregated. We need to be honest about why”

demonstrates the importance of going to school among different ethnicities. Among many

solutions to creating more equal and impactful schools, “integration is a key factor in narrowing

the achievement gap”(Rothstein). In order to create the most beneficial school that we cherish,

multiple races must attend the same school. Integrating the segregated will improve the quality

of education and it will allow students to interact with those of another race, preparing them for

the real world. Also, the capability of learning is greatly affected by race unification. There are

many different qualifications that can affect how a student learns, but “the level of integration

was the only characteristic...that significantly affected students’ learning growth”(Rothstein). It

seems so simple, yet America has not taken action to merge the races in schools. When schools

are integrated and students have the opportunity to converse with those of a different race, they

get a glimpse at what other ethnicities are like. This will help them have a deeper understanding

of the world and therefore, have the capability to grow. In all, segregation is evident in areas all

around the country and integration is one way to impact the learning rate of children yearning to

receive an education.
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To conclude, segregation is recognizable in the United States and it needs to receive the

time and attention that it deserves. Discrimination never really ended, its effects are still seen

constantly and ruthlessly throughout the country. Having an integrated US would provide equal

school districts and education, free housing choices for people of all races, and better results and

involvements in school. If we choose to shine a light on this problem, many lives would be

impacted and improved. Happiness would be created in a world where skin color once blinded

all opportunities of hope. Therefore, America is divided by race and it is key that citizens choose

to see this significant problem in society today for the purpose of improving our beloved country.