Still Separate Still Unequal Summary

Nowadays, it is easy to be put in a group because that’s how we get viewed depending on who we socialize. If we hang out with blacks, we are automatically viewed as gangs, if we are seen with Hispanics, we may be viewed as poor or if we talk to whites, it is possible to be viewed as rich and successful. In the upcoming paragraphs, Beverly Daniel Tatum and Jonathon Kozol each explain to us how each race is viewed in a differently perspective as everyone else, specifically in education. In the article, “Why are all the black kids sitting together in the cafeteria?” by Beverly Daniel Tatum, Tatum identifies her research from experiences of the roles of races in education and how they identify many of us including black students.

. It is logical to think we are being judged by our surroundings. This all starts when we hit puberty because that is when our emotions go higher and our self esteem goes lower.

Tatum explains to the readers, when children interact with other races of kids, they are not aware of the color of each others skin because they are focused on other little things such as playing in the dirt. We aren’t born being stereotypical, it is self taught or we experience it throughout our years. For example going through a creepy neighborhood and seeing only black people They automatically get put into the low class group and we later on start becoming scared of blacks. On the other hand, if you see a black guy playing football, then he is portrayed as a professional. If you think about it, we are judged because we are being compared, but at the same time, each race/gender has its bad stereotypes and good stereotypes, it just depends on how each of us choose to view them.
In the context of race relations, when the black people are sitting together, the White people notice and become self-conscious about being White in a way that they were not before. In part the question reflects that self-consciousness. What does it say about the White people if the black people are all sitting together? The White person wonders, “Am I being excluded? Are they talking about us? Are my own racial stereotypes and perhaps racial fears being stimulated?” (pg 89).
Tatum acknowledges that conversation is an important first step to take because some people are still well unaware that racism is still taking place. There is a lack of awareness that there is still racism everywhere in our society. It seems that nowadays people want to assume that racism belongs to the past but it is actually still happening even if we do not notice it.
First, many of the racism is not usually taught but rather than experiencing it for yourself. Everyone has gone through a time when they experience racism or stereotype in some form of way. Although, it probably wont be until you’re older. For example, a girl who has tried to point out her friend in a large group of kids playing in the playground. The girl mentioned what she was wearing and she did not mention that she was the only black girl in the group. This is because they are not taught about racism to their children. It may be because they fear that they will create problems that are not there or do not want to cause problems in their future or to be self-conscious. I liked this quote by Denis Leary that I believe relates to this topic. He said “I have a two-year old son. Do you know what he hates? Naps! End of list.“ (Denis Leary) He also explains that no one should have to experience racism. It is never justifiable.
In the text “Still separate, still unequal” By Jonathon Kozol, he illustrates how unequal the urban areas are compared to the suburban areas.

For example, suburban schools which are made up of mostly white students, have the better education compared to the urban schools which are mostly filled with black and/or Hispanic students. He proves this by stating, “In Brooklyn, New York, at Adlai High School, 97% of the students population are black or Hispanic; a mere eight-tenths of one percent were white. One school in Kansas City, Missouri claimed that their school had children from diverse backgrounds despite the fact that 99.6% were African American.” (242). Kozol explains to the readers so that we can understand how our communities deny the fact that the schools are not integrated. Through out the essay, he uses many different types of rhetorical appeals such as pathos, logos, and ethos. He uses logos to prove how the education in schools are still separate. For example, Kozol mentions the exact percentage of students by their race in school all over the

country.
“In Chicago, 87% of public school enrollment were black or Hispanic. Less than 10% were white. In Washington D.C., 94% were black or Hispanic, to less than 5% white. In New York City, nearly three quarters of the students were black or Hispanic.” (202). Kazol justifies these facts by adding these statistics and it shows us how important these issues are.
Overall, both of these authors both have something in common in which they both speak about which is education. Both of these authors want justice and fairness in education no matter which race it is. Tatum talks about how the blacks are isolated, mostly children. Kozol talks about the inequalities of education of each race. Even though each author talks about a different race/nationality, they both want the same thing, which is to have equal education no matter what color their skin is. Both authors share the support and are passionate about what they believe in.