Monday, May 14, 2007

Has MLK's "dream" been realized?

In terms of education, there has been some improvement in the number of Blacks and Hispanics in schools from ages 3 to 34. The enrollment rate of Blacks went from 51.9% in 1990 to 59.2% in 2003, while the Hispanic enrollment rate went up 2 percent between 1990 and 2003. The percentage of African Americans that have graduated from high school has skyrocketed from 20.1% in 1960 to 80.6% in 2004. The Hispanic graduation rate has also increased from 1970 to 2004, going from 32.1% to 58.4%.
Although the statistics show that overall, education has improved for minority groups over time, the change is still not equal to whites. As of 2003, 14.2% of Blacks and 28.4% of Hispanics were not enrolled in high school, while only 11.8% of whites ages 18-24 were not enrolled in high school. In 2004, 28.2% of whites had graduated from college, while only 17.6% of Blacks had completed college. The increase in education for minority groups has increased in many different aspects, but there is still a gap between them and whites.
In order to decrease this gap between races in education, people would have to help the minorities. They could do this by encouraging minorities to stay in school, and show them diferent statistics about how their education level could drastically affect their life. More public schools could be opened in neighborhoods with a prodominetaly-minority population. If some changes are made, the education levels of whites and minorities would be equal.

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