Issue of the Week LXXII: Does Performance by Poor and Minority Students on Advanced Placement Exams Indicate Institutionalized Racism?

On the other side racism is there, because why blacks only? why are they the ones who got the low performance than the rest? even if the problem can be to their families or parents, that means they either have low income, or they are not educated enough to access the well payable jobs or there is racism in job opportunities which led to low income. And the effects come to the children that they have been sent in low-performing schools which led to low performance of low-income blacks.

This issue is not a race issue as much as an income in relation to education issue. No matter who the student is, or where they go to school, they can only do their best if they put the effort into it. Just because they come from a low-income home doesn't mean that they are stupid, it just means they don't think they know how do it. The school cant force kids to take college classes. College isn't for everyone. But what the school can do is help that student in need if the student is willing to do the same. You have to want to be someone/do something to get things done, or you have to have the will power to do.

This article had confused me as I'm unsure what it is that its trying to compare. It talks about low income African Americans having lower AP scores than other races. But, what is the focus? Is it race or income? Is the graph that had been incorporated showing us Low Income Whites, Hispanics, Asians as well? Or is it comparing Low income African Americans to Middle Class Caucasians. If that is the case, the problem is financial status and their ability to access a better education. Where as if we are comparing Low Income across all races then what is the real issue. Be that as it may, biologically speaking we are all very similar so the problem is essentially the environment and not race.

Another thing this article had made me think is we are dealing with AP classes. These are Advanced Placement, or in other words, they are generally perceived as more difficult courses. That being said we can believe that an African American in an AP course is going to have a broader knowledge than a Asian in a Non-AP course. This is pretty obvious, but, what it allows us to see is what percent of African Americans are receiving an education level similar to that of Asians and Caucasians. If that percent is smaller, then Caucasians and Asians will ultimately be seen with higher scores based on the notion that the more people within the system will allow for better test scores. That is not to say that there isn't an African American AP student that has better scores than the majority of Caucasians. This article lacks to much information to actually allow us to see what the real problem is.

My guess is that African Americans are more likely to live in poverty stricken areas and have less access to a better education. The few that have that access are both seen as smarter and less smart than Asians & Caucasians as it simply depends on the person and not the race, since biologically speaking we are all the same. This being said, if there are less African Americans taking these AP course then they're will be more of a chance that Asians and Caucasians end up with higher scores based on the fact that there are more people within the system to pull the averages up (especially if they all have access to a good education). The problem is poverty, not race.

I think these statistics highlight the lack of access minority students have to taking AP exams. The lack of access may be due to funding for schools or lack of staff to support this type of education. However, it is interesting that Latino students are showing an increase in AP test participation which could be indicative of these students having better access to college preparatory courses in their school.

This study is an example of institutionalized racism which inadvertently and unknowingly causes minority students to be disadvantaged by not supporting access to AP exams for these students.

This article is very interesting and something which requires additional research to find to root cause.

I agree with most comments that the problem discussed by the article might be more affected by income differences than by race. However, we also have to keep in mind that there might be a correlation between income and race. For example, in social psychology we talked about a study conducting how car prices increase with gender and race: The lowest price was offered to white men followed by white women who were followed by black men. Black women were offered the highest price. This shows how 2 independent factors can correlate. The same might have happened in education. White students could be given a slight advantage in learning and simultaneously, people of color might earn less so that their children are limited in education. Whatever the actual trigger is, to me it seems like race and income and education are somehow interrelated leading to the results given above.

I believe the color of their skin matters when it comes to how good a student does on a test. I think it is all about what each student is able to do for themselves as well as having the right people around them, such as determined and motivating teachers and parents. The low-income students are capable to receive high test scores like the others, but maybe they are not able to attend the best schools or get help from good teachers. I think taking a look at each program would help gain a better knowledge on the subject. It is all about available opportunities.

I've seen quite a lot black students doing excellent jobs here on my campus. They are hard working and actively involved in all kinds of activities, and to some extent more and more black students are aware of the significance of good education and are working their way up to the lives they could make the best. The more such equity gaps are addressed in public, the more stimulation will people get to respond to the issue, which is a good thing. Good things are happening, but they sill take time to get reflected in terms of statistic. Latino groups can make this, so do black students.

Although i see the point that people make about race and economic standing taking a considerable toll on students because i am one of those people; it does depend on the student to make the most of their situation. i chose to use my misfortune as a tool to fuel my desire for something better. i knew that only i could change my situation, and even if i couldnt do it right now i could pave the path to get there. i got good grades and studied hard to ensure i got scholarships. these students can do the same. there is that story of the girl that went from homeless to harvard. people have options it just matters whether or not they take advantage of them or just accept what it. they can have more they just have to choose to put forth the effort to get there

I think the article is saying that many low-income students can not take placement tests and that many of these low-income students happen to be black. The author states that they represent just 11 percent of all graduates taking AP exams. This is not surprising to me. I took 3 AP classes in High School, which was great for my GPA, but due to the ridiculous prices of the tests and my family's income, I never took any of the placement tests to get college credit.

i never took any AP classes in high school but i remember people complaining about the prices of the tests.

I think the most important part of this whole article is when it states "the success starts with hiring high-quality teachers" and it is these teachers that take the time and care about those "less fortunate" that can make the only difference when it comes students doing well. I am a little confused with the article because all it says is that minorities are less likely to do well on the AP exams and it gives very little information after that. I think one really needs to consider more factors such as the neighborhood in which the school is in, the amount of resources available, and much more. I personally feel that anyone can do well in school it just takes a good support system to do so.

The equality gap is an interesting factor to think about. As I was reading this it made me think about what exactly is effecting those of color on tests. I think that life is full of opportunities and it's what you do with those that makes you but because of the oppressed group that may be harder. It's great that we see people of color interacting in these courses and college prep classes but we also need to look at what's affecting them, such as income. Perhaps they have to work to support their family and don't have as much time to study or perhaps they have heard so many things about their race they have conformed to the stereotype. There are a lot of factors to put in place of what could be the issue here.

What I got from this article is that they are giving emphasis to the "equity gap" of two different groups: low income students and black students.
I understand that low-income students have that gap. Besides the fact that they might have to work while still in school in order to help paying the bills, we don't know how well they are encouraged by their families to go to college, or even if they really are encouraged. Of course that if they come from a low-income household, they should strive for more income through a higher level of education and a better job as they know how difficult is to live in a low-income environment. But we know that is not always like that. Getting a degree also costs a lot of money and it takes time and dedication.
There is also what the student puts as priority in his life. A positive role model is important, and not necessarily from the family. I have witnessed some low-income students succeed and that makes me proud of them and it is a prove that is possible. I believe that it has to come more from the students. There is no bad teacher that stops a determined student to go where he wants to.

Now, about the "equity gap" in the group of black students, I don't know what has been giving them no motivation to move forward in their studies, but I don't believe that has a racism issue behind.
In the group of lations students the opposite is happening, the gap is closing... so it is not about minority groups or an ethnic issue.

I feel that this article is presenting two large issues: economic inequalities and racial classroom relations. I believe that these factors are interdependent upon one another. Low-income students most likely have parents (or parent) that works outside of the home when the student gets out of school, and is not able to give them the discipline needed to do well in school. In lower income areas, there may be teachers that are not capable of handling difficult students, or worse, that the student to teacher ratio doesn't provide for quality teaching opportunities. If schools were able to receive funding for after-school programs or more teachers, I believe that it would have an enormous impact on quality of test-taking. I feel that this article doesn't point out that a majority of residents within low-income areas are black, and that middle-class/white schools are simply able to offer more due to funding.