While the fight against segregation was supposedly settled years ago, researchers are finding that there is still evidence of racial separation. Scientists at UCLA began a research project 60 years after the famous Brown v Board of Education ruling to discern whether or not the United States has become truly equal for all races.
The Latino influx
Researchers found that, while original segregation issues focused on the mistreatment of blacks, Latinos are now being separated just as dramatically. Metropolitan areas with the biggest populations proved to be the most segregated, especially in central cities. Latinos were particularly targeted in the western states where they actually proved to be the largest group of students, with their white classmates coming in at second. While many areas have a larger population of either black or Latino students, all “minorities” seem to be grouped together in schools with a lower white representation. Suburban areas are particularly segregated when it comes to the Latino population, and the southern states now house more Latino students than black.
Slowing of progress
Progress has been made, but the study shows that there has been little advancement since 1967. Despite the overall lack of improvement, the South proves to be the least segregated when it comes to black students. Other major metropolitan areas have surpassed this once infamous area for racial profiling, including New York.
Problems in New York
While studies have already been done that show that racial profiling begins early in a child’s school years, there seem to be additional problems with school boundaries, particularly in the state of New York. While New York City has a large portion of the state’s black population, students are mainly segregated into schools that house between 90 and 100 percent minority students. New York has the highest incidence of this, with 64.6 percent of black students attending minority schools. Additionally, only 16.7 percent of black students are exposed to white classmates. Latinos have also mass migrated to New York and see a high level of segregation. Only 20.5 percent of Latino students are exposed to white classmates, while 56.7 percent are enrolled in almost complete minority schools. Only 16.5 percent of students of Latino heritage are enrolled in dominantly white schools. The state of New York ranked at or near the top of most segregated states for black and Latino students in every angle studied.
While laws have been passed for over half a century to promote desegregation, racial separation still exists, especially in the state of New York. If you have noticed this happening, seek the guidance of a civil rights attorney to help fight unfair treatment of people of any race.