Racial justice is not only centralized at the societal level. It also affects and creates an economic gap that affects African-American families. Likewise, this discrimination affects the education of African-American children and youth. Why? Because in the reality of this country, African-American students tend to be in schools with fewer resources and less qualified teachers. Yes, it would seem that the educational system is divided depending on the races and genders that enrich this nation.

Sadly, in most of the United States, the education you will receive and the school you will attend will depend on the district in which you live. This means the education you’ll have depends on your economic situation. 

Statistics have shown that students who live in less affluent communities are more likely than students from wealthier backgrounds to perform worse on tests, and are at greater risk of dropping out of school. These odds increase when it comes to students of other ethnicities.

According to reports from the state of Texas, between 2019 and 2020 692,925 African-American students enrolled in public schools. Of that number of students, 74% were economically disadvantaged, making their education more complicated to complete and less effective in terms of preparation. However, the rate of African-American students graduating from middle and high school ranges from 91% to 93% between 2019 and 2021. These facts give a slightly more encouraging picture, as it shows us that they are committed students interested in having a better future. 

Nevertheless, when talking about higher education, only 31% of African-American students obtain a college degree between those years. Why? One of the main reasons is because they have to get a job, even a part-time job, to be able to support their studies, even in public universities, and help at home with some expenses. Many of them decide to end their studies and continue working. 

It’s urgent to take measures that will help all low-income communities in the United States to have access to their rights. For students to have access to the education they deserve because that is what will allow them to climb the ladder and achieve better opportunities in their future.