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The Disproportionate Overrepresentation of Minority Youth in ...

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and go to the pr<strong>in</strong>cipal’s <strong>of</strong>fice. He got three days outta school. And then<br />

we did it aga<strong>in</strong> about <strong>in</strong> another month or so. It was totally two different<br />

people, totally different situation and everyth<strong>in</strong>g. We had the white guy do<br />

it and he only got like a night’s detention and that was it, for the same<br />

th<strong>in</strong>g. I know a couple black friends <strong>of</strong> my sisters. <strong>The</strong>y got <strong>in</strong> a fight. <strong>The</strong><br />

got kicked out for three days. Two white girls got <strong>in</strong> a fight. <strong>The</strong>y got two<br />

nights detention out <strong>of</strong> the whole th<strong>in</strong>g. I do a lot <strong>of</strong> tests like that to see if<br />

people are really prejudiced.<br />

<strong>The</strong> responses to whether or not the youth “liked school” were positive. Race did<br />

not enter <strong>in</strong>to this response, but conditions affected the answer. If the youth were good<br />

students, then they liked school. If the youth were poor students and always <strong>in</strong> trouble <strong>in</strong><br />

school, then they were either kicked out <strong>of</strong> school or dropped out.<br />

College was <strong>in</strong> the future plans <strong>of</strong> the majority <strong>of</strong> the black youth and the white<br />

youth. This phenomenon seemed to be <strong>in</strong>gra<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> these two groups. <strong>The</strong>ir perceptions<br />

are that a college education is necessary <strong>in</strong> order to get good jobs and the “th<strong>in</strong>gs you<br />

want.” <strong>The</strong> problem enters when one looks at how realistic some <strong>of</strong> the goals are that the<br />

youth have selected.<br />

For both the black youth and the white youth college aspirations seem realistic.<br />

<strong>The</strong> youth that have a specific goal (major) or career <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d tend to be the same youth<br />

that are good students and have parents that have some type <strong>of</strong> formal education beyond<br />

high school. <strong>The</strong>se youth may very well succeed. On the other hand, one has to wonder<br />

how realistic college is for youth that have no direction <strong>in</strong> their lives, are struggl<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><br />

school now or have dropped out. An example, one black youth who is constantly <strong>in</strong><br />

trouble and has been kicked out <strong>of</strong> school wants to become a lawyer. Black youth who<br />

believe they are treated equally <strong>in</strong> school also tend to have more serious college plans<br />

with goals <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d.

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