Institutional Racism

education of minorities, specifically African Americans. After the abolishment of slavery,
African Americans were subject to follow the laws of their bitter oppressors. This left
African Americans with little to no representation. It was prohibited by law in many
places across the United States, specifically the south, for African Americans to attend
school. This is an early example in history of education being denied to African
Americans.
Similarly, the Native American population was prevented from obtaining a quality
education. After forced labor and genocides, the remaining population was funneled
into boarding schools focused on religious teachings and assimilation into European
culture. Native Americans had little to no representation. Latino/as were also denied
equal education. In the case Mendez vs. West Minister, Latino fathers challenged the
courts as their children, and thousands of others, were victims of racial segregation.
Historically, much of the inequalities embedded within legislation was perpetuated by
leaders of the country. The falsity that African Americans were unable to be educated
was endorsed by Thomas Jefferson, even though he supported the idea of education
for all American people. Historic events and legislation are both related to economic
debt, in the fact that they both affected the education opportunities of minorities.
Economic Component
Economic debt has greatly accumulated from the disparities in school funding. Even
after it was deemed unconstitutional for education to be withheld on the basis of race,
legislation regarding the allocation of money for public schools was passed regardless
of the fact that it left minority school districts with significantly less money than districts
of White counterparts. The concept of separate but equal, made constitutional
by Plessy vs. Ferguson, allowed a significant of amount of funding disparity to be
perpetuated. Although, Plessy vs. Ferguson was overturned, the segregation it caused
can still be observed today. Statistics show that Chicago public school spend spend
roughly $8,000 a year per child; the population of Chicago public school students is
87% African American and Latino/a. Highland Park school district spends more than
double the amount of the Chicago public school district; Highland Park (a neighboring
town) public schools has a population of 91% White students. It is important to consider
an affect of economic debt; earning ratios. Gloria Ladson-Billings points to the relation
of level of schoolings and earning ratios. Higher level of income is related to a higher
level of education data suggests.
Socio-Political Component
Sociopolitical debt “is the degree to which communities of color are excluded from the
civic process” (Landson-Billings 2006). The civic process includes refers to the
engagement of conversation or activity that addresses issues or concerns within
society. Disenfranchisement of voting rights contributed to and continues to contribute
to sociopolitical debt. With little to no access to franchise, African American, Latino/a,
and Native American communities received no representation or legislation that
reflected their issues and concerns. These groups were often excluded from legislation
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