The Choice Channel

“Black and Hispanic students see school as a more rowdy, disrespectful and dangerous place than their white classmates do, a poll says. The findings suggest that many minority kids are struggling in the equivalent of a hostile work environment, according to Public Agenda, a nonpartisan opinion research group that tracks education trends. Minority children in public middle and high schools are more likely than white children to describe profanity, truancy, fighting, weapons and drug abuse as ‘very serious’ problems. The black and Hispanic children — under pressure to close their test-score gaps with whites — also see more pervasive academic woes, such as lower standards, higher dropout rates and kids who advance even if they don’t learn.” (05/31/06)