BLOG #4 Ethnicity and Race

The chapter covering "Ethnicity and Race" incorporated historical aspects of the United States' history on immigration. Information from the immigration of certain ethnic groups, such as the Chinese in 1882, to the requirement of literacy tests, to the era of the Civil Rights Movement were included. Particular court cases regarding the desegregation of schools were highlighted and put in chronological order on a timeline. There were interesting educational correlations that could be associated with those court decisions.

One correlation involved the formation of Special Education Services (SPED)during the desegration of schools. Large numbers of minority students were referred to the program, due to a lack of educational foundation in their previous schools. The desegregation of schools was a direct result of the 1954 decision regarding Brown vs. Board of Education.

Another association was noticed between the halt of minority students' progress in the 1990's with court cases, such as the 1995 Supreme Court decision in Missouri vs. Jenkins. In that case, the courts returned the desegregation plans to the schools or local control. The "Ripple Effect" was certainly apparent as one compared court decisions to the impacts they had on the education of the nations' children.