Calling it as I see it

Why the use of the term “achievement gap” makes a bad situation worse

By Nekima Levy-Pounds, May guest blogger

For years, we have invariably used the term “achievement gap” to describe educational disparities between white and black youths in Minnesota. It occurs to me that this term fails to accurately articulate the truth of why children of color are falling through the cracks within our public education system. For one, the term “achievement gap” is deficit-based language that implies that blame for children’s failure to “achieve” falls upon their own shoulders and is a result of their unwillingness or lack of motivation to work hard in school. (It is the Horatio Alger “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” myth in disguise.) However, for many children who struggle in school, external circumstances like chronic poverty and marginalization often hinder them from obtaining equal opportunities to achieve success.

For example, a child who has attended school in a wealthy suburban area typically receives advantages to which a poor child would not ordinarily be privy. The child in the wealthier community will likely gain access to more highly qualified teachers, newer textbooks, access to the latest technology, smaller class sizes, privately-financed extra-curriculars and inside knowledge of the unwritten customs and rules of mainstream society.

Meanwhile, a poor child of color is forced to contend with less qualified teachers, used or even no textbooks, lower teacher expectations, over-crowded classrooms, and a lack of racial diversity and cultural competence amongst teachers. Further, the recent report entitled: "Double Jeopardy: How Third- Grade Reading Skills and Poverty Influence High School Graduation" (Annie E. Casey Foundation) establishes that “children whose families live in poverty often lack resources for decent housing, food, clothing, and books, and they often do not have access to high quality child care and early education... .”

Rather than labeling the cumulative effects of these conditions as an “achievement gap,” I prefer the analysis provided by Carter G. Woodson, who wrote a book describing these issues in 1933, aptly called, The Mis-Education of the Negro.  Thus, I see the educational disparities as the result of “mis-education” or an “opportunity gap” experienced by poor children of color. In order to tackle these issues effectively, we have to provide equal access to educational opportunities, teachers qualified to teach poor children of color and language that accurately identifies the issues. In essence, the “achievement gap” rhetoric is a misnomer that sets us back, rather than pushes us forward in creating equal opportunities to succeed for all children.

Comments

[Shatona Groves]

Ms. Pounds I believe that the "rhetoric" as you mentioned is making the situation worse. It appears to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. For example, one schools way of motivating low scoring students of the MCA test was to tell them how poorly they did last year the day before the test. Positive motivation is what we need educators. How would you like to hear how much of a terrible employee you are each morning before you enter the classroom? Let's change our thoughts and use positive and encouraging words to spur our children on to the great students that they were destined to be. Tell them how great they are, because you believe it.
Shatona Groves Founder of www.theblackparentgroup.com

[Brandon]

I COMPLETELY agree with your argument, Nekima! I am sick of hearing people fail to address the problem by using the term "achievement gap" as a filler for the real issues that need real action! It is a convenient phrase that does not uproot the issues; instead it allows for people to hide behind a term that we have given weight and substance to. We do need to stop using this term immediately, and begin using one that accurately describes the sources of the gap, thereby prompting accountability and real action. This seemingly simple phrase has been tossed around and abused so much that it has become a detrement to the advancement of children of color and poor students in our education system. Lets start a campaign!!!

Brandon Royce-Diop

[IBNNNEWS]

This commentary is on point!

[Leon Rodrigues]

I agree we should give children positive affirmations. However, poor children live in communities where they are faced with circumstances that tell them in no uncertain terms, that they are not important. Ms. Levy Pounds is advocating for professionals to acknowledge that we have a problem. The problem originates way beyond the walls of the school. Ms. Pounds speaks clearly to me as an educator. I need to be less passive and pay attention to a rapidly advancing problem in our education system. One that is often exacerbated by political gamesmanship. As a teacher educator, I plan to print this piece and have my my students discuss it. Hopefully they will respond to this problem with a sense of urgency, creativity, passion and deep concern.

[Julie Landsman]

Thank you Nekima!
I have been using "Opportunity gap" as I do my workshops and meet with teachers. It is amazing how hard it is for some people to wrap their head and their tongues around what this change of terminology actually means..
I hope we can have a real campaign to change the language.

[Angelique]

The reframing of the "Achievement Gap" to 'Mis-Education of the Negro' speaks to, as Carter G. Woodson points out, a two pronged problem. One, that institutions founded in White Supremist ideology were never designed with the interests of people of color in mind, and two, that the poor outcomes we see are not as a result of the inability of children of color to perform, but a failure of public education to deliver on its mandate to educate. Since the coloring of American schools with Brown vs Board of Education, there has been an ever deepening disinvestment in American public education. As Professor Levy Pounds describes, 'inner city' schools are typically the most diverse, have children living in dire poverty yet receive little to no extra resource investment - financially, with human capital through better teachers nor physical resources such as improved technology. When we know that longer days, more money and better teachers would be great starts to improving the outcomes for our chilren, but unions, teachers and policymakers get in the way; we have to stop and question whether the cry about the 'achievement gap' is even sincere. There can be no reconciliation without truth. I think it's time to start a new conversation. One rooted in self-determination and community building. As Black people whose children experience the worst outcomes with every interface with any public institution whether education, juvenile justice or child welfare, we have to begin to devise strategies to elevate the brilliance of our children and build the well being of our community. American public institutions and the American public are still denying the historical onslaught on people of color in this country that set this trajectory. I believe that if we truly want to see change, we need to do it ourselves.

[Nekima Levy-Pounds]

Thank you all for your comments on this matter. Your perspectives provide excellent insights into these issues. I believe that addressing the problems begins with our ability to correctly perceive the problems and what is at the root, driving these disparities. Because we have adopted the "Achievement gap" framing mechanism, it arguably allows people to imply that the system is not what is broken, the children are. Once we adopt this fatalistic attitude, we cease trying to systematically address the underlying issues and rest on our laurels. Meanwhile, our children are the ones that continually suffer and inevitably begin to feel as though they are intellectually inferior. I believe that this contributes to the high dropout rates of African-American children in Minnesota, as only around 40% graduate from high school in 4 years. Both personally as a parent and professionally as an academic, I am ready to see change in this area. There is absolutely no reason why these disparities must continue to persist. We know that our children are intelligent and capable and many because of poverty, have developed heightened survival skills that are often de-valued or unrecognized within the school system. Thus, we must reframe these issues and use language that will promote problem-solving and action.