Walter E. Williams: Inferior Education of Black Americans
Source:CNSNews.com; Published: February 05, 2003; Author: Walter E. Williams
Last week's column discussed some of the controversy surrounding the University of Michigan's admissions practices, where blacks and Hispanics are given points based solely on race, and where whites are turned away to admit blacks and Hispanics with much lower academic qualifications.A few weeks before that, my column discussed the deplorable conditions in Washington, D.C.'s high schools. At 12 of its 19 high schools, more than 50 percent of the students test below basic in reading, and at some of those schools the percentages approached 80 percent. At 15 of these schools, over 50 percent tests below basic in math. And in 12 of them, 70 percent to 99 percent do so. Each year, more than 80 percent-and up to 96 percent-of high school students are fraudulently promoted to the next grade.
Washington's predominantly black high schools are not alone in delivering fraudulent education. In Philadelphia's predominantly black high schools, combined SAT scores of its seniors average between 590 to 800 out of a possible 1600. I suspect that there's little difference between these education outcomes and those in other predominantly black school districts. Indeed, nationally there's over a 200 SAT score gap between blacks and Hispanics on the one hand, and whites and Asians on the other. ..........."
Why is it that Asian students at *these very same schools* deemed "failing" still seem to fill the honors classes, become National Merit semi-finalists, etc. as well as score far higher on state assessments? It can't be the school. Why is this an argument for vouchers, when some students *are* able to do well in these schools?