Every child in the United States has the right to pursue an education. Even adults can enroll in programs to receive a certificate that equates to a high school diploma or go back to college. Anyone theoretically has the right to pursue an education.
However, receiving a quality education can be far more challenging for some students than others. Historically, discrimination has locked certain groups of people out of school or relegated them to lower-performing educational institutions. While there have been major strides in promoting educational equity in recent years, there are still issues with discrimination at many schools and other educational institutions.
Each facility has an obligation to try to prevent and address educational discrimination. How can schools combat discrimination proactively?
With clear policies
Schools, like any other organization, typically need to maintain policies for the public to review. A school with a firm anti-discrimination policy empowers members of the community to speak up when they notice deviations from that policy. Employees at the school, students enrolled there and even parents of students and invoke an anti-discrimination policy when trying to prompt the institution to take action.
With proper training
Staff members at educational institutions need to understand what constitutes discrimination and how to counter it in the classroom. In fact, educators and other members who support staff may need to learn about their own implicit biases so that they can prevent their personal beliefs from affecting how they treat students from different groups and backgrounds. Older students may also need to have coursework or special presentations that educate them about discrimination.
With proactive responses
Finally, schools and other educational institutions need to react appropriately when someone raises concerns about discrimination. Instead of seeking to simply defend the school, those who receive the report or complaint should initiate a proper investigation.
Thoroughly looking into claims of discrimination and then taking appropriate steps to resolve any discrimination occurring can be of the utmost importance for students and educators alike. Unfortunately, schools do not always fulfill their obligation to promote a discrimination-free educational environment.
Sometimes, it is necessary for educators, parents or students to speak up and possibly even take legal action to combat educational discrimination. Initiating a lawsuit can force an educational institution to review policies and make changes that could better protect students who have faced discrimination there. Concerned parties can call Costello, Mains & Silverman, LLC at any time for more information.
