Posted: June 10th, 2015

Anticipated Findings

Conduct your own small research study, based on your proposed research question The root of education: Inequality in the educational system and its impacts on African American Achievement in the State of California and methods secondary analysis of existing statistics. Compare Orange County to Los Angeles. Checked out their educational department websites to see whether statistics are publicly available (e.g. on test scores or other assessments by race).
Your 4 page written report will show what you learned from your study –your research findings.

The purpose of the pilot study is to:
1. test your proposed method

2. help you predict three findings, based on the results of the pilot study

3. In your paper include the components below. Your paper should use APA format, free of spelling and grammar errors. Do not write an abstract.

a. In the first section (approximately a half page to a page), introduce as much detail as possible. Describe how the artifacts fit the criteria you wrote about in the Methods section of your proposal. If they don’t fit some of the criteria exactly, explain why.
b. In the second section (approximately a half page to a page), describe how well your chosen method or chosen instrument worked during both the course of your pilot study and your analysis of the results. Did it help you start to answer your research question? Why or why not?
c. In your third section (approximately a half page to a page), describe how well you were able to follow your proposed procedures. What, if anything, did you do differently and why?
d. In the fourth section (approximately a page), briefly describe the three major findings or results from your pilot study.
e. In the conclusion (approximately a half page to a page), write about your overall experience doing the pilot study. What worked well, from the methods you proposed, and what might you do differently were you to do a larger research study on your research question?
Make sure artifacts relate both to the proposed research question and the proposed methods. Show a strong assessment of proposed methods and procedures in terms of the pilot study, the results of the pilot study, and the proposed research question. Three major findings or results are presented clearly, in a format appropriate for the pilot study conducted, and are plausible answers for the proposed research question. Honest and thoughtful assessment of the entire pilot study experience, clearly explaining what worked well and what could be improved in a larger study.

In my degree program, I will study the development of individuals, specifically children and families through social and cultural contexts. The courses I will take will include human development, personal growth in human relationships, marriage and family relationships and ethnic and cultural diversity. I chose my degree program in Family and Human Development to gain an understanding of the impact of ethnicity, culture, gender and professional life on an individual’s development and family interaction patterns.
Inequality means people have unequal access to scarce and valued resources in society. My research project will focus on inequality in the educational system and its implications on African American achievement. In American society light skinned people have clear advantages in education. The research will provide more insights on the view that light skinned people have more privileges than the dark skinned people. According O’Connell (2012) to racial inequalities continue to persist in the country despite the improvements in the racial minorities’ economic and social standings. Furthermore, focus will be on inequality in education in terms of what are its causes and consequences in the United States.
It is imperative to note that the research will also entails some very important information based on public schools, higher education institutions and social amenities to gain an understanding of their distribution in the United States and the conditions of inequality in the educational system and how it is able to impact African American Achievement.
Race and color are aspects within our society that are strongly linked to racism. The people of color have over the years been discriminated against in the United States based on their national origin, religion, ethnicity or race. In this regard, discriminative practices against individuals and families significantly impacts on the understanding of inequality in the society. It is imperative to note that people of color are part of the minority groups in the United States. Furthermore, there is clear evidence that discrepancies in the society in line with discrimination against people of color is highly explains why there is social inequality in the United States society. The research concentrates on the experiences of African Americans concerning the issues of skin color. It demonstrates how the light skinned people have clear advantages educational advantages. In fact, people who are dark skinned are considered to be ethnically legitimate as compared to those who are light skinned. It is crucial to note that income disparities and wealth accumulation are variables that perpetuate social inequality in the American system of education. This is due to the fact that as people engage in wealth accumulation they are able to acquire both the capacity and ability to have access to privileges such as education (O’Connell 2012). In the American society children from poor families attend public schools where the quality may be low compared to the private schools.
Human development is highly affected by education inequality in the United States. O’Connell (2012) further emphasizes that there is a relationship between family income and school outcomes as demonstrated by the effect on college enrollment. This brings us to the understandings that workers needs to be empowered at the workplace so that they can articulate their issues effectively and be able to provide their children with access to quality education
A critical assessment in the American educational system is a very important issue that needs to be addressed. This is due to the fact that education is vital in ensuring that inequality in the society is reduced. There is need for the American government to focus on reforming public education with the aim of making it accessible and affordable to the minority groups. It needs to be well distributed in order to make it possible for the African American communities to improve on their standards of living.
ANNOTATED BIBILOGRAPHY
Bankston III, C., & Caldas, S. J. (1996). Majority African American Schools and Social Injustice: The Influence of De Facto Segregation on Academic Achievement. Social Forces, 75(2), 535-555.
The research focused on the premise that if the minority and its predominance in particular schools constitutes and disadvantage in the educational system. Then, the members of the privileged group are likely to place their children, which avoid the supposed liability of the minority concentration, and hence perpetuate the inequality. The researcher examines on how the racial composition of schools influences the achievement of the students, thus controlling for the race of the individuals. The research questions were as follows: is there a relationship between the minority group membership and performance on the achievement tests? How does the effect of a minority of degree of minority concentration of students differ for the African American Students and the white students? In the study, data was provided by the Louisiana Department of Education. The Majority of the students in the data set was either the African American or the whites since there was need to create a dichotomous independent variable “race” to be used in the multiple regressions. The findings were that the degree of minority concentration has a powerful negative effect on the achievement of the students and that the learners are affected negatively by the degree of minority concentration. The paper contributes to the research by adding more insight on how the placement of children in schools also creates inequality in the schools. There is a need for more research to determine the ways in which advantages and disadvantages that do not seem attributable to the socioeconomic factors alone have been imposed upon the racial status in America.
Epps, E. G. (1995). Race, Class, and Educational Opportunity: Trends in the Sociology of Education. Sociological Forum, 10(4), 593-608.
The research examines some of the trends in the educational, sociological, and social-psychological research on the inequality of the educational opportunity for the people of color, particularly the African American in the United States. The researcher relies on various case studies and interviews with the African American students. It is established that the persistence of racism and racial stereotypes has a profound effect on the educational opportunities of the African American Children. The article further contributes to research by explaining the prevalence of the racial gaps in the schools, and what could necessarily be their drivers. Additional research is recommended in addressing the interaction of race and research in order to understand the very complex of the issues.

Hunter, M. (2007). The persistent problem of colorism: Skin Tone, Status, and inequality.Sociology Compass, 237-254.

The research gives concentrates on the experiences of the Latinos, Americans, and the Asian Americans concerning the issues of skin color. It demonstrates how the light skinned people have clear advantages in areas such as education, income, housing, and the marriage market. In fact, people who are dark skinned are considered to be ethnically legitimate as compared to those who are light skinned. The research has drawn a lot from the already existing literature, citing various instances on how color hierarchy has developed in the country during slavery and afterwards and how the domination rewarded those who have emulated whiteness ideologically, culturally, aesthetically, and economically. There are also several instances where the colored people have been interviewees e.g. a dark skinned African American testifies how inferiority complex has dominated their world as a result of color. The study finds out that colorism is a subset of racial discrimination. It is a manifestation of the racial discrimination tendencies which communicates the broader meaning and status of the race in the United States. The more the structure of white racism continues to be intact, colorism continues to operate. The article relates to the study as it talks about the impact of color on the self-esteem the affected groups. It draws more insight on the light skinned people have more privileges than the dark skinned people. As much as the American society seems to have made a tremendous step in building an inclusive society; the government still has a long way to go in eliminating skin color stratification.

Kenworthy, L., & Smeeding, T. (2013). The growing inequalities and their impacts in the United States. Country report of the United States, 1-19.

The researcher focuses on the changes in inequalities in wealth, income, earnings, and education over time, and their political, social, and the cultural impacts. The research has greatly relied on the secondary data from 1970/80 to 2010/2011 for the United States. It is evident that most of the well-known forces that drove the United States to the top of the rich countries -inequality still continue. The findings of the research are that the trend in inequality in the United States has always been high. Most of the middle class in the country believe that their children will be economically worse off than they are. Some of the forces behind inequality in the country include income disparities and poverty which has risen, with a very high level of joblessness as well. There is need for more research on how the distribution has fared beyond the growth in the very top shares, and the outcomes and drivers resulting from these changes and how some specific groups have been affected such as the families with children versus the elderly.

Neckerman, K. M., & Torche, F. (2007). Inequality: Causes and Consequences. Annual Review of Sociology, 33335-357.

The research attempts to understand the inequality causes and consequences in the United States and globally. It provides an update of research on the patterns and causes of inequalities in the United States, including the inequality of wealth, earnings, and opportunity. The research used a multi-level method and data from the United States Census to analyze the distribution of amenities and incomes differentials among the African American, native and foreign-born Latino men, relative to the whites in 186 United States metropolitan areas. Questionnaires were also distributed to get the views from a sample of each group. Most of the subjects attributed the inequalities to racial factors that are to some extent still reflected in the institutions and imbalance in the distribution of opportunities and incomes. Sociologists can advance this research by bringing discipline-based expertise to bear on the political and organizational economy of the labor markets and firms, which are the major pathways through which inequality has an effect, and the political, social, and cultural contingencies that are likely to modify this effect.

O’Connell, H. A. (2012). The Impact of Slavery on Racial Inequality in Poverty in the U.S. South. Social Forces, 90(3), 713-734.
The research concentrates on the impact of slavery on racial inequality in poverty in the contemporary US. It advances the literature on the legacy of slavery and racial inequality by considering the inequality in poverty and the slavery’s relationship. An in-depth analysis of US Census data has conducted by using regression and data analysis techniques. The research established that the slave concentration is directly proportional to contemporary black-white inequality in poverty, independent of the current demographic and economic conditions, racial threat, and the wealth disparities that are rationalized. The research suggests the importance of slavery in shaping the existing US racial inequality patterns. Racial inequalities continue to be prevalent in the country despite the fact that the improvements in the racial minorities’’ social and economic standings. As much as the racial minorities are currently facing favorable legal conditions, the differences in their social and economic success as per their various races remain. The research upholds the fact that inequality is a reality in the U.S, and it is deep-rooted. This makes it hard to be fully eliminated. Nonetheless, future research is critical to study legacy’s relationships with the racial inequality among the social outcomes besides poverty and the other minority collectives as related to the whites.
References
Bankston III, C., & Caldas, S. J. (1996). Majority African American Schools and Social Injustice: The Influence of De Facto Segregation on Academic Achievement. Social Forces, 75(2), 535-555.
Epps, E. G. (1995). Race, Class, and Educational Opportunity: Trends in the Sociology of Education. Sociological Forum, 10(4), 593-608.
Hunter, M. (2007). The persistent problem of colorism: Skin Tone, Status, and inequality.Sociology Compass, 237-254.

Kenworthy, L., & Smeeding, T. (2013). The growing inequalities and their impacts in the United States. Country report of the United States, 1-19.

Neckerman, K. M., & Torche, F. (2007). Inequality: Causes and Consequences. Annual Review of Sociology, 33335-357.
O’Connell, H. A. (2012). The Impact of Slavery on Racial Inequality in Poverty in the U.S. South. Social Forces, 90(3), 713-734.
Literature review: Inequalities in the Education System
Social inequality refers to ways in which individuals are categorized differently in regards to access to social opportunities such as education. It entails differences in income, proximity to power, and status within societies that confer upon communities privileged opportunities. Colorism is a form of discrimination or prejudice that is based on skin color. People who are light skinned are often treated favorably than those with dark skin. Colorism is a constant problem among people of Color in the United States. Colourism, also known as color stratification facilitates privileges to light-skinned people over dark-skinned people in areas such as housing, education, income, and marriage (Hunter 2007).
The history of education in the U.S. is characterized with bias, segregation and marginalization of the poor and minority communities. In 1896, the Supreme Court upheld that schools should be segregated into whites and blacks in the Plessy vs Ferguson case. In the north, school officials drew up districts with the intention of segregating schools. Districts where blacks schooled received less money which ensured that the education obtained in such districts was of low quality. Schools in such districts had inadequate facilities and were poorly staffed. It was not until in 1954 that the Supreme Court reversed its earlier ruling in another case of Brown Vs Board of Education of Topeka, thus ending racial segregation in public schools (Cordes and Miller n.d). Such social inequalities have negative effects on human development, particularly child development. Children who have experienced discrimination in their childhood are likely to experience both mental and psychological problems.
Wealth accumulation and income disparities also perpetuate inequalities in the education systems. As people accumulate wealth, they can acquire the ability to access privileged opportunities in education. In America, racial discrimination is a major factor that promotes inequality. Racial inequality persists in the contemporary America despite progress in civil rights legislation (O’Connell 2012).
Mechanisms of inequality
Social inequality occurs when groups experience unequal social treatment based on gender, ethnicity, social status and other characteristics. Social inequality can result from social discrimination in which systems of discrimination create dominant groups that have different levels of access to services or goods. Such groups may possess different levels of power. Institutional racism may exist in the society’s laws, customs, and institutions. Policies of educational institutions that affect the economic well-being of families also affect children’s development. Such policies may be related to educational practices such as restrictions to school access or access to low quality education. Exposure to such institutional racial discrimination can lead to high levels of stress that are related to poor health outcomes in the society (Sanders-Philips and Walker 2009).
Research has established that people of color receive little information about housing from real-estate agents than their fellow whites, and in most cases are denied housing in predominantly white neighborhoods where they can access good schools or superior educational facilities. Consequently, it can be deduced that people of color face barriers in accessing good schools or housing (Jenkins 2007).
Impact of inequality on human development
Research has established that there is a relationship between family income and school outcomes as demonstrated by the effect on college enrollment. Social inequalities in housing, income, and other factors significantly contribute to physical and mental disparities for children of color in the United States (O’Connell 2012). There are several theories that try to explain the impact of racial discrimination and inequalities in the society. According to the Ecological theory, the relationship between a child and the environment should be evaluated to understand development. Evaluating the impact of racial discrimination is critical in understanding the health outcomes among children of color (Sanders-Philips and Walker 2009).On the other hand, the Racial Inequality and Social Integration theory is concerned with the psychological pathways through which racial discrimination experiences impact on the physical and mental health.
Anomie, a condition characterized by perceptions of lack of control over life outcomes and feelings of hopelessness develop when children perceive contradictions between the lack of opportunities in their lives and the opportunities available in the society at large (Sanders-philips and Walker 2009). For instance, in 2011, only 23 percent of black students attended white-majority schools. Research findings from the Education Department also indicated that students from minority communities are unlikely to access science classes and advanced math or have new teachers. Black students are also likely to be suspended from school. In addition, white students generally score higher than blacks in national examinations. The disparity is not attributed to intelligence but lack of access to quality education facilities (Hefling and Holland 2014).
Research has established that since exposure to racial discrimination is related to low levels of empathy, perceptions of justice, and moral development, children who are exposed to racial discrimination are unlikely to develop perceptions of empathy and moral justice that are critical in preventing violent behaviors in their adulthood. The Childhood stage is a critical period in the development of a child because it is a period in which a child develops social relationships and realities, perceptions of self, and a feeling of mastery over life outcomes. Exposing a child to discrimination at this stage of development can diminish the child’s feeling of worth, self-control and instead cultivate the mistrust of others. In addition, Children are more vulnerable to effects of racial discrimination since they do not understand the source of the negative or harsh treatment that they receive from the society. Such experience reinforces the feeling of powerlessness, injustice, and victimization that may contribute to violent behavior by the child in future (Sanders-Philips and Walker 2009).
Origin of Inequality

The origin of inequality in the U.S is largely historical. However, since inequality also entails differences in economic well-being, current and past economic and political policies also contribute to inequality. Such economic and political policies perpetuate racial prejudices that create disadvantaged groups of people who go on to pass their status from one generation to another. Consequently, inequality at a particular time affects the inequality of another generation. Inequality in wealth in the upper segment of the population has a long-term effect as the rich can pass over their accumulated wealth to the next generation. In some states, the wealthy parents often supplement the budget of public schools by organizing private fundraising initiatives. The additional funds help to perpetuate inequalities in the quality of education as such initiatives are unavailable in poor neighborhoods where students are predominantly black (Neckerman and Torche 2007). Unequal distribution of wealth in the United States is directly related to inequalities in the education system (Cordes and Miller n.d).
The development of inequality in the American society is enhanced by differences or inequalities in education attainment. Children from low-income communities are likely to get less education and consequently will have a low income in their adult life. The inequality is also as a result of a political process. Low-income communities might lack the necessary political voice to advocate for their well-being (Neckerman and Torche 2007). According to the social stratification theory, Social stratification entails the social, cultural, and political processes that result in a hierarchy of groups within the society. As a result of social stratification, black Americans tend to have a low social status that has developed as a result of a long history of legal segregation. The social position of a group in the society can expose it to discrimination that may lead to stress. High-stress levels can affect the health of the group, either directly or indirectly (Sanders-Philips and Walker 2009).

Historical and modern factors continue to hinder communities of color from accessing economic opportunities necessary for their upward mobility in the U.S. In New Orleans, for instance, and in many other cities, low-income Blacks were concentrated in low-cost neighborhoods in 1960s where the quality of education was low. In contrast, students who live in wealthy neighborhoods have huge advantages over those who live in low-cost neighborhoods (Jenkins 2007). The student-teacher ratio is low and their teachers are more experienced. They also have better learning facilities than students in poor neighborhoods. Such historical legacy has only served to increase poverty levels in the United States. For instance, in the b1970s, many whites and middle class blacks moved into the suburbs where they had access to better schools and left the poor blacks and Hispanic minorities to attend low quality schools in the urban areas (Cordes and Miller n.d).
Though slavery was eradicated one and half a century ago, its legacy has affected educational inequality and continues to impact on the American society. By the time slavery was abolished, African American slaves had no exposure to formal education. Their descendants also completed only a few years of schooling. In addition, they only accessed racially segregated schools in which education was inferior (O’Connell 2012).The combination of lack of education and the inferior education for those who accessed it has led to persistent income and wage gaps. Consequently, slavery is still associated with current levels of income inequality. Former slave counties are still unequal in the modern age. They also tend to have a higher rate of poverty and racial inequality. It is clear that many forms of education inequality in the U.S are inherited from historical events and continue to persist in the present day America (Bertocchi and Dimico 2010).
Americans tend to blame the plight of poverty on poor people themselves. They feel that poor people have contributed to their economic woes. In one of the studies about anti-poverty countermeasures, most Americans tend to support individual solutions as opposed to societal solutions. Most of the American respondents felt that the poor people of color should get themselves jobs in order to access better services. The media has also created the mentality that the image of welfare recipients is blacks, despite the fact that research indicates that people of color are not often the majority beneficiaries. As a result, people of color are portrayed as dependent (Jenkins 2007).
Removing racial barriers and the solutions to inequality
The current antitrust legislation and tax structures can prevent the accumulation of wealth witnessed a century ago. Tax policies should be used to reduce the widening gap between the rich and the poor. The government should consider taxing the rich more than the average tax for the general population. Reducing accumulation of wealth within sections of the population is critical in preventing inequalities in the society that is prevalent in the education system (O’Connell 2012). Removing racial barriers require concerted efforts from all the stakeholders in the society. It calls for the change of attitudes towards racial discrimination. There is the need to address race-based barriers by enforcing antidiscrimination policies and ensuring that there is equal access to opportunities for everyone. Civil rights efforts should be directed towards stopping social exclusion in the society. A critical step is to reduce financial barriers to college education by increasing grants to low-income students. Colleges should also consider socioeconomic and racial background in their enrollments so that they promote a diverse student fraternity (Jenkins 2007).
Education is critical in reducing inequality. There is need to reform public education in order to make it more affordable, well distributed and improve its quality. Rich children attend private schools where education is of high standards. On the other hand, poor children attend public schools where quality may be low compared to the private schools. The workers should also be empowered at the workplace so that they can articulate their issues effectively. Historically, workers were able to negotiate for better terms with their employers through unions. However, union membership is on the decline and the ordinary worker no longer has a voice to articulate issues. It seems that corporations have managed to silence employees by eliminating unions. The government should intervene to ensure that workers are not exploited. The government should institute policies that safeguard the welfare of employees and foster social mobility.
References
Bertocchi,G. and Dimico, A.( 2010). The historical roots of inequality. Retrieved from:
http://www.voxeu.org/article/historical-roots-inequality-evidence-slavery-us
Cordes, B. and Miller, G.n.d. Inequality of Education in the United States. Retrieved from:
http://cte.rockhurst.edu/s/945/images/editor_documents/content/PROJECT%20INEQUALITY%20STUDENT%20PAPERS%28Listed%20Alphabetically%20by%20P/cordes.pdf
Jenkins, A. (2007). Inequality, Race, and Remedy. Retrieved from:
http://prospect.org/article/inequality-race-and-remedy
Hefling, K. and Holland, J.J. (2014).Brown Decision at 60: A Look at Education Inequity.
Retrieved from:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/16/brown-decision-at-60_n_5339669.html
Hunter, M. (2007). The persistent problem of colorism: Skin Tone, Status, and inequality.
Sociology Compass, 237-254.
Neckerman, K. M. and Torche,F.(2007).Inequality: Causes and Consequences. Retrieved
from:https://files.nyu.edu/ft237/public/neckerman%26torche07_inequality.pdf
O’Connell, H. A. (2012). The Impact of Slavery on Racial Inequality in Poverty in the U.S.
South, Social Forces, 90(3), 713-734.
Sanders-philips,K. and Walker, D.(2009). Social Inequality and Racial Discrimination: Risk
Factors for Health Disparities in Children of Color. Pediatrics, Vol 124 176-186.

PILOT STUDY STATEMENT DRAFT

I looked at a population sample that includes African Americans within the age of 18-50, in Los Angeles County, and Orange County California. The population was selected because they are some of the most discriminated groups in the United States. In a survey carried out in the United States, it was discovered that discrimination on blacks is still present despite efforts to curb the long term problem. Most of the African Americans do not receive adequate education and are perceived in the United States as poor and hence do not deserve equal opportunities. The social discrimination has affected their family relations and development.
The life settings, education, interpersonal interactions, social interaction theory, cross cultural research, looking at statistical and secondary analyses, ethnography, test scores are most important in my research. There are educational disparities between African Americans -college acceptance and retention rates. The racial achievement gap have shown that disparities still exist between achievement levels of African Americans compared to Caucasian counterparts. The African-American population is neglected and marginalized, and the problems start in the schools. There is a lack of commitment to equalize the delivery of education. The United States has an entrenched education system that rivals the criminal justice system with regard to its unfair treatment of African American student they are supposed to serve. In my research I would like to compare the schools in the white parts of town in Orange County with those in the black areas in Los Angles county. African-Americans want to learn, they want to succeed, however they are not given a chance at success. Programs “No Child Left Behind” and “My Brothers Keeper” are set in place however there isn’t good evidence that confirms these programs are really providing successful opportunities for African American students.
Discrimination on blacks is still present despite efforts to curb the long term problem. According to statistics, black students’ admission has been at lower rates in the United States since the ban on racial consideration. Another report by the education policy group campaign for College Opportunity revealed that African-Americans students were less likely to graduate from state’s public universities and colleges and took longer to graduate from than their white counter-parts. The social interaction theory shows patterns of how people act and react with respect to others. In the United States, African Americans are treated as second-class citizens and hence discriminated. They are subjected to poor education, denigrated and poor housing conditions. In a survey carried out in American public schools, the statistics were shocking. Black-American students accounted for only 18% of United States pre-K enrollment and were only 48% of the preschoolers because most of them were suspended. Black-Americans girls were also suspended on a higher rate compared to other white girls and boys. It was also discovered that a quarter of schools with the most population on black-Americans did not offer Algebra II and chemistry. In addition, black students were more than three times likely to attend public schools where the teachers did not fulfil all the licensure and state certification requirement. According to these statistics, it is clear that discrimination in the education sector is real and measures need to be taken to change the situation.
References
Kozol, J. (2012). Savage inequalities: Children in America’s schools. New York: Broadway Paperbacks
Ziyauddin, K. M., & Kasi, E. (2009). Dimensions of Social Exclusion: Ethnographic Explorations. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.