Description
PART1
The article analyzes the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education, highlighting disruptions caused by school closures, remote learning obstacles, and related challenges like as infections and quarantines. This has disproportionately impacted marginalized pupils, compounding educational disparities. To address this, the paper suggests a multifaceted approach that includes focused tutoring, expanded study time, summer programs, improved technological access, and connectivity. Timely data and teacher training, as well as coordinated efforts across schools, communities, and governments, are emphasized as critical components for effective intervention. In essence, the article highlights the extensive learning setbacks caused by the pandemic and proposes a multifaceted solution that includes targeted educational support, technological advancements, informed decision-making, and collaborative synergy to mitigate the impact on students and ensure a fairer and more resilient education system in the future.
QUESTIONS:
- How has the COVID pandemic disrupted the traditional education system, and what specific challenges have students faced as a result?
- How was it for many people to return to in person school after being on lockdown for so long?
- Do you think many people struggled going back in person after getting comfortable via remote learning?
PART2—————————————
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-us-will-bec…In this article published by Brookings, senior fellow William H. Frey discusses the future of the race in the United States. It emphasizes the growing significance of racial minorities as the primary drivers of the country’s future population growth, in contrast to the aging and declining white population. The projections indicate that by 2045, the U.S. will become “minority white,” with whites comprising 49.7% of the population, while Hispanics, blacks, Asians, and multiracial populations will make up 24.6%, 13.1%, 7.9%, and 3.8%, respectively.Two key trends contribute to this shift: the continuous growth of combined racial minority populations by 74% from 2018 to 2060, and the declining white population due to more deaths than births. Among minority populations, multiracial populations, Asians, and Hispanics are projected to experience the most substantial growth rates of 176%, 93%, and 86%, respectively. The article also points out that due to the younger age distribution of minority groups, the “minority white” tipping point will be reached earlier for younger age groups, with minorities outnumbering whites under 18 by 2020…QUESTIONS: In what ways can this demographic shift impact various aspects of life, such as workforce, education or equality? Do you believe that these demographic projections could lead to wider effects on social and political discourse in the United States? How could these projections potentially change policies and impact culture in the United States?
PART3——————————————————
https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2014/03/13/289000532/why-for-profit-prisons-house-more-inmates-of-colorLinks to an external site.A study conducted by a UC-Berkeley graduate student, Christopher Petrella, has revealed surprising findings in the field of criminology. The study focuses on private prisons and their demographics.Overall, the study sheds light on the demographic composition of private prisons, their exclusionary practices based on medical costs, and the need for tailored services for younger inmates, raising important considerations about the intersection of race, profit motives, and prison conditions..QUESTIONS:.1.How does the study by Christopher Petrella challenge conventional understanding of racial disparities in prisons?2.What is the primary motivation behind the practices of private prison companies according to the study? How does this motivation intersect with racial disparities?
PART4————————————————
https://www.science.org/content/article/pandemic-may-have-been-setback-racial-makeup-u-s-prisonsLinks to an external site.Rodrigo Pérez Ortega, science journalist for science.org, highlights how the Covid-19 pandemic might have made the racial disparities in jails worse. When the pandemic hit, jails decided to give some prisoners early release in order to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 and the number of inmates dropped by 17%. Although, in the last 10 years the Black jail population did drop from 42% to 39%. In 2019, jails recorded approximately 2 million inmates on their rosters. Blacks and Whites made up 38% of the jail population, but Blacks only made up 12% of the U.S. population and Whites made up 60% of the U.S. population. Jails demographic information was requested from all 50 states to try and help determine why the population had dwindled in March of 2020. What’s interesting is that the number of incarcerated Black people increased by 1% (equal to 15,000 individuals) and for the Latino population it increased by 0.2% and it went back to pre-pandemic levels in 2022. Minorities have suffered stiffer sentencing and longer prison terms than Whites. Historically speaking, Black individuals have received longer sentences for their malefactions than White individuals. It was noted, the movement did not occur in all states.QUESTIONS:Why are minorities, especially Blacks, experiencing higher levels of incarceration? What can be done on a micro and macro level to help alleviate and reduce the large numbers of minority incarcerations?
