It was the Supreme Court’s historic decision that began American school integration. The same opportunities and benefits were offered to minority students in order for them to be able attend the best educational institutions. Even with school integration, minorities, especially Black children, often find themselves in poorer situations. American school segregation led to the creation of inferior and superior education systems. The White Majority received a higher education than their Black peers. Inequity still exists in our educational system despite the landmark verdict (Edwards 2016,). This makes children of color more sensitive to harsh penalties and discipline consequences. It leads to disobedience, which can lead to high rates of high school graduation. Report calls for the School Team Engagement Program to be implemented. This program requires academic institutions to create multiethnic teams that increase cultural competence of students and instructors.
It is crucial to establish a multiracial team in order for students and instructors to learn how they can interact with other people and transcend racial stereotypes. Edwards (2016) and Ware (2016) observed a significant number of African American students in referrals for misbehavior, suspension and disciplinary. Due to their vulnerability, many minority students drop out of school or seek other unsustainable survival methods. Black children are at greater risk of being penalized for similar infractions than their White counterparts. Ware says that schools are more likely to give disciplinary sanctions to Black students because they’re perceived as aggressive drug addicts and drug users. In addition, the majority of white educators see them as rude, confrontational, hostile, and distant (Cheng & Halpin, 2016). It is becoming more difficult for students of color with high grades to discover their talents because there are so many negative stereotypes. Minority children are prevented from completing college and from graduating college because of academic hurdles.
STEP will enable minority students to be empowered by white teachers. Ware (19-20) claims that gifted program teachers are more likely to be taught by white educators than their black counterparts. Kunesh (2018) and Noltemeyer (1999) found that 88% of American educators are white. That means Black students have a higher chance of having their education provided by teachers who recognize their culture. STEP could help to alleviate systemic disadvantages that students from minority groups face. This curriculum is designed to help students and teachers unlearn preconceived ideas about other people.