I was born and raised as a United States citizen, as were many other students at Dundee-Crown High School. With this citizenship I was guaranteed the right of equality. My concern is this: If we are all equal, then why is there a need for segregation and stereotyping at school?
Have you ever looked at the bleachers during a pep assembly? One section is occupied by Hispanics, another by African-Americans, still another by Caucasians. Our ancestors fought to abolish segregation, but now it has reappeared-only this time by choice. Does it really make a difference if the person sitting next to you is not of your ethnic background? In the real world, you are not allowed to section off a place for “your kind.” You must rely on others or survival will prove to be a challenge.
The interference with equality stems from the stereotyping of races. Our school district stereotypes the Hispanics as gang members, the African-Americans as drug dealers and the Caucasians as the elitists. Unfortunately, not many people are given the chance to prove these stereotypes differently. I often wonder why the honors classes are made up of a majority of Caucasians, while the general classes consist of minorities. Is this by choice, or does discrimination and generalized expectations affect one’s educational opportunities? And, as a result, have we chosen to separate ourselves in order to conform with our society?
Ignorance within society must be dissolved. We must put aside our differences in order to see our similarities. The color of my skin should not determine who my friends are, how I will be educated, or who I will become. I deserve the same opportunities that you have, and the only way I will obtain them is by trying.
Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these rights are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Must these rights be abandoned because of pure ignorance? Must we choose to stereotype and segregate all human beings? Or can we accept each other for who we are, where we are from, and what we believe in?
Look around. We all were created equal, and we can not choose to ignore the inequality that exists in our world-our society, our school-any longer.
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