Of course, the lens of class is also crucial in looking at public education. But without the powerful factor of race, that lens is misleading. For example, while many working class whites attend adequate schools in white suburbs and small towns, the schools attended by working class students of color are almost universally substandard. Schools where students of color are 90 percent or more of the student body are 14 times more likely to have a majority of poor students than schools that are overwhelmingly white. Further, almost all rich schools are white schools.
Race is a pivotal factor determining the resources available to public schools.
As I walk the halls of Oakland High, the only white faces I see belong to teachers. In fact, if you are a student of color anywhere in the U.S., it is unlikely that you will have a teacher that reflects your racial or cultural heritage. The fears of teachers, administrators, and the greater voting populace have fueled a new drive to criminalize students of color. Safety is a priority in schools, but calling in police, installing metal detectors and video surveillance borders on the hysterical. Jails have become more of a federal priority than school funding.