Jonathan Lomogda

Stereotypes in Education
The American public education system is one the biggest advantages to kids
in the United States. Children of any race or gender are accepted into our schools
and educated at no cost other than the taxes paid to support the system. The issue
of stereotypes is rampant throughout the education system, generalizing students
into broad groups based off something like race. These stereotypes, while they may
be useful in grouping students together, are almost always negative and spell a
death sentence for children trying to break from the norm. The bottom line about
stereotypes is that they limit the potential of innocent children, and they need to
end.
In her essay I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read Francine Prose
indirectly addresses stereotypes in the educational system when she discusses the
way high school English classes are taught. She writes, The intense loyalty adults
harbor for books first encountered in youth is one probable reason for the otherwise
baffling longevity of vintage mediocre novels, books themselves have read in
adolescence . . . (Prose). This exemplifies the stereotype of an English teacher who
is stuck in the traditional way of instructing, and reuses the same old books they
read when they were younger. Unfortunately enough for many students, this
stereotype is quite accurate. This kind of teacher disengages students in not only
English class, but to reading in general, a crucial part of the education system. It
also leads students down a vicious cycle of not reading because of the way English
is taught and therefore doing poorly in school. The stereotypical English classroom
sets students up for nothing other than failure.
Sherman Alexie details his life growing up on an Indian reservation and later
as a teacher where he has bigger issues than boring books in his short essay,
Superman and Me. Stereotypes connected with Native Americans are, for the
most part, strongly negative, and he backs this up with his writing. He laments,
Then there are the sullen and already defeated Indian kids who sit in the back rows
and ignore me with theatrical precision. The pages of their notebooks are empty.
They carry neither pencil nor pen. They stare out the window. They refuse and
resist (Alexie). This quote shows the dismal attitude of the stereotypical Indian
student towards school. The main issue facing these kids is that giving up in school
and leading an unsuccessful life is exactly what is expected of them, shown by
Alexie, we were Indian children who were expected to be stupid. Education is the
light at the end of the tunnel for these poor children who have been trapped in the
vicious cycle of poverty on the reservation according to Alexie. Seemingly
exasperated, he finishes, I am trying to save our lives (Alexie). This quote shows
Alexies desperation for his students to break free of the harmful stereotypical roles
his students have fallen in to.
Being valedictorian of a high school graduating class is almost universally
considered the highest academic honor a student can receive. Margaret Talbot gives

Jonathan Lomogda
evidence as to how valedictorians are counterproductive in her essay Best in
Class. . . . there are some kids who what theyre good at is studying. Thats what
they do. They deserve something special to strive for. They do. (Talbot).
Stereotypes associated with valedictorians can be both positive and negative. Being
a typical nerd will likely lead a student on a path more driven towards success, yet
they are often bullied for their attitude towards school. Bullying is extremely
counterproductive towards the goals of education, yet ironically it most severely
affects the stereotypically successful kids.
James Baldwin discusses the role of education in advancing the African
American race as a whole to a higher social status in his speech, A Talk to Teachers.
This was written at the height of the fight for equal rights for African Americans in
the 1960s, and addresses the age old stereotype of blacks as a whole when he
writes, . . . he is also assured by his country and his countrymen that he has never
contributed anything to civilization-that his past is nothing more than a record of
humiliations gladly endured (Baldwin). This quote emphasizes the repression of an
entire race of people based solely on a stereotype. The belief that blacks are inferior
has stuck around far after the passing of the 13 th amendment. Baldwin shows his
belief that education is the gateway to furthering black social status when he writes,
I would teach him (a black child) that the press he reads is not as free as it says it
is-and that he can do something about that ,too (Baldwin). Education is the key to
future, and the key to blacks overcoming this horribly racist stereotype.
Stereotypes are inescapable. They follow us anywhere in todays society,
especially in the public school system. Stereotypes can be positive, such as a
valedictorian being a nerd and working hard in school, but for the most part they
have extremely negative connotations such as Native American kids who will go
nowhere in life and dont put forth any effort in school as a result. These stereotypes
have hindered the advancement of not only the specific minorities discussed above,
but all minorities. Yet we sit around and do nothing while millions of kids are directly
disadvantaged in the most important aspect of a youths life, education. Should we
idly let these bright and talented kids who represent the future of this country be
set up for such failure? Not discrediting these stereotypes not only sets the future of
our country up for failure, but it dooms them to make the same mistakes we are
currently making.