| What causes disproportionate numbers of minority | | | | negatively affect academic progress. |
| students to become stuck and refrain from taking a | | | | Students believe that they are being unduly |
| seat at the table of opportunity granted them by | | | | discriminated against, that impediments to their social |
| schools? Dr.John Ogbu, noted scholar, after an | | | | mobility are posed both at the institutional and structural |
| extensive survey-based research, shed some light on | | | | levels. They believe that the discrimination they |
| the working-class, minority, and female youth | | | | experience is undeserved. So they become distrustful |
| resistance to school (Ogbu, 1991,1994). Ogbu observed | | | | of Whites and any establishment with which they are |
| a notable disparity in the school performance of | | | | associated . Schools fall under the category of |
| students belonging to different minority groups. He | | | | distrusted institutions. Students readily observe cases |
| noted a distinct relationship between the level of | | | | of biased presentation of textbook material, biased |
| student performance and the prevailing ideology | | | | assessments, favoritism, tracking, and sometimes open |
| relating to achievement, also a definite discontinuity | | | | racism. Their observations or interpretations of their |
| between the students' home and school cultures. He | | | | observations are legion. |
| claimed that African American youths fail in schools | | | | Undoubtedly these factors must be taken into |
| because of deeply historical and pervading societal | | | | consideration when schools make plans and strive |
| factors. Ogbu referred to this group as involuntary | | | | vigorously to improve the quality of education for |
| minorities because historically, they had no choice in | | | | minority students. Nor will the problems disappear on |
| their minority and subjugated status. He reasoned that | | | | their own unless and until these issues are addressed |
| the way involuntary youths understand their place in | | | | head on. The answers to the problems are not far |
| the American social order dashes their hopes of | | | | from where the problems themselves reside. Hence, |
| advancement and opportunity. | | | | educators need to analyze each phase of the |
| When African American youths observe the | | | | problem, fix it, and then move on. |
| inequitable distribution of social rewards in society- | | | | Larabee, D. Public goods, private goods: the American |
| inferior housing,inferior education, limited and low level | | | | struggle over educational goals. American Educational |
| jobs- they are unlikely to work hard. Students echo | | | | Research Journal. Spring 1997, vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 39-81 |
| high sounding dreams of what they would like to | | | | Ogbu, J.U. (1978). Minority Education and Caste. New |
| aspire. Nonetheless, their behavior is frequently | | | | York:Academic Press. |
| inconsistent with the accomplishment of these goals. | | | | Ogbu, J. U. (1991). Low school performances as an |
| This disparity between verbalized values and their | | | | adaptation: The case of Blacks in Stockton, California. |
| actions is most telling. They have superficially, but only | | | | In M. Gibson & J. Ogbu (Eds.), Minority status and |
| superficially bought into the dominant theory of how to | | | | schooling: A comparative study of immigrant and |
| make it in America. They know what the theory is. | | | | involuntary minorities (pp. 249-286). New York: Garland. |
| They have heard the rhetoric. But they do not believe | | | | Ogbu, J. U. (1994). Racial stratification and education in |
| it. This "attitude achievement paradox" expresses itself | | | | the United States: Why inequity persists. Teachers |
| in subsequent behaviors, dispositions, and identity which | | | | College Record, 96, 264-299. |