The black-white test score gap examined by George Farkas indicates at the significant discrepancies in the academic achievement of white and black students. These inequalities are a great concern to various professionals because they suggest that the current system of education can be very inefficient. More importantly, these differences may imply that the methods used by teachers can be biased against certain ethnic or racial groups.
Overall, George Farkas offers several explanations that can throw light on the underlying causes of this gap. For instance, he notes that many African-American children can enter primary school without the necessary learning skills that should be developed at the kindergarten stage. This argument is particularly relevant if one speak about literacy and arithmetic. Without them, a child cannot cope with more complex tasks.
As a result, this individual can perform poorly during later educational stages. Additionally, one should not forget about the influence of economic and social inequalities which often impair the learning activities of a child. This argument is particularly relevant if one speaks about families, affected by poverty, crime, or drug abuse.
Certainly, this scholar does not deny the importance of institutional racism; nevertheless, this factor is not critical for explaining the existence of the black-white score gap. More likely, one should consider the inefficiencies of current educational practices.
Overall, George Farkas focuses on the pre-school education of African-American children. Much attention should be paid to their literacy and counting skills because they serve as the starting point for their later academic achievements. In the long term, this policy can minimize the gap. Additionally, he pays attention to the role of parents who should encourage children to become more involved in their studies.
Moreover, this author speaks about tutoring programs that can help some children overcome their learning difficulties. These programs should be designed for the needs of children whose parents may not be able to take proper care of them due to various difficulties.
Overall, these suggestions can be very helpful for reducing the gap, which affects the lives of many children as well as adolescents. To a great extent, the recommendations offered by this scholar suggest that affirmative action is still necessary, even though this policy often gives rise to criticism. These are the main details that can be singled out.
To a great extent, this discussion can be related to the sociological perspective because it illustrates the long-lasting legacies of social inequalities. Even though racial discrimination has been explicitly prohibited, American society still has to struggle with inequality. Moreover, the issues discussed by the author can highlight the impact of education on the development of society and its stratification.
For instance, the inefficiency of the education system can deprive many people of the opportunity for climbing the social ladder. Furthermore, this analysis offered by this scholar can be useful for explaining how teachers can contribute the declining social inequalities. Therefore, sociologists should not overlook the issues discussed by George Farkas, who makes significant insights into the origins of inequality.