Reparations, not anti-DEI rhetoric, could make American education great 

Reconstruction, supervised by Union troops, began after the war but was halted in 1876 by President Rutherford B. Hayes who cut a deal to get elected. The South then returned to its racist roots, with a Jim Crow “peonage” system as a substitute for slavery. Black Americans fared better in the North, but were also subject to severe discrimination in housing, education and employment. Congress and the Supreme Court did little to remedy the situation.

Credit: Contributed

Credit: Contributed

Finally, in its 1954 decision legally ending segregated schools (Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka), the Supreme Court found segregated schools to be separate, but clearly unequal. The same could be said for the “unofficially” segregated schools that existed in the North and elsewhere.

Despite what Trump states, racial differences in educational achievement and opportunity remain nearly 70 years later. A few years ago, Jerry Arkin, a retired University of Georgia administrator, and I did a column regarding UGA and Black students. We showed that, although African Americans make up over a third of public school students in Georgia, Black people are only 8% of UGA students.

Obviously, the problem goes much deeper than UGA. It originates in our history and society. In this vein, this column continues the discussion about meaningful reparations. Specifically, the possible use of reparation money for improving educational opportunities for Black students.

But first, let’s look at historical educational expenditures by race. There is not a wealth of recent conclusive research in this area. The National Center for Education Statistics is one good source of information. Forty years after the Brown v. Board decision, when cost of living is factored in, districts with high levels of minorities spend $286 less per year ($4,103) than those with the lowest percentages ($4,389), according to the center’s research. In another more recent study by EdBuild, an educational funding research group, it was also shown that expenditures per student for nonwhite people were considerably below white students.

This discrepancy in spending is clearly a problem that should be addressed by targeted achievement programs funded via reparations. There have been numerous academic studies regarding improving Black educational achievement.

One particularly broad study was done by the Child Trends research group. This study recommends looking at the problem in a more holistic fashion, including programs that strengthen Black families and tie communities more closely to local schools. Academic readiness, motivation and achievement are key factors. However, the study also recommends funding educational efforts regarding substance abuse, sexual health, physical health and social skills. Plus, building skills in violence reduction.

Other studies have similar findings. One particularly good example is from the National Center for Biotechnology Information/NIH. This paper recommends mentoring to improve achievement. But it also goes deeply into using “racial identity” as a motivator and working to tie self-esteem to academic achievement versus other measures.

In conclusion, instead of lambasting DEI every opportunity he gets, Trump should appoint a bipartisan Task Force on African American Educational Achievement to review the existing literature and studies and then come back with specific recommendations to maximize results — including how much federal funding is needed and how this money should be spent. Clearly, there should be significantly more money per student spent on Black children as a form of reparations. Thus, enabling them to catch up to their white counterparts educationally. Isn’t this result what we should all want, regardless of political affiliation?

Jack Bernard, a retired business executive and former chair of the Jasper County Commission and Republican Party, was the first director of health planning for Georgia.