Diversity: Socioeconomic Issues

The article emphasizes the significance of campus diversity to present and prospective college students in the U.S. It notes that the most sensitive issue facing college administrations has been diversification of college campuses through proactive recruiting and intentional admissions policies. It says that students express a desire to experience college life with peers of different backgrounds and interests. Important aspects of a diverse community, including socio-economic, are mentioned.

The article discusses educational quality at schools in the U.S., particularly the connection between segregation in schools and quality. The legal aspects of desegregation, including the U.S. Supreme Court case Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1, is discussed. The racial make-up of suburbs in the U.S. and how this will impact diversity in schools is discussed. The benefits of fully integrated schools to minority and white children is considered. School integration in Rock Hill, South Carolina and the Wake County Public School System in North Carolina are both examined. The use of socioeconomic status (SES) as a way of measuring school integration is considered as is zoning for schools, detracking, and classroom diversity.

Conceptualizes the socioeconomic divide in the United States within a multicultural education framework. Analysis of the problem posed by the socioeconomic divide from the perspective of multicultural education; Suggestions and strategies for terminating the socioeconomic divide that are informed by multicultural education theory and practice; Gaps in computer and Internet access related to class.