Education, Inner-City Schools

Luis Mirón

Because the vast majority of U.S. students reside in urban areas, their education and indeed the preservation of the values of democracy are intrinsic to the success or failure of U.S. inner-city schools. Such schools are historically overpopulated and underfunded, leading to problems relating to the quality of education and learning activities offered in comparison with suburban schools. Of concern are large classes affecting discipline, motivation, teaching effectiveness, and morale, as well as having sufficient school supplies and attractive learning facilities. Maintaining a safe environment and recruiting and retaining good teachers are other primary concerns. Like their suburban counterparts, inner-city schools address the usual pressures of preparing students for productive lives upon graduation. In many instances, contemporary inner-city student bodies are multiracial, multiethnic, and socially and ethnically diverse. Complicating “normal” teaching and administrative challenges—for example, the practical enactment of classroom authority—is the need to nurture positive academic and racial/ethnic identity ...

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