Introduction

How should we view an education system that celebrates a 30% proficiency rate as success? In my view, "Proficient" is the minimum standard for passing, and "Not Proficient" means failing. By this measure, most students should not graduate unless they achieve proficiency. I reject claims of systemic racism as the cause of these disparities—reading in English or doing math correctly is not racism. Instead, these gaps stem from cultural differences and dysfunctional families, as evidenced by stark proficiency gaps in Chicago Public Schools (CPS):

2019 SAT Reading Proficiency Rates for CPS 11th-Graders
Source: ISBE Illinois Report Card, 2019
Group Proficient Not Proficient
Black 14% 86%
Hispanic 25% 75%
White 65% 35%

While efforts to promote inclusivity and address diverse learning needs are well-intentioned, lowering expectations risks undermining literacy and critical thinking skills, which are essential for individual and societal progress. High school diplomas should reflect real achievement, not watered-down standards.

Educational Disparities

The table above highlights significant disparities in CPS. In 2019, only 14% of 11th-grade Black CPS students and 25% of Hispanic students were proficient in reading on the SAT, compared to 65% of White students (ISBE, 2019). By my standard, 86% of Black and 75% of Hispanic 11th-graders are failing and should not be on track to graduate. These outcomes are tied to cultural norms and family dysfunction, such as lack of parental support or instability at home, rather than any systemic bias.

The influx of immigrants from lower-performing educational systems into a modern welfare state poses integration challenges. Cultural differences—such as varying attitudes toward education or parental involvement—and dysfunctional family structures, often marked by single-parent households or substance abuse, are the primary drivers of educational disparities. These factors can mirror issues from students’ countries of origin, such as limited access to advanced schooling, though they also bring opportunities for cultural enrichment and economic diversity.

The debate centers on supporting these students without compromising standards. My earlier article, "Who Are the Smartest Countries? Nobel Prizes Tell the Story," analyzed 2022 PISA scores, showing U.S. white students (~520 in reading) outperforming Germany (480) but trailing Singapore (575) (OECD, 2022). Scores for Black (23%) and Hispanic (31%) students, per 2022 NAEP data, are lower, as are those for nations like Morocco (350) and Colombia (400). These gaps reflect cultural and family challenges, not racism.

Nationally, the 2024 NAEP assessment shows similar challenges: 30% of fourth-grade students and 29% of eighth-grade students performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level in reading, while 39% of fourth-graders and 28% of eighth-graders achieved proficiency in mathematics (NCES, 2024). This means 70% of fourth-graders and 71% of eighth-graders are failing in reading by my definition, as are 61% and 72% in math, respectively. These students are not being prepared for graduation-level standards, largely due to cultural and family factors.

These disparities highlight variations in ability and talent across individuals and groups, driven by cultural and family dynamics, which should be addressed through targeted support rather than false claims of racism.

Policy Impacts

I reject the notion that systemic racism is to blame for educational disparities. Reading in English or doing math the correct way is not racism—it’s a universal standard for success. Yet some policies wrongly attribute these gaps to racism, pushing initiatives like Illinois’ 2021 Inclusive Curriculum Law, which includes gender identity topics, over core academics. These efforts, often framed as "equity," dilute standards by lowering expectations for certain groups. Equal outcomes across diverse groups are challenging due to cultural and family differences, not systemic bias. Allowing students to graduate without proficiency undermines the value of a diploma and sets them up for failure in higher education or the workforce.

Other systemic issues, like high crime rates in some communities, with Chicago reporting ~600 homicides in 2024 (Chicago Police Department, 2024), are also tied to cultural and family breakdowns, such as single-parent households, poverty, and substance abuse. These challenges are not the result of racism but of societal and policy failures to address root causes.

Political Polarization

Both parties share blame. Republicans’ support for business-driven policies, like H-1B visa expansions in the 2000s, has been linked to wage suppression for low-skill workers, hitting Black communities hardest (EPI, 2019). Past injustices and displacement by immigration make upward mobility a distant dream for many, compounding the effects of family dysfunction.

Democrats, meanwhile, have shifted from economic equity to social justice advocacy, like BLM since 2014, often falsely framing disparities as racism and sidelining Black working-class needs (The Atlantic, 2020). Both parties’ worker-destructive policies prioritize corporate gains or political agendas over vulnerable groups, ignoring the real issues of culture and family stability.

Our polarized climate, marked by terms like "denier," "Islamophobia," and "racism," stifles dialogue. These labels aim to highlight discrimination but are misused to shut down discussion of cultural and family factors. Moving forward, evidence-based solutions—improving education through targeted support, addressing crime with community input, and reforming immigration with economic balance—should focus on real causes rather than divisive rhetoric about racism.

Conclusion

The data is clear: most students, particularly in CPS, are not meeting proficiency standards in core subjects like reading and math. By my definition—where Proficient is passing and Not Proficient is failing—students who are not proficient should not graduate. These disparities are not due to systemic racism but to cultural differences and dysfunctional families, such as lack of parental involvement or household instability. High schools must raise standards, ensuring graduates are truly prepared for the future, and focus on addressing cultural and family challenges rather than perpetuating false narratives about racism.

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