Dream+Report+Card


 * Has Martin Luther King Jr.'s "dream" been realized?**

Civil Rights laws, affirmative action laws, representation in state and federal government, voting statistics || =B= || * Civil Rights laws have been passed and enforced by the government Number of employed / unemployed, types of jobs, business ownership || =B+= || * Out of the 7,900,000 people employed, 9.4% are black, 3.4% are Asian, and 6.9% are Hispanic. Graduation rates, test scores, college enrollment, educational attainment || =C= || * Hispanics lack in the readiness for school--only 14% recognized all letters compared to the 24% whites who recognized all letters. Average income, number below poverty level || =C= || * The median income for whites is $45,631 compared to $29,645 for blacks, $55,699 for Asians, and $32,997 for Hispanics.
 * **TOPIC** || ==GRADE== || **RATIONALE WITH STATISTICS** || **COMMENTS / SUGGESTIONS** ||
 * **Legislation and Politics**
 * While the number of African Americans and Hispanics in the government is not near the percentage of population, the numbers are increasing every year
 * We have an African American president
 * African Americans vote at nearly the same rate as the average population, but Hispanics are much lower (average around 60% registering, African American 58%, Hispanic 28%) || * Encourage minorities to continue to become active in politics, possibly through schools
 * Push for voter registration drives and voter education in the Hispanic community, possibly with bilingual voting ballots ||
 * **Employment**
 * 3,998,000 whites are unemployed compare to the 1,134,000 blacks unemployed.
 * More Hispanics do physical labor than whites, blacks or Asians. || * Give minorities a greater chance for a higher form of education--which is the basis to all success.
 * Teach kids the importance of having a good job. ||
 * **Education**
 * In 2003, 66.2% whites were enrolled in college, compared to the 57.5% of blacks and 58.6% of Hispanics.
 * 66.7% of whites in 2003 attained a master's degree compared to the 0.6% of American Indian. || * Teach children in bilingual families basic English before entering school.
 * Encourage minorities to enroll in college and keep going in high school. ||
 * **Income and Poverty**
 * Of the 17.2% of children below the poverty level, 13.9% are white, 33.6% are black, 12.1% are Asian, and 29.5% are Hispanic. || * Provide a better education for children below poverty level; education is the key to escaping poverty.
 * Push for better programs to help the poor. ||
 * **Behavior** || =B= || * Experts say that 80% of Americans have racist feelings that they don't even recognize.
 * Though current racism doesn't result in hatred, most white Americans now have a mixed view in the characteristics of blacks and how they act.
 * Names on an application (i.e. Emily O'Brien vs. Jamal Johnson) does have an affect on the decision. || * No real remedy
 * Racism will always seem to exist, but as times change, people's perspective on others will change. ||