As the first event of a new student organization, undergraduates at Montclair State University successfully launched a symposium on Sept. 28th to address the problem of racial inequality in public schools. The event, “Closing the Achievement Gap,” took place on the university’s campus and included a keynote address by Dr. Pedro Noguera of New York University and an interactive panel discussion.

Before an audience of college students, professors, and local school district personnel, Dr. Noguera discussed how disparities in academic achievement are manifested in “the big urban centers” in comparison to suburban, affluent districts. In the urban districts, Noguera explained, the gap is reflective of other patterns of inequality. Here the problem is clearer: “It’s not simply about education…it’s about health, wealth, and quality of life.”

In suburban districts, however, the problem is more complex. It is in these districts where certain groups of students do well and other groups are consistently achieving at lower levels, namely poor students and students of color. To answer the questions this data raises, Noguera suggested examining the culture of the school – particularly the expectations, relationships, values, and norms that contribute to the school’s sorting processes. Before steps can be taken to alleviate the problem, though, it is necessary to promote an increased awareness of the issue. Noguera urged that “not only do people need to be disturbed by the gap, but they have to believe that it can be changed.”

Students for Equality in Education (SEED) organized the event as a means not only of raising such awareness, but also of engaging the campus community in investigating the achievement gap at a more critical level. SEED President Andrea Vecchione said, “There are currently no avenues for students to contribute to efforts to get to the heart of the matter, which is precisely what we are seeking to change.” While Vecchione and other student leaders were adamant in expressing high regard for Montclair State University’s Service Learning Program and the numerous opportunities it provides for students to interact with children who are affected by the gap, they were nevertheless persistent in communicating the need for strengthening and expanding school-university collaborations so that future service learning efforts can include a more explicit research dynamic.

Dr. David Lee Keiser, the coordinator of the Agenda for Education in a Democracy and faculty advisor to SEED, facilitated the panel discussion which followed Dr. Noguera’s keynote. The panel offered a wide array of perspectives which included concerns about racism in education, African American culture in the curriculum, teacher education, and the experiences of university students tutoring low-achievers in local schools. In addition, Mrs. Terry Trigg-Scales of Montclair Public Schools offered a look into the practical concerns of a progressive, integrated district. Before taking questions from the audience, Dr. Noguera commented on the relatedness of the theory/practice gap to the current discussion. “This type of conversation, where ideas are being applied to practical concerns” he suggested, “needs to happen more often.” More information regarding SEED and future conferences at M. S. U. can be obtained by contacting Dr. David Lee Keiser at (973) 655-7199