60 Years After Brown: Education & Health Inequality

This weekend marks the 60th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court ruling, Brown v. Board of Education, which made segregation unconstitutional:

“…the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.”

Yet segregation and inequality is still very much alive in education today. Despite the proven benefits of integration, this nation has retreated in recent years to deeply segregated, deeply unequal conditions. From NEA:

“Today, nearly half of the nation’s students are low income. Forty-four percent are students of color, and both populations are concentrated in segregated schools.“

This inequality isn’t just limited to academic outcomes and resources. Inequality also exists when it comes to health, which in turn can impede learning readiness.

The Health Equity Gap

Health equity means that everyone has a fair opportunity to live a long, healthy life. It implies that health should not be compromised or disadvantaged because of an individual or population group’s race, ethnicity, gender, income, sexual orientation, neighborhood or other social condition.

But in fact health outcomes in the U.S. are greatly impacted by racial, geographic and socio-economic factors. For example, these factors impact rates of:

• Food insecurity and lack of access to healthy foods (also known as “food deserts”).
• Childhood obesity and associated risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and other long-term health effects.
• Teen pregnancy and birth rates.

That’s why NEA Health Information Network and other allies are actively working to take on healthy inequality through preventative programs, through programs such as our Exemplary Sexual Health Education work and Bag the Junk project.

NEA HIN is also working to meet the needs of low-income children through our Breakfast in the Classroom project.

A Closer Look at NEA HIN In Action: Tackling Hunger Head On

Educators know that when students are hungry, it’s makes learning hard.

NEA HIN’s Breakfast in the Classroom project is an innovative way for more students to participate in the federally-funded school breakfast program by moving breakfast from the cafeteria and into the classroom. All students, regardless of income, receive a free breakfast – reducing stigma that can be associated with free and reduced-price meals.

Studies have shown that when breakfast is moved into the classroom, after the start of the school day, more students are able to reap the benefits associated with the morning meal. As a result of eating breakfast, students show improvements in academic achievement, have better attendance records, exhibit fewer behavioral problems, and rates of obesity. Through NEA HIN’s Breakfast in the Classroom project, free breakfasts will be served in seven states during the 2014-2014 school year.

Equity for All

Equity is one of the cornerstones of America’s public education system. Every child deserves the right to equal access to educational opportunities. And we must do more to ensure all students are supported by a healthy, safe environment that allows children and teens to be learning-ready.

Tell us: what can be done to address education and health inequality? Share your thoughts below.

Posted by Jenn Kauffman

on May 16, 2014