Although I am not from the Syracuse community, as a Syracuse University student, I think it’s important to acknowledge and talk about the educational segregation in Syracuse city schools. Being from New York City, I was able to experience education in a diverse community. SU is made up of an array of diverse backgrounds, and we should pay attention to the larger Syracuse area. This city is now our community too.

Local Syracuse schools in the community are ranked as the 13th most segregated schools in the nation. A study conducted by The Century Foundation analyzes “School Segregation in Cities Across America Mapped.” The data highlights the segregation between White and Black students across the country in public and private schools in the country.

The Century Foundation’s map shows that Syracuse is in the dark blue zone, meaning it has high segregation in schools. “Syracuse is like many other cities in the northeast that have maintained segregation by housing, by ethnicity as we see the growth of suburbs that have become whiter
and more distant from the city,” said George Theoharis, Professor of Educational Leadership at Syracuse University to CNY Central. The disparities between low-income neighborhoods and wealthier neighborhoods amplifies the segregations in these schools.

In Syracuse, the I-81 Highway is a physical barrier separating poverty level and low-income families from wealthier neighborhoods in the Syracuse area. The highway was built in 1959 and was constructed directly through a working class Black neighborhood. “It displaced long-time residents and ensured that poverty, pollution and a lack of resources would hurt the community that lived in the highway’s shadow that still persists today,” according to an article from the New York chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.

The Civil Rights Act ended discrimination nearly 50 years ago. While the governing body of Syracuse is not deliberately discriminating against Black communities living in low-income areas, the division resulting from the I-81 highway and the city’s lack of attention on the issue has caused segregation in schools even now.

The city announced a plan to replace the highway with a street level roadway last year, but it’s upsetting that the issue has just recently been talked about and confirmed for change. It seems that this prevalent segregation in Syracuse has been accepted by our nation.

While Mayor Ben Walsh is taking action on the housing issue, no one has publicized Syracuse’s segregation in schools and neighborhoods. The issue has been replaced with talk of new housing options in the same low-income areas. While access to more affordable housing options are beneficial, better education options for those unable to relocate to wealthier neighborhoods should be another main concern.

SU, which proudly sits next to the I-81 highway, prides itself on seeking a more inclusive and diverse environment on its campus. Freshman year, SU students are required to take a First Year Seminar course which teaches them about marginalized communities, intersectionality and other important knowledge they should understand to create a welcoming environment on campus.

At SU, 53% of enrolled students are White, 9% are Hispanic or Latino, 7% are Black or African-American, 6% are Asian and less than 1% of students are Native American, according to Data USA. With over half of the students at SU being white, how can we truly understand what it means to be a diverse and inclusive community?

Whereas 8 minutes away, at The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Syracuse has a predominantly Black student population. At the Dr. King School, three out of 121 Black students scored proficient in understanding the reading and writing concepts of the NY State English Language Arts test. “For more than a decade, New York State labeled Dr. King School: failing,” writes CNY Central. For more than 10 years, the result of systemic segregation in Syracuse has been ignored. The operation of a segregated school system and academic issues have been pushed aside as if they are not important to Syracuse. It is affecting hundreds of children and families around the community.

Equity in education should have been enforced decades ago, giving young children equal opportunities and possibilities for any future they aspire to have. We cannot expect students to learn on their own at such a young age if they aren’t given the proper education and resources no matter their family’s income. Equity in education is crucial. Syracuse is a clear example of how equity in education is not valued. I-81 was built over 60 years ago as did the segregation that has persisted due to its construction.

SU is one of the main reasons people know about the city of Syracuse. However, the university needs to realize it is a part of the larger community. Having this large of an audience, SU should be aware and provide to its surrounding communities along with the student body. We cannot act as though we are in our own bubble on campus making it okay to disregard the struggles of locals around us.

Jean Aiello is a Sophomore magazine, news and digital journalism major. Her column appears biweekly. She can be reached at jdaiello@syr.edu.

Published on September 18, 2022 at 11:10 pm