The Idea of an Essay, Volume 4

Research Writing 147 degree attainment or increased employment will positively impact the public’s view of African Americans. He contends stereotypes of African Americans are too deeply entrenched in America to overcome simply by changing the curriculum (118-119). In addition to poverty, all sources agree that African American culture is critical to academic achievement, but the authors differ on culture’s positive or negative academic influence. Naylor, Wyatt-Nichol, and Brown do not believe African American culture significantly impacts academic achievement. They only suggest schools subtly discriminate against African American culture through “procedural rules and policies set up in areas of college access and admissions, affordability, and attainment...” that have detrimental effects on college attendance (525). Whaley and Noël, however, believe African American culture positively affects achievement because it provides African American students with a sense of community (33-34). They propose three possible solutions to continually promote positive cultural influence on educational performance. First, they call for increased community involvement among African Americans through service learning projects, strengthening ties with fellow African Americans (Whaley and Noël 34). Second, to challenge African American stereotypes, they recommend schools host minority college fairs and highlight “gifted” African American students who reside in low-income, segregated neighborhoods (Whaley and Noël 34). Finally, Whaley and Noël urge parental involvement, noting its positive link to higher academic achievement among African American students (34). Marvin Lynn, however, disagrees that African American culture positively affects students. He suggests minority groups believe every school is racist in some regard (Lynn 109). Lynn, the only author who believes necessary change is not only limited to curriculum, believes change must extend to society. (118). He remarks schools cannot simply implement curriculum changes without acknowledging society’s role in racism, stereotypes, and discrimination in African American academic achievement (Lynn 118). While all of the authors agree significant curriculum changes are necessary in the U.S. educational system, Naylor, Wyatt-Nichol, and Brown offer the least detailed solution of the authors. They call for school mentoring programs that mentor African American