• Spaugh Middle-- total population: 566

Black/Hispanic population: 94.5% Other population: 5.5%
Gifted/Talented population: 3%
Students qualifying for Free/Reduced lunch: 92.6%
Percent of 8th grade students passing math EOG: 53.8%
Percent of 8th grade students passing reading EOG: 60.2%

• Marie G. Davis Middle-- total population: 440

Black/Hispanic population: 98.2% (96.1% black) Other population: 1.8%
Gifted/Talented population: 1.6%
Students qualifying for Free/Reduced lunch: 93.6%
Percent of 8th grade students passing math EOG: 53.8%
Percent of 8th grade students passing reading EOG: 62%

• Sedgefield Middle-- total population: 585

Black/Hispanic population: 86.1% Other popluation: 13.9%
Gifted/Talented population: 3.9%
Students qualifying for Free/Reduced lunch: 82.9%
Percent of 8th grade students passing math EOG: 74.3%
Percent of 8th grade students passing reading EOG: 72.8%

• Jay M. Robinson Middle-- total population: 1,177

Black/Hispanic population: 15.3% Other population: 84.7% (78% white)
Gifted/Talented population: 21.5%
Students qualifying for Free/Reduced lunch: 9.2%
Percent of 8th grade students passing math EOG: 97.7%
Percent of 8th grade students passing reading EOG: 97.0%

• South Charlotte Middle-- total population: 1,089

Black/Hispanic population: 14.6% Other population: 85.4%
Gifted/Talented population: 24.4%
Students qualifying for Free/Reduced lunch: 9.7%
Percent of 8th grade students passing math EOG: 98.2%
Percent of 8th grade students passing reading EOG: 99.1%

These are just a few samples of only Middle Schools here in Charlotte. The data on elementary schools and high schools are consistent with this data. Do the test scores shown mean that Black and Hispanic students are just not as smart as the other kids ("other" meaning predominately white, but also Asian and a handful of Native Americans)? I hardly think so. I think it means that way too many resources are given to our suburban schools that are filled with predominately white students. When did having a school with 96.1% of the students being black become okay? What happened to the years and years of sacrifice that people made during the 60s, 70s, and 80s to ensure that children would not have to grow up in unequal schools? Has changing the terminology from "segregated" schools to "neighborhood" schools made it okay to fill schools with poor children while other schools are filled with rich white children who can afford the advantages that can get them placed in gifted & talented classes?

This is taking place right here in Charlotte. Yes, it is happening on even a bigger scale in the schools of New York City, Chicago, Detroit, Boston, and Los Angeles, but it is also happening right here. It's amazing the injustice we are willing to sit back and let happen.

(I received all of my school data from the CMS School Profiles webpage)