Divided Classrooms: Teaching Tolerance in Segregated Schools
Education is often described as the “great equalizer,” but for many students in America, the classroom doesn’t always live up to that promise. Practices like school tracking, ability grouping, and the lingering effects of white flight have shaped classrooms into spaces where equity, belonging, and empathy aren’t equally distributed. These divisions don’t just affect academic outcomes—they shape how children see themselves and each other. School Tracking and Ability Grouping: A Double-Edged Sword Tracking—sorting students into different academic levels based on perceived ability—was designed to give students tailored instruction. On paper, it seems practical. But in reality, it often mirrors broader social inequities. Research from the Brookings Institution high...