Is Education a Right or a Privilege? A Youth Investigation into Educational Equity and Racial Justice in Schools

August 3-10, 2008: We are 21 high school students from Northern California. This summer, as part of the Howard A. Friedman Education Project, we spent eight days investigating topics that affect us all: educational equity and racial justice in schools.

We wanted to learn why there are vast disparities in the quality of education we receive, and why so often these disparities are linked with our race and our socioeconomic class.

We met with over 20 organizations and individuals working to create educational justice for Californias young people. We traveled from San Francisco to East Los Angeles and through Oakland, Dublin and Fresno. We spoke with educators, students, parents, community organizers and visionary organizations. Throughout these meetings, we were inspired by the depth and breadth of the movement to create educational equity and racial justice.

What follows is a record of our reflections and impressions about our investigation. We hope you read our reflections on this trip and are inspired to seek out positive changes for young people in your communities.

These pieces represent our process and some of our opinions about educational equity and racial justice in California and are not necessarily representative of the Friedman Project or the values or opinions of the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California.

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