Applicant ID Code: 227362690

In order for American society to progress/improve, the people must live in a system
where they have the tools to thrive. If there are major gaps between the rich and the poor, it
prevents people from having equal opportunities and a shot at the American dream. This land of
opportunity had once been a beacon of hope to the pioneers and immigrants for a fresh start,
and a chance to practice what they believe, get an education, support their family, and be
successful without having to face the repercussions of how they use to live. This entire nation
that was once founded on these ideals, has now make it extremely hard for certain people to
grasp the same dream. Coming to America, you are immediately placed into a class or a certain
groups such as: economic status, race, and gender. Trying to achieve the American dream as a
minority is like taking a leap of fate, and if you don't make it, you're likely to fall into a position
worse than before.
Some of the American dream is still alive today in the Greater washington, by those who
are capable of sifting through the struggles. The apparent issue within the DMV is the minority
wage gap which goes hand in hand with education. There inlies the problem. A large portions of
low income families are left without a shot at a proper education, while the gap continues to
grows. Minority students dropped out at disproportionately higher rates than their White
counterparts -- In 2009, 4.8 percent of of blacks and 5.8 percent of Hispanics between 15 and
24 dropped out of grades 10-12, compared with 2.4 percent for white students (Zhao). Many
schools, especially in Baltimore, have a poor track record of keeping students in school due to
the inadequate learning environment. Whileas, many upper class families are able to provide
better learning environments and private schools for their kids. The DMV has provided both
ends of the rope, between places like Washington DC, which can be seen as a fountain of
opportunities, and in the extreme impoverished parts of Baltimore and everything in between.
The areas in which exist as breeding grounds for crime, and ongoing poverty are equally

important in reminding the American people of what is at stake if we don't acknowledge these
issues.
Based on a study by MSI in 2013, there are approximately 41.3 million immigrants who
live in the United States. If we continue to stray from the real issues, we will only become the
place in which the pioneers were once escaping from. While the school systems are growing
with minorities, English language learners are struggling to perform in existing educational
environments with limited resources dedicated to ensuring their academic success
(Internationals Network for Public Schools). Some might argue, that minorities are able to
succeed at living the American dream if they work extremely hard and struggle, and they're
right; Except the major difference between minorities and everyone else is that minorities have
to endure just that, the struggle. They are hindered from having an equal opportunity. Providing
equal education to students is the key to America's future.
Many schools have in fact failed students eager to learn, specifically in numerous
Baltimore schools. According to Al-Jazeera news, Baltimore's high poverty neighborhoods has
tripled. While average poverty rates in big cities remain unchanged. To make the American
dream more accessible to everyone, we have to target the root of the problem. Without equal
education, we eliminate any chance at equal opportunities and progression. If we target these
issues, we can help restore equal opportunity at the American dream. One teacher, Michael
Corbin who teaches at a Baltimore public school, writes My public school students look around
their school and are made to believe that their extreme racial isolation is the natural order of
things, that such ghetto-ization has everything to do with them and not the body politic. The
American dream has become something else entirely from what it once was, it is now the
product of years of inequality and political mediocrity. The greater Washington is home to many
people who all wish to get a good education and be able to support themselves and their
families, the overall well being relies on equality for everyone.

"Baltimores Minority Wage Gap." Baltimore's Minority Wage Gap. Al Jazeera, 19 May 2015.
Web. 06 Dec. 2015.
Zong, Jie, and Jeanne Batalova. "Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and
Immigration in the United States." Migrationpolicy.org. Migration Policy Institute, 25 Feb. 2015. Web.
06 Dec. 2015
Zhao, Emmeline. "High School Dropout Rates For Minority And Poor Students
Disproportionately High." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 20 Oct. 2011. Web. 06 Dec.
2015

"Immigration and Opportunity." Internationals Network For Public Schools. Internationals

Network for Public School, n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2015
Corbin, Michael. "Op-Alt: Baltimore Must Address Educational Apartheid."Citypaper.com. N.p., 16
June 2015. Web. 06 Dec. 2015