Use Social Structures To Explain Why Native Americans Have Such A Low Rate Of College Graduation

The Native Americans are mostly the Indians who were the initial occupants of the United States (Taylor, 2003). There has been a low rate of college granduants in this population and this has caused a lot of concern. This is because while other students are doing better and achieving more, most of the Native Americans are being left behind. According to the latest report by the Civil Rights done in December 2012, data shows that on average the Native Americans students have a graduation rate of 46.7%.

The major social structures to be considered in this case include; culture, social roles of the people, the social class and the social institutions. It all begins from high schools where most students drop out. This is due to their social environment, for once the teachers who teach them are not Indians and they are not familiar with the culture and beliefs of the people this means that at school the teachers and the students do not understand each other. This is because the Native Americans still hold onto their cultural beliefs and customs that govern their everyday lives. This leads to poor class attendance and participation and finally complete drop out.

The parents are also never ready to work hand in hand with the teachers at anything. This is because there is also lack of understanding among them. This leaves the teachers alone to deal with all sorts of chaos to deal with. This also means that the family as the major social institution is not playing a positive role in encouraging the children to go to school. Marriage is also another key social institution and it is greatly embraced by the culture of the Natives, this is why, most young girls drop out of school and get married yet they could continue with their education (Harry, 2009). Poor access to education and health facilities also is another factor. This is because most of the Native Americans are still in the rural areas where schools are few. Other forms of infrastructure that can encourage education like electricity and good roads are not available making it impossible to access the areas and the schools.

The life in the rural areas has many roles for the students to play after school. This takes away their time and energy to study and these results in poor performance and it discourages them. The rural areas are places where comforts and luxuries are not known, this means even at a tender age the students are expected to be very actively involved in the chores (Harry, 2009). This makes them to feel like they are all grownup and can take care of themselves. With this attitude they cannot listen to the teachers and the decline in teacher student relationship results to overall poor performance of the students.

The students also lack role models whom they could look up to. This is because the school to them offers a hostile environment which they perceive negatively. The people they can emulate are all in the village and were drop outs. The best thing that can be done to try to help in the situation is first of all the government should improve the education and health facilities in the rural areas. This opens up the place and offers more and more chances for the children. There should also be a neutral ground where the school curriculum allows for their culture to flourish and makes them feel that they are part and parcel of the great nation of America.

References

Taylor Colin , (2003), The Native Americans; The Indigenous People of North America, Orthodox Press Print, New York

 Harry Lowie Robert, (2009), Indians of the Plains, University of Oklahoma Press

Civil Rights Project, (2012), The Native American Indices, Civil Right Print Press Report, Texas.