A new issue for schools: self-segregation

The 1954 landmark court case Brown v. Board of Education called
for the end of racial segregation in education. Still, it is common
for students of similar backgrounds to practice a different kind of
segregation on campus ““ to converge together in the form of
ethnic-based student organizations or merely same race groups of
friends.

But many students and staff believe that ethnic-based
organizations and ethnic study courses offered by UCLA do not
segregate students from others of different ethnicities, but help
students deal with contemporary issues through cultural
learning.

Though this trend of ethnocentrism is common on college
campuses, most do not believe it violates the spirit of the Brown
ruling, which decided the “separate but equal” doctrine
““ established in the earlier court ruling Plessy v. Ferguson
““ in the education system was a violation of the 14th
Amendment.

Many students and staff want to promote an understanding of
different ethnicities for racial diversity because they believe it
is important for students’ education.

Though other students agree that these ethnic groups celebrate
different cultures, they also believe that the groups are an
example of self-imposed segregation.

“Obviously they are (self-imposed) because how could they
not be, but I don’t think these groups undermine the spirit
of the court case,” said Brian Dole, a first-year molecular,
cell and developmental biology student.

But history Professor Brenda Stevenson believes many people
misunderstand the court case and its goal of integration.

“The court case allowed people equal access to education,
and as long as everyone has equal access to educational resources,
I don’t think it undermines the case,” she said.

“I think people misconstrue the concept of integration
because they see the case as integration in all aspects of life.
But the reason for the case was to integrate races within education
itself,” Stevenson said.

Representatives of ethnic-based organizations say these groups
were created to try to follow through with the Brown ruling.

According to the mission statements of many student ethnic-based
organizations, their main purpose is to unite students of the same
background and to help them deal with issues regarding education
and social culture.

“People think that when we’re uniting, we are
excluding other races, but that is not true, because we accept all
races into our organization,” said Diana Aldapa, gender and
sexuality coordinator of the Latin American Student Organization
and second-year Chicana/o studies and sociology student.

“We unite because we all come from similar backgrounds and
experiences, and it helps us become stronger and find help in
dealing with academics and other issues,” Aldapa said.

Many students believe students join these organizations not only
to find their place within the UCLA community but also to find
their cultural identity.

“No one is forcing segregation, but people choose to
participate in ethnically based organizations because they feel
they can identify with them and that they usually do find their
identity in those groups,” said Jisun Kim, a first-year
undeclared student.

Many students and faculty also believe ethnic study courses do
not segregate ethnicities from one other.

“I don’t think that focusing on one ethnicity is
segregating ourselves from other ethnicities,” said Alicia
Gaspar de Alba, associate professor of Chicana/o studies and
associate director of the Chicana/o Studies Research Center.

“We all have different histories, and the purpose of these
courses is to learn about all of them to help us resolve our issues
in order to build alliances with other races who are experiencing
similar problems,” she said.

Courses on ethnic studies are open to all students who are
interested in learning about the history and heritage of a
particular ethnicity.

“These courses do not undermine the spirit of the court
case because they are created not to segregate other races, but to
have all students take the courses so they can gain an in-depth
understanding of these important issues surrounding these
races,” said Lifbeth Gant-Britton, student affairs officer of
the African American Studies Resource Center.

Though many students and staff see ethnic organizations and
ethnic study courses as positive overall, many agree that the UCLA
population is not as diverse as it is expected to be.

“I see a lot of integration amongst the (ethnic)
organizations, but not amongst the UCLA population,” said
Jakobi Williams, a graduate student in the history department.

“Integration does help education and is necessary,”
he said.

Gant-Britton said she has spoken with a number of students who
feel that the university “could be more welcoming of African
American and other students of color.”

“I find it strange that UCLA is more segregated in
actuality in comparison to the city population, where it is so
diverse,” said JoJo Wong, a first-year undeclared
student.