Compensatory Education: A Subtle Form of Racism?

Abstract

Is compensatory education based on the cultural deficit/early intervention model an effective means of alleviating minority group failure in schools, or is it a form of racism disguised under the cloak of social welfare? It is argued that attributing failure to environmental factors located in the home is not necessarily less racist than attributing failure to genetic deficit, when the assumptions underlying these two models of failure are considered. Furthermore, whether an environmental or genetic model is assumed, the cause of failure is located within the family and seldom is the contribution of the school seriously considered. It is argued that the school contributes to failure through destruction of identity with, and respect for, minority group cultures and by early socialization into a European value system. Insofar as this subtle racism exists in the present school system it is argued that it should not be extended to the pre-school level but rather should be abandoned at all levels. Some ways in which this might be achieved are discussed.