Schools part of diversity study: National Harvard University survey to include Clark County

Terry Webster

Wednesday, April 18, 2001 | 11:11 a.m.

Clark County's rapid growth and changing population has earned the school district a part in a national Harvard University study on diversity.

A survey by The Civil Rights Project of Harvard University, aimed at teachers and high school juniors, will examine diversity issues facing high school students.

The survey, scheduled to be conducted this spring, requires participation from 80 percent of the district's juniors. Seven districts throughout the nation will participate by the end of the school year.

"The main reason Clark County was chosen is for the huge demographic changes it has experienced over the past 10 years," John Yun, a Harvard research assistant, said. "Not only does it have a fast-growing minority population, there is a lot of diversity in that population."

As the country's sixth largest district, Clark County mirrors what many other urban school districts are or will be facing, Yun said.

"We will be looking at how diverse students perceive curriculum and how it supports their different backgrounds," he said.

For the first time, the district's student population this year had more minorities (50.1 percent) than whites. In 1999-2000, minorities represented 48 percent of the district's student population.

Superintendent Carlos Garcia said the Harvard study is one of the developments that came from a committee he formed to address diversity issues in the district.

"My gut feeling is that there is not equal access for everyone," Garcia said, referring to the district's academic programs. "We need to look at our advanced placement classes and algebra classes and see what kind of participation we have in terms of race, gender and income. I think we still have some work to do."

Harvard guidelines state that the survey addresses diversity as it relates to classroom learning, preparation for the work force and college and being a part of a democratic society.

"We want the students to participate, and we want them to be honest," Garcia said. "That means that they may say some things that are going to hurt us. But sometimes that happens when you ask people to be honest." He said the district can't be afraid of what it might find.

Garcia's committee on race and diversity was formed shortly after the superintendent drew heavy criticism in July for using a racial slur as an example of why he abhors racism.

A coalition composed of blacks and Latinos agreed to look past the comment as long as it became a springboard to address perceptions of inequity and racism in the school district.

"We're certainly happy the district is doing this study," said Michael Slater of The Las Vegas Interfaith Council for Worker Justice. "To his credit (Garcia) has allowed this to be brought to the table. I can say that most of the African-Americans and Latinos that I have spoken to are deeply concerned about the quality of education they receive."

Slater said his organization often receives complaints that Clark County is running "two school districts," one for the privileged and one for disadvantaged or minority students.

After Harvard completes the Clark County survey, research analysts from the university will analyze the data and inform the district of its findings. Researchers also will compile a national study that outlines all of the findings from surveyed schools.

The study could extend into the 2001-2002 school year.

"How we proceed depends on our findings," Yun said.

All of the information from the study will become public, although individual schools, teachers and students will remain anonymous. The survey asks participants to not identify themselves.

Student questions on the survey concern: To what degree do teachers and counselors encourage students to attend college?

Any tension between students of different racial or ethnic groups.

Whether classroom or extra-curricular activities increase student interest in areas such as current events, voting for a politician from a minority group and living in a racially and ethnically diverse community.

Teachers will be asked questions relating to how students from various backgrounds affect curriculum, whether students seat themselves in classrooms by race and how important working in diverse groups is to classroom learning.