NCJ Number
211075
Journal
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 34 Issue: 4 Dated: August 2005 Pages: 347-359
Date Published
August 2005
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study examined views pertaining to within-group diversity, in terms of regional differences in Black Canadian students’ attitudes and behaviors toward academic achievement.
Abstract
Black Canadians share many aspects of the historical experiences of African-Americans, but there are differences. One similarity is the persistent academic under achievement of Black adolescents. As a group, Blacks represent about 2 percent of the population of Canada, and Black Canadian children constitute a disproportionate number of students showing poor school performance and failure. This study provided an opportunity to examine issues pertaining to within-group diversity, in terms of regional differences in Black Canadian students’ attitudes and behaviors toward academic achievement. Study participants consisted of 430 Black high school students from the cities of Toronto and Halifax. Most of the students were quite positive about education, had high aspirations and expectations, and highly valued success. It was only relative to the females and Toronto students that males and Halifax students reported lower support, and less positive outcomes and cultural attitudes and beliefs. Students, regardless of the region in which they lived and of their gender, did not appear to have rejected education as would be expected. The fact that Black Canadian students underachieve despite the beliefs by many that achievement is possible serves to document the “paradox of underachievement.” Tables and references