Dream+Report+Card

// Has MLK's "dream" been realized? //  It's been over 40 years since Martin Luther King Jr. explained his dream to 250,000 Americans in Washington D.C. and millions more watching and listening at home. Has America become the land of equality that King spoke of in his famous speech? Are all Americans judged by the content of the character, and not by the color of their skin? One way to begin to answer this question is to examine some recent statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau. Your task is to analyze the statistics on the topics below, keeping in mind MLK's "dream". You will be filling out a report card on American society, based on statistics from the US Census Bureau. In each of the four major categories, you and your partner will assign a letter grade to American society, provide statistical information to back up your letter grade, and then make comments and suggestions for improvement. You will also need to develop a comment concerning the "behavior" of society toward minorities. This report card will appear in your Unit 8 Online ISN.
 * [|**General Statistics**] ||  [|**Voting and Government**]  ||  [|**Labor**]  ||  [|**Education**]  ||  [|**Income**]  ||



 * Some recent articles MLK would be interested to read ... **
 * [|Poll: Most Americans see lingering racism -- in others - CNN.com]
 * [|The "State of the Dream"] - A yearly report from the Racial Wealth Divide Project
 * [|Affirmative Action Special Report] from the Washington Post
 * [|Affirmative Action] from civilrights.org
 * Cut and paste the table below for your notebook**

**Has Martin Luther King Jr.'s "dream" been realized?**

Civil Rights laws, affirmative action laws, representation in state and federal government, voting statistics || =**B**= || * Civil Rights laws have been passed and enforced by the government Number of employed / unemployed, types of jobs, business ownership || **B-** || * The government has tried to help out with unemployment problems. Graduation rates, test scores, college enrollment, educational attainment || **C** || * From ages 3-34, there were 55,218,000 white people who had an education in 2003. Average income, number below poverty level || **C** || * In 2003, Whites made 45,631 dollars for their average income per house hold.
 * **TOPIC** || ==**GRADE**== || **RATIONALE WITH STATISTICS** || **COMMENTS / SUGGESTIONS** ||
 * **Legislation and Politics**
 * While the number of African Americans and Hispanics in the government is not near the percentage of population, the numbers are increasing every year
 * We have an African American president
 * African Americans vote at nearly the same rate as the average population, but Hispanics are much lower (average around 60% registering, African American 58%, Hispanic 28%) || * Encourage minorities to continue to become active in politics, possibly through schools
 * Push for voter registration drives and voter eductaion in the Hispanic community, possibly with bilingual voting ballots ||
 * **Employment**
 * There were 1,134,000 unemployed African Americans in 2004.
 * In 2004, there were 211,000 unemployed Asians.
 * In 2004, 884,000 Hispanics were unemployed.
 * The total unemployment rate in 2004, was 4.4 percent. || * A collage for young adults or adults, who didn't have the best education when they were younger. It wouldn't be that expensive because it is government supported. All you would have to do is sign up for a class in which you would want to learn more about. ||
 * **Education**
 * From ages 3- 34, there were 10,971,000 african americans who had an education in 2003.
 * From ages 3- 34, there were 11,679,000 hispanics who had an education in 2003.
 * In 2003, the total college enrollment was 2,677,000 of high school graduates. || * The white female earnings by highest degree earned, is lower that the black female earnings by highest degre earned.
 * The White male earnings by highest degree earned is 20,000 higher than black male earnings. ||
 * **Income and Poverty**
 * In 2003, African Americans made 29,645 dollars for their average income per house hold.
 * In 2003, Asian Americans made 55,699 dollars for their average income per house hold.
 * In 2003, Hispanics made 32,997 dollars for their average income per house hold. || * The asian/pacific islander has a higher house hold income than any ethnicity in the US
 * There are more children living in poverty, than before. ||
 * **Behavior** ||  ||   ||   ||