The report references a famous analysis from 1966 called the Coleman Report that found concentration of poverty in a school plays a greater role in student achievement than the individual economic status of a student. When factors influencing academic success like attendance or homework completion were not normalized among a student’s peers, he or she had less chance of high classroom achievement. 

Violent outburst

Segregation along the lines described in the UCLA report is silently accepted at most local schools. But the status quo can sometimes result in violence.

At DeWitt Clinton High School, where 57.1 percent of the student body was Hispanic and 37.1 percent black in the 2013-2014 school year, a brawl between black and Dominican students broke out in March. (The data on the student body come from the Department of Education’s (DOE) School Demographic and Accountability Snapshot.)

It all began with an argument between two male students over a female. However, people then took sides along racial lines.

Groups of students were soon exchanging blows. After police came to the campus to stop the fighting, they arrested global studies teacher Jack Israel on charges of assault and resisting arrest. Mr. Israel reportedly hit an officer’s arm as the officer broke up one of the fights.

“Before the whole brawl situation, usually we got along as a school,” said 17-year-old Clinton student Kwesi Green, who is black.

However, he said students tend to associate with members of the same ethnic group. He added that cliques of Africans, Hispanics and Jamaicans sometimes mingle with each other, but that students reverted to their usual groups when the March fight broke out.

“I think it’s a psychological thing,” Kwesi said. “It comes back to the little cliques.” 

Kwesi’s friend Clive McCormack, 18, agreed that racial issues did not quite cause the fighting. Clive said the brawl ended up with black students fighting their Dominican classmates because Clinton students usually befriend others from the same ethnic group.