Social & Economic Inequality in the USA

1. Social & Economic Inequality in the USA We are going to look at the social and economic issues facing different groups in the USA. Important Issues Facing Ethnic Groups in the USA Social Issues Economic Issues • Crime • Housing • Education • Health • Discrimination • Unemployment • Poverty • Low Income

2. Health Care in the USA • In the USA the system of health care is very different to Britain. For example, the USA does not have a National Health Service. • People are expected to take out Private Medical Insurance from companies such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield. • If you cannot afford PMI, you have to rely on government programmes to provide your health care. • Medicaid is provided if you are poor- paid for by the government but do not cover all treatments. Many doctors and hospitals refuse to treat people unless they have PMI.

3. Health Care in the USA • Study the ‘Health Factfile’ on page 35. Study each statement carefully, before copying out the correct statements into your jotter. • The USA spends more money on health care than any other country in the world. • The USA has the highest life expectancy because they spend the most on health care. • Although the USA spends the most on health care they do not have the highest life expectancy. • The number of Americans with no health insurance has increased from 34m in 1990 to 41m in 2001. • White Americans and Asians are most likely to have no health insurance. • Black and Hispanic Americans are most likely to have no health insurance.

4. Health Care in the USA The Correct Statements are: • The USA spends more money on health care than any other country in the world. • Although the USA spends the most on health care they do not have the highest life expectancy. • The number of Americans with no health insurance has increased from 34m in 1990 to 41m in 2001. • Black and Hispanic Americans are most likely to have no health insurance.

5. There are big inequalities in health in the USA between rich and poor and between whites, and the ethnic minorities. These are largely due to the cost of medical treatment and the lack of the insurance cover.

6. Blacks and Hispanics are 3 times more likely to have no medical insurance cover. Black and Hispanic children were less likely to visit the doctor. Black and Hispanics face greater health problems. Twice as many black babies were born with a low birth rate. There is also a very high infant mortality rate. Health Problems Facing Black and Hispanic Americans. Drug and gang related problems. Blacks and Hispanics are more likely to die from guns and drugs. Obesity- 30% of Blacks and 25% of Hispanics are obese.

7. EDUCATION USA Read pages 37 & 39 • Why is a good education seen to be important in the USA? • What can a lack of education lead to? • Explain what the Bilingual Education Act is. • Read the two case studies on page 39. Using the key terms below, compare the two schools and pupils who attend them. • Equipment/ Standard of the School. • Ethnic groups who attend the School. • Qualifications/ pupils attitude towards their studies. • Security measures in the school.

8. Housing in the USA

9. Life in an inner city ghetto.

10. Plumbing and sanitation do not work properly.

11. Play parks are vandalised and children play in the streets.

12. Drunks and drug addicts lie in hallways and on landings.

13. High crime rate

14. Large houses with nice gardens.

15. Good schools with modern equipment.

16. Streets patrolled regularly by police.

17. COPY AND COMPLETE THE DIAGRAM BELOW: • INNER CITY GHETTO • Poor housing- damp, overcrowded • Dangerous- high crime rate, gang violence and drug problems • Poor facilities- schools and shops • Little police presence • MIDDLE CLASS SUBURBS • Large impressive homes • Few crime • Good schools • Police patrols • No gangs • Well looked after streets and gardens HOUSING IN THE USA

18. Unemployment and Poverty in the USA • Unemployment, low educational attainment, discrimination, lone parent families and the poverty cycle can all lead to poverty. • Ethnic minorities are three times more likely to suffer from poverty than whites. • Children suffer from high levels of poverty with black children suffering most of all. • Nearly one black children in three suffers from the effects of poverty.

19. Children born into poor areas tend not to do as well at school The next generation of children are born into the same conditions They are more likely to leave school with few or no qualifications The Circle of Poverty They can’t afford to move away from the poor areas They are more likely to be unemployed or in a low paid job

20. CRIME IN THE USA In the USA, everyone is __________ before the _______ and entitled to a fair trial. However, many Americans could argue that they ____ _____ have equal access to the law or _______. Lawyers cost large amounts of ______ and many ethnic groups cannot afford the __________ lawyers. This means that there are many more ______ than whites in jail in the USA. Likewise, Blacks are more likely to face the ________ _________ than whites, especially if their victim was white.

21. Reasons • Higher levels of unemployment • Lower levels of educational achievement • Discrimination • Family structure – more lone parent families • Reduction in Affirmative Action Programmes (AAPs) • Lower levels of minority participation (NB recent increase)

22. Reasons (continued) • Under-representation at state national level • Cost of ‘fixing’ inequality would be enormous – no political will to raise taxes • The circle of deprivation • Difficulty of escaping from so-called ‘underclass’ • Cut backs on welfare entitlement by successive administrations

23. Education in the USA

24. WHY IS EDUCATION IMPORTANT? • To understand the difference between right and wrong. • To get a good job. • To have a good income and a comfortable lifestyle.

25. ETHNIC GROUPS AND EDUCATION • Whites and APIs (Asian and Pacific Islanders) are most successful in the US education system. • A very high proportion of Blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans are not successful in the US education system.

26. HISPANICS AND BLACKS Many Hispanics and Blacks attend poor inner city schools. There are many reasons why it is difficult to achieve highly in these schools:

27. High turnover of staff • Morale is very low among staff • Buildings are in poor condition • There is not enough equipment • Pupils are not motivated • There is a culture of failure

28. APIs • People of ambition and drive. • If parents have a good job then they will be able to live in a nice area and can afford to send their children to a good school. • API children have good role models. They are encouraged by their parents to succeed.

29. Tasks… • We will read pages 47-49 together • Then answer questions on page 49 • Extension • Write down a list of problems with education in the USA (use bullet points). • E.g. Many schools don’t spend enough on textbooks

30. Freedom Writers

31. Freedom Writers • Take bullet pointed notes as we watch the film.

32. Rodney King • Rodney Glen King is an American best known for his involvement in a police brutality case involving the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) on March 3, 1991. • A bystander, George Holliday, videotaped much of the incident from a distance. • The footage showed LAPD officers repeatedly striking King with their batons while other officers stood by watching. • Footage was shown on TV around the world, causing public outrage that raised tensions between the black community and the LAPD.

33. Rodney King • Four LAPD officers were later tried in a state court for the beating; three were acquitted and the jury failed to reach a verdict for the fourth. The announcement of the acquittals sparked the 1992 Los Angeles riots. A later federal trial for civil rights violations ended with two of the officers found guilty and sent to prison and the other two officers acquitted.

36. Miep Gies • Miep Gies (1909-2010) was one of the Dutch citizens who hid Anne Frank, her family and several family friends in an attic annex above Anne's father's place of business from the Nazis during World War II • She discovered and preserved Anne Frank's diary after the Franks were arrested She died of old age in January 2010