Most African Americans Believe That the Poor Quality of Public Education Is the Major Impediment to Black Economic Progress

A survey of African Americans in the state of Maryland by the polling firm Ariel & Ethan found that a clear majority of blacks believe that poor and unequal public schools are a major hurdle to further black economic advancement in the United States. Less than one half of all African Americans surveyed said that a lack of economic opportunities, racial prejudice, or discrimination were major obstacles to black advancement in today’s society. Some 88 percent of blacks below the age of 35 believe that the poor quality of education is the single most important hurdle for blacks to overcome in order to make further progress in closing the economic gap with whites.

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