Education Inequality in Westside San Antonio during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of Lanier High School

Education Inequality in Westside San Antonio during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Case of Lanier High School

Claudia Donoso and Kathryn Klokker

Abstract

Education inequality in a pandemic affects low-income and middle/high-income neighborhoods differently. Drawing on the concept of intersectionality, we compare two high schools in San Antonio-Texas; one located in San Antonio ISD (Westside) and the other located North East ISD. These two schools were chosen by analyzing the data on the Texas Education Agency website 2019-2020 Special Population Reports. We found the percentage of economically disadvantaged students in each public, non-charter high school in Bexar County, and then chose the least economically disadvantaged (Regan High School, 12.16%) and the most economically disadvantaged (Lanier High School, 95.15%). In this study, we discuss the extent to which intersectional inequalities during the Covid-19 pandemic have widened the educational gap. Intersectionality explores how power-relations based on race, class, gender, sexuality, nation, ability, or ethnicity are interrelated, shaping one another. By conducting a comparative analysis, we examine data from the Texas Education Agency website, San Antonio Covid-19 website, news articles, financial data for each school (technology budget, property taxes/values), economic, and demographic data in order to address the issue of inequality furthered by the Covid-19 pandemic. We discuss the categories of class and ethnicity/race. We argue that the pandemic has increased the educational gap affecting the human security of disadvantaged students. We will provide recommendations to mitigate and prevent the educational gap.

css.php