The Miseducation of Hip-Hop, Discrimination in Education

Jason Hinmon was a college student, who did not dress according to older professors’ expectations of scholarly students.  He was young, black and had dreadlocks which made it easy for him to stand out.  Jason believed most of his white professors looked at him like a hip-hop hoodlum.  This implied he didn’t belong in college, but would stand a better chance writing lyrics and performing in front of young people that shared his taste.  Jason was a victim of stereotype just like many young black college student who spend a lot of their spare time listening to hip-hop music.

Every institution has rules, rules in that people are expected to follow.  Some colleges have dress code while others allow their students to wear whatever they wish.  The college that has a dress code expects their entire student body to abide by these rules.  Sometimes different majors have different colors or styles; this is used to identify the particular major.  Colleges that allow their students to be free in their choice of clothing don’t have much control over what their students wear.  Jason had every right to wear what he wished without been stereotype.  It’s clear his school didn’t have a dress code.

Dr. Midgette believed that students lingering on school campuses reciting rap lyrics should be reciting something they’ll need to know on their next test.  This is indeed a valid point studying for a test is more important than studying the lyrics of a song. Dr. Midgette also believed that those same students will be college drop outs.  That may not be necessarily valid because every student is different and those students may spend a few minutes of their time reciting lyrics but does very well studying their lesson when they get home.  They are students that don’t seem to be paying much attention in school but when they are tested, they do very well.

College does prepare students for the working world, and dress code does say a lot about a person. However, one should dress to their own comfort.  One should dress in a way that they won’t feel like they are not themselves. One may not be comfortable in a jacket and tie suit, but that person may be comfortable wearing nice dickies pants and a long-sleeved shirt.  The one wearing the jacket suite may not even be as qualified as the person wearing the dickeys pants and long sleeved shirt.

College students should not be looked down upon based on what they look like; they should be treated equally. An instructor’s responsibility is to teach and not to pass judgment onto their students.


W/C 438