When you first look at Diablo Valley College, you may think our campus is very diverse. That is what I thought, anyway, until I saw the shocking results of a survey that was distributed from my English class. It reported that 36.5 percent of DVC students have never had a non-white teacher.

Thomas S. Dee, a professor of education at Stanford University, states that “when minority students see someone at the blackboard that looks like you, it helps you reconceive what’s possible for you.” 59.9 percent of DVC students are not white. These students should have a teacher to look up to.

This does not mean white people would make better or worse teachers than people of other races; and it also does not mean that students need to be taught only by people of their own race. What this does mean is that it is helpful for students to have a teacher that mirrors what they look like.

Minority students are less likely than white students to enter and complete college, and those who do may not choose to become teachers. However, students that choose to become teachers are required to take a teaching entry test, in which minority candidates have lower passing rates. If we could eliminate this paradox, we would see an incredible increase in minority teachers. Hiring minority teachers not only will benefit them, but also minority students.