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Elizabeth Klein
Mr. King
Honors English I
17 December 2015
Racism and Socioeconomic Bias: Inequalities in Society
All of the problems experienced on Earth would be solved if inequality did not exist. All
throughout history, examples of how inequality has affected life are obvious. Problems like
racism and socioeconomic prejudice seem like issues of the past, but are really the underlying
complications in society. In modern society and literature, examples of how inequality has
affected the way people perceive the world around them; especially in situations where race and
socioeconomics are involved.
Often when people think of inequality, they think of the most famous example: racism.
This type of discrimination is usually considered to be irrelevant now, but this is not always the
case. In the famous novel To Kill a Mockingbird, racism in the past was addressed head on. In
chapter 19, two characters named Scout and Dill debate the way a black person was tried. Dill
says The way that man called him boy all the time an sneered at him. (Lee 266) This
quote shows how black people were treated in the past during a time of extreme racism.
However, racism didnt just happen during the 60s. According to a 2003 study that explored
race, discrimination against minority races is still prevalent and can exert debilitating effects on
minority youths academic achievement. (Lawrence & Fox) One example that proves this
research happened very recently. During the Supreme Court case Fisher v. University of Texas
on December 10th, Justice Scalia made some racist comments about how African-American
people might do better in schools that are slower paced. He also remarked on how he thought

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most of the scientists in this country dont come from schools like the University of Texas.
They come from lesser schools. (Savage) This blatant racism shows that even in a setting that
is supposed to be the fairest in the U.S., there is inequality. These example all point to one
answer: racism is a type of inequality that still exists. Unfortunately, it is not the only type.
One of the oldest and most underestimated example of inequality is socioeconomic
prejudice. Socioeconomics is the hierarchy of wealth in society, and is a far larger part of life
than most people realize. Recent studies show that people from less privileged areas are at risk
for multiple issues including academic problems and involvement in crime (NASPAA). This
research can lead to incorrect assumptions about poorer people. In chapter 2 of To Kill a
Mockingbird, Scout describes one of her poor classmates as being poor, but still paying off their
dues in gifts instead of money (Lee 28). This example challenges the idea of judging others for
their disadvantages, and more and more places are discouraging that kind of behavior. Currently,
universities in Scotland are debating whether or not to admit more students from deprived areas.
Supporters of this movement say that it will enhanceacademic excellence. (Universities
should favor.)
If the lenses of inequality are not taken off, society will always be prejudice. Research
has proven that inequality is not irrelevant; living with bias not only affects the way modern
society sees the world, but will affect the way future generations see, too. Inequalities like
racism and socioeconomic bias must be challenged for a fair and just world, and more must be
done to stop these types of brutal judgement. Inequality has always been a part of life, but
societys assumptions and criticism are the reasons its staying that way.