An article in the NY Times discusses what is known as the gap.  The gap is the notable difference between the achievement of white and black students.  This article focuses on the efforts of one man to understand and evaluate the source and reason for the gap.  While I am no expert on the subject, I think it is of great importance to study this issue.  Our students, all of them, deserve to have an equal opportunity to academic success, even if they don't all reach that end.  

What struck me most about this article though was the researchers commitment to the facts, even when they weren't the most popular.  I think the gap exists, at least in part, because we have allowed the thought of racial tensions to dictate our actions.  Being too afraid of being too extreme in one direction or the other, has lead to apathy and indifference in education.  

Dr. Ferguson, the subject of the article, is committed to presenting the information based on the numbers.  He shows no fear or outrage, anger or upset.  He simply tells us how it is.  Now it is up to us to figure out what to do about it.  We can keep on ignoring it or tiptoeing around it, or we can face it and erase it.  It's up to us to close the gap.