About one in three high school students in grades nine through 12 in the United States reported having experienced racism in school, according to a recent study.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday published its Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which tracked the behaviors and experiences of high school students across the country in 2023.
The study found that one in three high school students or 31.5% had experienced racism in school. Non-White students reported experiencing racism at two or three times higher than White students.
By race, 57% of Asian students said they experienced racism in their school. This fell to 49% among multiracial students, 46% among Black students, and 17% among White teens, according to the findings.
How Does Racism Affect High School Students
The CDC survey also analyzed teens for selected health risk behaviors. At least 34.8% of teens who experienced racism said they had poor mental health while 54.3% said they had a persistent feeling of sadness or hopelessness. In comparison, 25.9% of students who never experienced racism said they had poor mental health and 33.8% had feelings of hopelessness.
Additionally, 27.8% of high school students who experienced racism said they seriously considered suicide while 15% said they attempted suicide.
On substance use among students who experienced racism, 22.2% smoked cigarettes, 26.4% drank alcohol, 21.8% used marijuana, and 8.5% misused prescription opioids.
Solutions to Racism in Schools
The CDC's findings come on the heels of last month's report from the Government Accountability Office wherein Black girls were found to have disproportionately higher rates of school discipline in every state in the US.
It also confirms previous findings where Asian students experienced high levels of racism, especially at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
To resolve this, the CDC recommends adopting policies to prevent racism in schools, providing professional development for school staff to learn how to intervene in racism issues, preparing staff members to provide resources that support students experiencing racism, and creating culturally responsive environments that help engage families and communities.
"In future practice, school districts might consider interventions that create safe and supportive environments by promoting school culture, conditions, and competencies that support equity and anti-racism, as well as healing from experiences of racism," the CDC report read.
