Response: Does student integration in schools matter in order to ensure educational equity?

I believe that student integration in schools matter in order to ensure educational equity. As mentioned in our group's debate, several would agree that funding is one of the more important factors into ensuring education equity in schools, rather than student integration. I for one disagree with this opinion. Although funding is a major factor into securing educational equity in order for everyone to have a good education; without student integration, once these young adults leave school with all this knowledge, they’ll encounter a variety of different people. Once they encounter others, most may be looked down upon just because they are of a different race. Growing up in a suburban neighborhood in Long Island, I went to a school full of white kids. Several of these kids have never seen an Asian person before and I soon became known around the school. I would be chased at lunch by people trying to get a closer look at me because they were curious and intrigued by how someone looks completely different than the people they were surrounded with. If I were to never set foot in that school, let alone another Asian person, if they were to encounter an Asian person later on in life, it would be more difficult to change their views on Asian people if they grew up with stereotypes planted in their minds. Student integration allows other races to be exposed to new perspectives from people different from them, not just by race but as well as personalities, cultures and beliefs.