Black Students List Academic Pressure as #1 Stressor in OBSERVER Report

Room B214 at John F. Kennedy High School was perpetually illuminated too harshly for Heaven’Le James, a freshman overwhelmed by a daunting math worksheet. Each digit appeared blurred, with threes masquerading as eights and sixes morphing into nines. Her struggle with mathematics had commenced in elementary school, morphing the classroom into a figurative quagmire.Despite raising her hand multiple times for assistance, she remained overlooked by her teacher, a marked experience in her high school journey marred by personal loss, including her grandmother and great-grandfather. In a desperate bid for aid, three years elapsed before evaluation for an individualized education plan began.James' cries were often met with indifference until her mother intervened, ultimately securing her enrollment in a credit recovery program. Meanwhile, bullying plagued her daily life, stripping her of camaraderie.Echoing a broader issue, student mental health repercussions loom large in Sacramento schools, with many Black students experiencing severe academic pressure. The community demands urgent reforms for a more equitable educational experience.