Cape district has larger percentage of Black, mixed-race students than national average

The Cape Girardeau School District, with a 2019-2020 enrollment of 4,096, have a much higher percentage of Black and mixed-race students and lower percentages of white, Hispanic and Asian students when compared to national totals.

Demographic information released Tuesday by the district shows:

• White only: 50.7%
• Black only: 30.6%
• Hispanic only: 6.1%
• Mixed race: 10.6%
• Asian: 2%

The U.S., according to a 2019 Census Bureau estimate, has a population that breaks down this way:

• White only: 63.1%
• Black only: 13.4%
• Hispanic only: 15.1%
• Mixed race: 2.5%
• Asian: 5.9%

The City of Cape Girardeau, according to a 2019 Census Bureau estimate at www.census.gov, has a population that breaks down this way:

• White alone: 78.9%
• Black only: 13.3%
• Hispanic only: 2.5%
• Mixed race: 2.8%
• Asian only: 2.7%

“I relish our diversity,” said Neil Glass, district superintendent since 2017, in remarks Monday to the school board.

Students speak

Several Central sophomores came to the board meeting to say racial discrimination, in this time of unrest in the nation, seems to be alive and well at Central High School.

Student Hikmat Roumeny gave a handout to Glass and each of the six board members in attendance detailing the results of what he called a “random survey” of 50 students.

There was but one survey question: “Do you think CHS is racism free?”

Among the responses Roumeny said he received were:

• “Why do our teachers not understand our ethnicity?”
• “White people are ruling over other ethnicities in the school.”
• “The school needs to do a better job of addressing racism.”
• “I don’t feel safe to talk to my teachers about me getting called things.”
• “We should be able to know how to take advantage of (Central’s) great diversity.”

Roumeny called on Central administrators to adopt a reporting app students may access to call out racism when encountered.

“Most teachers lack training in Black history,” said fellow sophomore Talia Bowman, “(and) it should be part of diversity training.”

Another 10th grader, Ja’Kwon Gray, noted how Blacks and whites sit apart in different sections at Tiger Stadium games.

Gray spoke of feeling fear on one such occasion.

“I’m not sure how I’m a threat for pulling a pack of Skittles out of my pocket,” he said.

Glass thanked the students for coming forward.

“We intend to take action,” said Glass, who has been with the school district for a total of 12 years.