The Short End of the Stick
New article in the Omaha WH yesterday about the gap in pay for higher paying jobs between whites and other races. The money quote,
“The lesson of most economic downturns is minorities are the last hired, first fired. They lose jobs more quickly, and they will be the last to recover” – Roderick Harrison.
Newly released Census data shows that blacks and Latinos with high school diplomas have either remained steady or slightly closed the pay gap with their white counterparts, but amongst college graduates the disparities have actually increased since 2000. Latino college graduates make about 75 cents for every dollar that white graduates earn, which is down from 87 cents in 2000. The story for African Americans is roughly the same as a black college graduate in 2007 can expect to earn about 78 cents for every dollar, compared to 83 cents in 2005.
These growing disparities are both alarming and disheartening. But so is this… according to the Census, 92% of whites have at least high school diploma, versus 89% of Asians, 83% of blacks, and just 62% of Latinos. We have to get that last number up to have any chance.
