John Oliver Breaks Down Racial Segregation in America’s Schools

On Last Week Tonight, John Oliver tackled the issue of racial segregation in schools, which is not only still a problem, but is actually getting worse. In a clip from an MSNBC report back in 2014, a reporter explained the rise in segregated schools by saying, “The number of schools where 1 percent or less of the student population is white has more than doubled in the past 20 years.” To which John joked, “As our society has grown more diverse, nearly 7,000 schools have the same racial makeup as the audience of your average Tyler Perry movie.”

Oliver gave details of how the schools have gotten so segregated and how it negatively affects the quality of education in those schools. John pointed to a study done by Berkeley professor Rucker Johnson, which looked at sets of black siblings in which one went to a segregated school and the other did not. The study showed that the black siblings who attended desegregated elementary schools were more likely to graduate and 22 percent less likely to be incarcerated as adults.

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver airs Sundays at 11 p.m. ET on HBO.

Watch: John Oliver offers Donald Trump his Emmy

Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Cynthia LuCiette, on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.