Diversity lacking in advanced classes

If you ask just about any Central student why they chose to come to Central, their answer would include something about diversity. The other part of their answer would probably include something about the amazing academics at Central. While Central is one of the most racially, linguistically and religiously diverse schools in the state, it’s questionable whether or not the diversity at this institution can be fully experienced with the way the building works.
When the subject of Advanced Placement or “AP” classes come up, most students and teachers alike can form a picture in their head of what that looks like. And it’s not a bunch of black kids. If an outsider that was completely unfamiliar with Central came into the building and looked inside of an AP class, they would probably laugh at the diversity that we claim at every chance that we get. AP classes are, for the large part, white. This includes both the students and the teachers. And I’m sure that upon reading this, some readers will think “well we can’t help that white people are the ones who choose to take and teach advanced classes” and those people would be somewhat correct. But does it not strike them odd that it is almost exclusively white students taking AP classes? It’s not necessarily anyone at Central’s fault, but it is an issue. White students aren’t smarter than students of other races, and I don’t believe that white AP students believe that to be true either. But the question still stands, why do white Central students feel more inclined to enroll in AP classes than students of color do?
The answer to this question goes much deeper than the confines of this building. If people don’t see themselves represented in something, they subconsciously begin to believe that that ‘something’ is not for them. Students of color can brush off an AP class and pass it as a ‘white’ thing, and to be frank, it is a white thing at the moment. Another reason AP classes lack a lot of color may be the curriculum taught in these classes. Honestly, learning about American History isn’t as fun when it’s from a predominately white point of view and any other race’s story is secondary or told as an afterthought. English isn’t as fun when almost every piece of literature read is written by a white author and focuses on white characters. And none of these are the teachers fault, but it comes down to the curriculum, and this may be a contributor as to why students of color don’t seem to feel that AP and honors is catered to them as much as it is to their white peers.
And with this all being said, there are students of color that are in AP classes here, myself included. This is part of the reason that I know that this is an issue. I hate the fact that in each AP class that I’ve taken here, I have been one of maybe three black girls in the class. I hate the fact that there are even less black boys that I’ve seen in AP classes. And I hate the fact that this is rarely talked about. I don’t know the answer to getting a wider array of students into more advanced classes, but acknowledging that the issue exists is the first step.
Once the lack of diversity in advanced classes is acknowledged, one has to question the authenticity of the ‘diverse’ experience that Central students are supposed to be gaining. AP students are without a doubt not gaining that experience in the classroom. Seeing students who don’t look like you in the halls and at lunch is one thing, but actually talking, learning and interacting with them is another. And if AP classes are almost all white, then the students in the program are virtually gaining the same experience as students who go to notoriously all white schools in Omaha.