Urban, Suburban, and Rural

Urban, suburban, and Rural--what are the differences between urban, suburban, and rural? What makes a community urban, suburban, or rural? The Census Bureau defines an urban area as : "Core census block groups or blocks that have a population density of at least 1,000 people per square mile (386 per square kilometer) and surrounding census blocks that have an overall density of at least 500 people per square mile (193 per square kilometer)." The concept urban as defined by the US Census Bureau is an area with high density of humans. Well there are many places in the United States that have high density of humans that are not considered urban like Montclair, NJ and Langhorne, PA. Why? I believe like Philip M. Anderson and Judith P. Summerfield in their article "Why is Urban Education Different from Suburban and Rural Education," In Steinberg, S.R. & Kncheloe, J. (Eds.) (2004), that there are certain assumptions we made about urban.

What kind of assumptions we make about urban? To look at that question, we will take a look at Anderson and Summerfield's article about urban education. They tells us, "First, that urban education is different from other forms of education. Second, urban schools are not the "norm" and are to be contrasted with, or measured against, suburban and rural schools rather that the other way around. Furthermore, urban is deficient in relation to the other categories, or that urban has problems the other two categories do not" (30). An outsider looking at urban education will say that urban education is different: urban schools have more students per class; they have a lot of unqualified teachers according to the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) definitions of qualified teacher; most urban students are poor and received free or reduced lunch; and high crimes and violence occur alot in urban schools. The authors tell us, "Looking at the facts of the matter, based primarily on research by the National Center for Education . One finds that the myths do not hold." If the authors' assertion that the myths about urban education do not hold. Why urban education is seen as deficient in relation to suburban, and rural education? The reasons I think urban education is seen as deficient in relations to the other categories are suburban school systems have become the "successful" model of education in the United States. Almost every mother, father, or guardians want to send their child/children to a suburban school because it is perceived as the best way that your child will receive a rich knowlege. Furtheremore, urban education is seen as the protagonist of suburban education because of their differences. Unlike urban community, suburban community is an area with low density of humans, mono-cultural, lots of tress, and less contact with your neighbors. The latter reason is placed for my own pleasure.