Degree Type
Honors Capstone Project
Date of Submission
Spring 5-1-2011
Capstone Advisor
Jeffrey Stonecash
Honors Reader
Thomas Raven
Capstone Major
Political Science
Capstone College
Citizenship and Public Affairs
Audio/Visual Component
no
Capstone Prize Winner
no
Won Capstone Funding
no
Honors Categories
Social Sciences
Subject Categories
American Politics | Comparative Politics | Political Science
Abstract
There is a general disconnect between the services the New York State government offers and their utilization. This paper focuses on the New York State Division of Human Rights. The New York State Division of Human Rights purpose is to enforce the Human Rights Law through investigations into complaints of discrimination based on the protected classes. For the purposes of this paper, only employment discrimination will be discussed.
This paper argues the lack of utilization of these services arises from the lack of resident awareness of these services. Moreover, this paper argues that implementing practical government lesson plans into the New York State Social Studies curriculum could help remedy the lack of awareness. In order to demonstrate the disparity between the number of perceived incidents of discrimination and the number of cases filed with the New York State Division of Human Rights, a Gallup Organization study of employment discrimination. This study yielded an annual national rate of perceived employment discrimination. Using this number, an estimate of the number of perceived incidents of employment discrimination in New York was calculated. This number was then compared to the number of complaints filed with the New York State Division of Human Rights. The number of perceived incidents of employment discrimination was much greater than the number of complaints filed with the Division.
In order to demonstrate that lack of awareness was the potential cause of this difference, high school students and faculty were surveyed about their knowledge of the Division. These surveys revealed the general lack of awareness of both high school seniors and high school faculty. In addition, observations were made at the Syracuse Satellite Regional Office of the Division. These observations of intake calls demonstrated that a larger percentage of the callers were not aware of the services the Division actually offered.
This paper then discusses the current New York State Standards for Social Studies. After presenting the current standards, a proposed lesson plan for teaching practical government knowledge, specifically knowledge about the New York State Division of Human Rights is discussed. In addition, this proposed lesson plan and the information contained in it are discussed in light of the current standards. This paper argues that inclusion of this information in the required “Participation in Government” class for high school seniors actually fits perfectly with the current standards and curriculum for this class.
Through analysis of Division caseload, rates of perceived discrimination, surveys of New York State residents, and observations of a Division regional office, this paper demonstrates the under-utilization of the New York State Division of Human Rights and proposes inclusion of practical government knowledge into high school classrooms as a potential solution.
Recommended Citation
Turney, Sarah, "Utilization of the New York State Division of Human Rights" (2011). Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All. 290.
https://surface.syr.edu/honors_capstone/290
Creative Commons License
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