This map shows when the Roma arrived in Europe.

The education and literacy level for Roma is tremendously lower than for non-Roma. One reason for this is because countries like Romania, the Czech and Slovak republics, Hungary, and Bulgaria ban Romani students from many of their schools. Since they receive an education of such poor quality, many Roma are not literate, and therefore cannot apply for a driver's license or a well-paying job and can't legally drive. (Balay) The schools that do allow Roma students are most always segregated from non-Roma. Also, many children do not attend school because their parents cannot afford to clothe them properly or they fall behind because very few teachers speak Romani. Some students don't attend school continually because they are constantly migrating or "they believe that school will be of no help in finding a job." (Silverman) The students that can show up to school are exposed to discrimination by non-Roma students and even the teachers.

Unemployment is common in Roma communities. Lack of education and/or financial aid and prejudices among employers are the main causes for unemployment. In the Czech Republic, "nearly three-quarters, by some government estimates, have no job." ("Sad") Employers still hold on to the old stereotypes of Gypsies, fearing theft, laziness, and a bad reputation for their business as a result of hiring Roms. Countries like Hungary and Bulgaria have set up a system of social welfare payments to jobless Roma, but there is the dilemma of who gets how much. The distribution of provisions and payments is not balanced, and many needy Roma get little or no help because the government is so corrupt. (Silverman) An excellent example of government corruption would be the Prime Minister Vladimir Merciar of Slovakia. In 1993, "he recommended decreasing the family allowances by reasoning that Roma constitute a 'socially unacceptable population'...with children 'who are a great burden on this society.'" (Silverman)

One of the most disturbing and surest signs of racism is isolation and segregation. A way to separate society and the "foreigners" is the relocation of ethnic minorities to a ghetto. In two Czech towns, the local officials are discussing the creation of ghettos, complete with walls of 4 meters and police guards. They want to separate the 39 gypsy families from the rest of the citizens with high walls claimed to only serve as "noise barriers" and establish continuos police surveillance. ("Ghettos") In Plzen, a town south of the fore mentioned towns, some town officials wish to resettle hundreds of "socially unadaptable people" into a fenced in compound on the edge of town complete with a separate police station. ("Ghettos") Gypsy ghettos are not just an idea or a proposal, several actually exist today. Take the one in Lukovit for example. The streets are so deeply hollowed that it is extremely difficult and often impossible to pass with horse-drawn carts and cars. There is also no sewage system and the community does not have an adequate water supply. In Slovakia, the financial ruin of the old ghetto resulted in what Helsinki Watch explained as "the creation of a new one in two apartment houses and adjoining shacks." (Silverman) Approximately 20 people live in every two-room apartment because the government did not build enough housing. Silverman affirmed dreadfully appalling conditions such as collapsing buildings, nonfunctional sewage, and frozen pipes during the winter which cause harsh health dilemmas. Children and the elderly are most affected by the horrendous environment and the life-expectancy is lower for a Roma compared to a non-Roma.

This webpage was created by F. W. and M. L. on 3/28/99 for History and Thought of Western Man, Rich East High School, Park Forest, Illinois.