updated June 8, 2023
Education in the U.S. – Is it Equitable For All?
Flaws in the U.S. Public Education System
A small girl, dressed in a stained shirt and jeans, walks up dilapidated stairs to her first day of school. With inadequate funding and outdated curriculums, this school system struggles to keep teachers and students above water. Across town, another young girl dressed immaculately enters her first day of school at a well-maintained building containing small classes and adequately prepared teachers. Without surprise, the second girl mentioned graduates and attends an acclaimed university, later living a comfortable life. The first girl is unlikely to attend college and struggles financially and socially later in life.
The discrepancies prevalent in the U.S. public education system lead to social inequalities that affect children for the rest of their lives.
Poor allocation of resources, such as grants, teachers, and infrastructure, creates a standard of inequality in public schools. The lowest quality teachers are often placed in struggling school districts. Oftentimes, education is put on the backburner during legislative meetings and discussions. Especially the education of schools in lower-income neighborhoods.
Additionally, the economic aspect of this problem is troubling. Considering the millions of dollars invested in U.S. education, the true problem lies in the flawed use of money. Government funding, although meant for a positive purpose, usually have little impact on the effectiveness of one’s elementary and secondary education.
The prodigious differences in size, curriculum, and quality between these schools due to income disparity heavily reinforce my belief that many children are receiving an unfair quality of education.
For most social challenges, quality education constitutes a key part of the solution. Education gives students a choice with their future and leads to higher incomes and productivity levels. The power of knowledge is endless, and we must strive to provide that to every youth possible. The lack of equality causes fissures in society and negatively divides the population.
On a larger scale, it is essential that public policy makers take greater notice of these situations and apply the necessary means to reach the most optimal quality of education.
The more obstacles children face in attaining necessary knowledge, the more like they are to face more difficult obstacles in their later years. These barriers lead to most, if not all, the facets of social inequality.
