The education system is one of the most important social institutions in America, and it has some serious flaws. The modern school system is pretty accessible and today most children in America go through at least a few years of public school. But are all students getting the same education?
No. Schools are funded primarily by local businesses and the taxes that come from those businesses. But this creates a cycle of poverty because schools in poor neighborhoods are going to have much less money and resources to fund their schools. This hinders the students from reaching their full potential. Poor neighborhoods, produce poor schools, raise up poor low class citizens. Teachers are becoming frustrated with the lack of resources and over enrolled classes, teachers can’t teach to the best of their abilities and student can’t learn to the best of their abilities. So teacher unions are rising up and striking to earn the wages and resources they deserve. I came across this article this week about teachers in Oakland and I was shocked because this is not rare anymore. My old school district in Tacoma, WA just got done with a strike that lasted nearly two weeks. Obviously something is seriously wrong.
In class this week we learned about schools teaching students the skills they will need to stay in the same type of jobs their parents have. Teaching low income families to be obedient and quick learners to get working class jobs, teaching middle class families to be obedient and think critically to encourage management positions, and teaching upper class families to be creative to become innovators and entrepreneurs. I find this to be very problematic because it doesn’t allow for much opportunity to become more successful.
Personally I have seen this affect the lives of many people who are close to me. My mom is a middle school teacher in a very low income school, the students spend most of their time worrying about where their next meal is coming from and how to explain why they won’t have a parent at parent-teacher conferences. There is hardly time to teach creativity or innovative skills. It breaks my heart our educational system doesn’t allow for kids to actually work hard and be whatever they want to be. This idea is becoming less and less practical. And we will be impossible unless we fight for equality in education. I am very thankful this movement is starting with teachers standing up for whats fair.
Maggie Fredricks
Word count: 414
sociology 107 