Some get tech training, as costs escalate[/caption]Mike Gordon---Society generally feels it improves as time passes. Education is one aspect that has seen many developments over the years. Yet, there are concerns in the public about quality education still being available only to the privileged few. Are there some students that receive a better education because of their race, gender or ethnicity?
Is meritocracy a hopeful dream or a reality of how the education system works? Countless factors are associated with these questions. Below, we’ll take a look at education and if there really is an issue related to race, gender and/or ethnicity, leading the system to favor one over the other.
Financial Struggle
Many impoverished areas of the U.S. have experienced a general disregard for education. Fingers are often pointed past issues related to race, gender and poverty and toward the local government. Many governments are busy handling issues related to the financial books instead of the education system. Since attention is diverted, quality education is pushed down the list of priorities and tends to remain there. As the system starts to fail, challenges related to education become more and more apparent; citizens begin to focus more on surviving the present than on investing in their future.
The financial struggle is a significant factor: experts note that “nearly 60,000 or three-quarters of the nation’s schools reported not being in good condition.” Many schools are in disrepair, and resources are not being funneled in their direction. There is a case to be made in terms of quality education not being standard across the nation. Various schools around the country are simply not providing adequately for their students. This is unfortunate and continues to impeach the belief that high-quality education is accessible by all.
Meritocracy Not Given Importance
When students are tested in the nation for reading and writing aptitude, many from the States top the charts. This is a bright sign, but the general trend paints a different picture. Despite these students being highly gifted, most are unable to progress toward a brighter future. The train stops in its tracks as poverty kicks in for some states.
Low-income families are unable to produce the funds required to enroll their kids in post-secondary education. There are various grants and funds in place to help these children, but the results are not sufficient: often children from low-income schools have too much academic ground to make up to be successful even if they are lucky enough to enroll in college. The government should be acting to standardize the quality of education being provided to children around the nation. Minorities continue to struggle to get into college, and struggle further to succeed, because of a host of factors beyond their control.
Impoverished Areas Lack Diversity
Many poor areas are comprised of mostly African Americans. Government officials will quickly assert that this is a coincidence and not something done with intent. However, the data is undeniable: most poverty-stricken areas contain African Americans as the main race. These individuals are further pushed into the corner as funds continue to be cut off or reduced in favor of other areas. There are a lot of questions to be answered in order to achieve quality education as an equal opportunity for one and all.
For the public school system to really work, the quality of education must be sufficient across the board. If the resources don’t exist to provide equal opportunity and access to education across our country, then drastic steps should be taken to make it so.
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This article was provided by Mike Gordon, recent business school graduate and budding social trends analyst.
