Public Education: Questions And Answers

Public education in America began in the early to mid-19th century with the simple goal of “uniting the American population by instilling common moral and political values” (Spring, 2012, p. 5). Our country was founded by men who designed the constitution so that it could be amended to accommodate changing political and social climates. They believed in the ideology of the American dream which “holds out a vision of both individual success and the collective good of all” (Hochschild & Scovronick, 2004, p. 1). It is with this same ideology that our public schools were

FFA has been a part of America since 1917 when it all began as The National Vocational Act to provide money to states for agriculture education in the classroom. Then in 1925, Virginia Tech agriculture educators Henry Groseclose, Harry Sanders and Edmund Magill and Virginia State Supervisor of Agriculture Education, Walter S.

Even though the Declaration of Independence does not mention education, our founding fathers did value education. Illustrated by the ordinances they passed “in 1785 and 1787 that granted federal lands to states to create and support public school- an institution that the nation’s founders viewed as essential to democracy and national unification.” (Jennings, p3) In 1959, the admission of Alaska and Hawaii into the Union reconfirmed the Federal government’s support of education. Three distinct elements that impact education are; laws that have been passed, the removal of the church from public schools, and the role of federal government that has evolved and changed over the years. These three factors have transformed education over the

Education is the foundation to secure an individual in having a better future and a successful career in life. Public education primarily falls upon the state and local government to take charge of, which get divided up into local school districts that are managed by school boards. School boards are “ an elected body corporate which manages delegated powers in regards to the deliver of education service within a defined territory (Duhaime’s Law Dictionary)”. Each state “has its own department of education and laws regulating finance, the hiring of school personnel, student attendance, and curriculum (Corsi-Bunker, Antonella).

The ceded lands were to be systematically surveyed into townships six miles square, prior to sale or settlement. Of the thirty-six sections of 640 acres in each township, the sixteenth was reserved "for the maintenance of public schools." The national government then had land to sell and with which they could create new states. The 1787 Northwest land ordinance created the protocol for this, providing a method for admitting new states to the Union, and listing a bill of rights guaranteed in these territories (5).

The first significant issue was with western expansion ultimately led to Congress’s plan to organize its territories. Congress did this through the adoption of the Land Ordinance of 1785 which was a survey system where settlers could buy divided, undeveloped western

Any American including freed slaves could claim a land up to 160 acres for free if they worked on the land for 5 years (Doc. B). What this meant for the Native Americans was that they now have less land to hunt on so they are resorted to the reservations. Forty-eight million acres were given away. In 1872 there was an advertisement on the Homestead Act showing millions of acres in Iowa and Nebraska (Doc. E). Also in 1862, the Morrill Land-Grant Act was created to allow the creation of land-grant colleges in the US (Doc. C). It was a huge uplift to higher education in

Enactment go by congress approving reviews and the division of open grounds in the western locale of the nation, A law that isolated a significant part of the United States into an arrangement of townships to encourage the offer of land to pilgrims.

Now that thousands of people had claimed their 160 acres, the government had to sustain the land's fertility so it would remain cultivatable for years to come. It would also reduce any chances of the settlers moving again and coming in conflict with the Natives. The government encouraged the development of the area by constantly aiding the frontiers with the Timber Culture Act and the Newland Reclamation Acts. The Timber Culture Act was produced to help the farmers successfully grow crops on their land for long periods of time by keeping the soil fertile and preventing erosion. The Timber Culture Act gave away free land to people who would plant forty acres of trees on it. They believed planting more trees would increase humidity and increase rainfall, which was beneficial for farmers. The Newland Reclamation Act of 1902 funded irrigation projects for the dry land of the west. Congress passed many laws to protect the west from harm.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is considered by some to be one of the most important laws in American history. (The Most Important Cases, Speeches, Laws & Documents in American History) This Act was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 2, 1964 and it is a “comprehensive federal statute aimed at reducing discrimination in public accommodations and employment situations.” (Feuerbach Twomey, 2010) Specifically, it aimed at prohibiting “discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy), and religion.” (Civil Rights Act of 1964, 2010) Additionally, it also

The purpose of the Homestead Act of 1862 was to promote westward migration within the United States of America. By examining the jarring environmental conditions present throughout the Great Plain region and the duplicitous state

The civil war had divided the country around race. The civil war also had the opportunity to bring the United States together as a whole but instead it was further divided because of racial issues. During this time there was scientific management, which required the United States to organize work, and workers that would increase efficiency and profit according to the scientific principles. The managers that operated the farms had control over most aspects of the workers lives. Also it allowed the operators to manage the farms more efficiently and effectively. Even though the scientific method of farming was a great idea it still had some negative areas that needed to be fixed. Such as the tenants that worked on these plantations were not being treated equally. The scientific method was unsuccessful in the early 1900’s due to the oppression of

In 1862, the Homestead Act was passed into law. The act stated that any American citizen could file an application and for a small amount purchase 160 acres of government land. The only stipulation was that you must inhabit the land for the next five years. The Plains provided ample amount of land for farming and livestock, but settlers found the different climate would require new

In the U.S. Constitution there is no mention of a right to free and equal access to education. Therefore, the U.S. Constitution has granted no authority over education to the federal government. In the United States, taxpayer-funded education is recognized as a privilege, but not a right (Boaz, 2006). Education is deemed a local responsibility, and we see it mentioned in some state constitutions. For example, Section 1 of Article 7, of the Texas State Constitution, states that: “a general diffusion of knowledge being essential to the preservation of the liberties and rights of the people, it shall be the duty of the Legislature of the State to establish and make suitable provision for the support and maintenance of an efficient system of public free schools.” In 1963, President John F. Kennedy, in a televised address, urged the nation to take action toward guaranteeing equal treatment of every American regardless of race. He proposed civil

“Abraham Lincoln passed the Homestead Act of 1862. It gave people ownership of land. They must have proof of living on the land for at least 5 years.” (Anirudh).