The Importance Of Public Education

The man with the greatest effect on the government’s relationship with schools is Horace Mann. Often called the “Father of American Education,” Horace Mann wasn’t

Horace Mann was one of the most influential reformers in the history of American education. He was responsible for the Common School Movement, which was to ensure that every child receive free basic education funded by local taxes. Growing up in poverty where there was lack of access to education, the first secretary of Massachusetts Board of Education strongly believed that tuition- free education would be the “great equalizer,” and the key to fight against poverty and crime. As a result, Massachusetts’ residents were the

The idea of education has advanced throughout history, constantly shifting by societal ideals and human evolvement. This change is especially prominent during the 1800s and continues to alter to this very day with education policies. Public education first began during the Industrial Revolution. During this crucial time in history, many children were required to get an education in order to learn the trades of the growing economy and business as opposed to getting hurt in from hazardous machinery. These skills were limited reading, writing, and math. Ultimately, from this concept, public education was founded and from then, our society has grown into a well-educated community in which every individual has a role into making an impressive,

Even though America's first public high school opened in 1821, the idea of a nationwide system was advocated by Horace Mann and many other educational reformers who had a longing opposition of the idea of having to purchase their own learning. Due to their efforts,

Public schools originated in 1647 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and soon spread across New England. They began with an elementary school for every fifty families and a Latin school for every one hundred families. Their mission was to “ensure that Puritan children learn to read the Bible and receive basic information about their Calvinist religion.”1 By 1840, conflict was at a climax in New York City. The public schools had taken on a “common school” education that included a

The educational system today as well as in the 19th century has always been funded by the state and local government. Currently, local property taxes fund the majority of elementary and secondary schools. In 1848, Horace Mann, a politician and an education reformer, was very influential about the role of education and believed that schools should provide students with a sense of virtue and character as well as providing a sense of discipline. (Horace Mann) His beliefs of providing free education along with his political influence resulted in states paying for education.

Education in America started with the Pilgrims in the early 1600’s. The first public school was opened in 1635 in Boston Massachusetts. In 1642, Massachusetts started an education reform that stated “Any child not properly educated would apprentice to a trade”. This education reform was created because they believed it was important for children and citizens to be able to read the laws of the land. This was the first law that required children to be education. If they were not properly educated they would be moved from their home to a better fit environment where they would be able to learn. Virginia then followed with a similar law in 1646. In 1647 Massachusetts founded an act called “Old Deluder Satan Act”. This act required towns of more than fifty families to hire a teacher for reading and writing. Towns of more than a hundred families had to establish a grammar school which served as college preparation. Dame schools taught reading and writing to females because this was all they were expected to learn so that they would not have the same intellect as men. Their classes were held in the teacher’s kitchen who continued her chores while the students did their lessons. At the beginning of the 20th century, parents and public schools began demanding more practical and useful curriculums.

However, with state taxes and centralized schooling came the question of who would oversee and maintain it. Horace Mann answered with a Board of Education which was met with much opposition by those that feared the bureaucratic measures that would have to be taken to implement it. In the 1840 debate to abolish the Board of Education, Allen Dodge voiced these concerns that as it’s power grew, less improvement would be accomplished as each suggestion was mulled over by the Board. However, the goal of those in favor of centralized schooling was to improve all schools by establishing minimum curriculum standards and requirements for teaching certifications. During the republican and common school era, teaching was not seen as a profession and they were paid a small salary. Additionally, Low wages attracted less qualified individuals, but with centralized state tax funded systems, wages could be raised for

Teachers complain constantly about children misbehaving in their classrooms. Some blame it on a lack of home training and others blame it on laziness or a lack of work ethic. However, that is not always the case. Say for instance, a young man is “always misbehaving and showing a lack of

Formal schooling was not systematic in America in the mid-1800s, despite the regional efforts of strong advocates for public education. There were wide regional and cultural differences in attitudes toward the idea of tax-supported, systematic formal schooling based upon a common curriculum. Various religious groups had established schools for the perpetuation of their theology and culture, especially in the mid-Atlantic and Northern states. These groups were fearful of relinquishing responsibility to political authority. In the Southern states, slavery and a strong caste system were impediments to the development of public schools (p. 97).

Public education is a good that is privileged to everyone in the United States. While education may seem extensive and unnecessary, especially to youth, achieving an education has benefitted people through the history of the U.S., which in turn benefits the U.S.’s welfare. When Thomas Jefferson advocated the opening of public schools in the early 1800s, his plan was only half fulfilled; only wealthy communities could afford public schools (Watson 2). This remained true until the early to mid 1900s, where schooling became accessible for all, regardless of skill level or income. Since the mid 1950s, the U.S. has made tremendous leaps in not only technology, but also in the stabilization of the government and economy; these successes can be attributed to education. If that privilege to learning was no longer given, the U.S.’s development would be lost.

For over a century, public education has been the backbone of our nation. But in recent years it has come under scrutiny for ill-preparing our youth for the futures that lie ahead of them. Originally established to teach young people the rights and responsibilities of being a citizen, public schooling has since transformed into the belief that it is solely for college and career readiness. Educational historian and policy analyst Diane Ravitch however, disagrees with the latter and firmly states her position in an excerpt from her book Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America’s Public Schools. She supports her claim by utilizing logos and ethos to effectively show that the American schooling system has failed in its primary goal: teaching young people the rights and responsibilities of citizens.

Public schooling in the United States seems somewhat unique in the fact it is essentially a set of state-based systems unlike many other nations education systems that are managed and operated by their national government. “Although the Tenth Amendment [of the U.S. Constitution] seems merely to state the truism that all that is not delegated to Congress is reserved to the states, the Court found in this amendment a core principle of state sovereignty. This principle required that the federal government not intrude in areas traditionally controlled by the state.” (Epstein, 2004, pg. 46). There is a federal government role in education and there are many national influences such as education organization representing diverse groups from various

As a high school student in 2016, school is a very stressful and important thing. I love education and learning, but school seems to be pushing students away from that. I personally am passionate about American history and politics and I want to study and interpret important pieces of American history such as the Constitution and help the world somehow with that, but I have to instead spend hours on quadratic equations and memorizing every step as to how the cell divides. School is extremely important. If it weren’t for school, then I wouldn’t have found this passion of mine. I was in 8th grade US History class when I did, and it has changed the path I am taking in life. But I think

Before public schools emerged, children were educated in the home by their parents. They were taught arithmetic, practical skills, and to read and write. Some wealthy families preferred hiring a tutor for their children (Koetzsch, 1997). In the 1840s, prominent leaders such as Horace Mann lead a movement to institute public schools in the United States (Thattai, 2001). These reformers argued that public schools would create good citizens, unite society, and prevent crime and poverty. As a result of their efforts, public elementary schools evolved in American society by the end of the 19th century. Massachusetts was the first state to pass a compulsory attendance law, ruling that all children had to