The Role of Education and Poverty in Society

I think Montsios’ point that, “Class standing has a significant impact on the chance for educational achievement” (Monsios 193). I think this statement is very true, because it is very apparent that there is a huge education gap in the United States due to income. People of higher incomes can have the luxury of sending their kids to better schools, private or public, and have the ability to give them a college education without having to worry about the financial costs, while people of lower classes cannot have this luxury. This is absolutely ridiculous, because this country was founded on the idea of equality, and having an equal and free country to pursue opportunity. Just like the educational side of this, people also struggle with in the sense of survival and

With the many diverse characteristics of the Unites States, perhaps the most troubling is the rising gap in the distribution of wealth. As the wealth gap in the United States rises exponentially, the gap in the quality of public schooling rises with it. For a country that prides itself in prestigious outlets of education, the system of public schooling seems to be miserably failing. Public education, a system that some fight to destroy while others fight to preserve, is perhaps the only source of academic opportunity for many individuals living in this country. The fact that someone can live in a certain area and receive a higher quality of public education than someone else living in a different area in the same country—even in the same state—is a problem that should not trouble a ‘progressive’ democratic society. Unfortunately, areas of lower socioeconomic status receive much less funding than areas of higher socioeconomic status, where property taxes account for 45% of funding in public school districts. Naturally, the impoverished residents of poor neighborhoods pay a harsh price in this situation, sending their children to an underfunded school with little to no resources, where sometimes teachers must supply the classroom from their own pocket. As Rogerson and Fernandez note, “a system that allows the accidents of geography and birth to determine the quality of education received by an individual is inimical to the idea of equal opportunity in the marketplace”

Throughout time one of the most obvious class markers has been education and it still remains so. People who belong to the higher classes view education as a higher priority and have more access to the best school in the country. When stuck in lower classes people must attend schools where books, computers, and education are not found at the same level. An article in the Atantic Times mentions that “ Kids who belong to lower social classes fell behind children in the upper classes by about a year or so.” Today, that gap is close to four years.” For those in the upper class their kids are placed in an abundance of classes from an early age such as foreign language, art, and many sports. Children who are in lower classes have no way of getting a head start when compared to children in higher classes Sarah Garland also mentions how “ When children have plenty of time to build social skills and bigger vocabularies in short term reduce their chances of

In the article “Class in America,” Gregory Mantsios identifies the social classes in America as well as the growing gaps between them. He explains how people who are born in already wealthy families are well educated and take advantage of opportunities. He claims that people in the lower class are not given a chance to succeed and it is even more difficult for the minorities. Mantsios’ article relates well to Anyon’s “Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work.” Anyon attempts to find evidence of the differences of schoolwork in lower class schools. Relating well along with these two articles is “Still Separate, Still Unequal” by Kozol. He discusses how minority and lower class schools are practically ignored therefore, setting them up for failure. Mantsios’, Anyon’s, and Kozol’s articles correlate seamlessly in discussing the issues of the effect that social class has on education.

In today’s day and age most people expect the educational system to be equal among all students; people expect these students to grow up and get a good job with the education they have been taught throughout the years. But how can this be achieved when the system is not even close to being equal or fair? In this world, there are schools in poverty and then there are more privileged schools. At the higher class schools, the students are given an amazing education with more supplies and funding, whereas at the schools in poverty it is the complete opposite. In Kandice Sumners TedTalk (2016), How America's public schools keep kids in poverty, she rants about this exact topic. She has seen both worlds of the school controversy. She’s been to a high-class school and learned so much from them as a student, but now she teaches at a school in poverty and only wishes that she could have the same exact supplies and funding for her students. There is obviously a

It opens the doors for people from a variety of backgrounds and expands one’s mind. With this expanded knowledge, one gains crucial skills such as the ability to solve problems and operate at a higher level letting key ideas flourish. However, the inequality of education presents itself as a hindrance on the path to success. The Scott Foundation for Public Education states, “Most of the city’s poor, black and Hispanic students suffer from New York policies and practices that give their schools the fewest resources and their students the least experienced teachers. In contrast, the best-funded schools with the highest percentage of experienced teachers are most often located in the most economically advantaged neighborhoods” (“Why Education inequality exists - and how to fix it”). The disproportionate education system allows for the wealthy to gain access to the finest materials and qualified teachers, while the poor are left with substandard materials. It is clear to see the issue with the American Dream when one realizes that the education that is necessary for success is not available to everyone. The kids living in poor cities are unable to get the education needed for them to succeed in the real world. The American dream presents itself as an illusion to those that aren’t fortunate enough to be able to afford good materials while the wealthy are able to pursue their education to the fullest. Also, poor school districts have to rely on their own resources to pay for their funding, as opposed to being reliant on taxes (Coy). It seems that our own government would rather just let the poorer districts fund themselves, while the most fortunate areas are able to get the better funding and education they need to succeed. The American education system has fundamental flaws that keep everyone from getting the same level of education everyone

The American Democratic system limits the public and their capacity to manage everyday life. When comparing wealthier students to poorer students, it is natural to assume that wealthier students have more privilege over poor students with an education. Opportunities specific for privileged students are provided, unlike poorer counterparts. Poverty-stricken students are exposed to different things than privileged students are, and are forced to meet standards that many cannot such as, “No Child Left Behind Act.” Wealthier children have more of an entitlement than underprivileged people from various states and communities, and this affects personal development. The American Governmental system appeals to the wealthy class, even going as far as acting oblivious towards dramatic issues that primarily affect poverty-engulfed communities such as: artistic and personal expression, wealth mobility, and the educational system inequalities.

People think poverty is not happening in their neighborhoods, or these programs are a waste of time and money because they only affect a few people. Well that is not true “14.5 million (19.7 percent) children under the age of 18 are in poverty. (11 Facts About Education and Poverty in America)” That is almost a quarter of Americas children. These food programs are necessary, the education programs are needed. America needs to break the poverty cycle, and give the next generation a better opportunity to have a better life. “In our local tristate two of the three states are on the top ten list of states with the most food insecurity’s Kentucky 17.6 % and Ohio 16.1 %. (11 Facts about Education and Poverty in America)”. All schools in America

Human beings within a society need a sufficient amount of education to go about communicating and functioning in a community. However, despite how crucial it is that one is educated, many do not have an opportunity to do so. This lack of opportunity can, in someways, be traced back to a single concept, classism. Both in the past and present, classism is a growing injustice in society that impacts ones ability to learn and is a determining factor for those that will succeed and those that will fall behind.

When you compare two schools located in areas of different economic standing, you see a huge difference in graduation rate that correlates to difference in resources. This divide is widening the education gap and thus also the achievement gap. This is leading children in poverty to be stuck in poverty and rich children to be unaware of what poor children are going through in their own country. If we don’t make effort to allocate resources effectively, then children in poverty and children that are rich will be confined to feed the divide in our country. This will lead both to be in a bubble of ignorance, which will continue to create deeper tensions between the rich and poor. Jonathan Kozol explains that “most adolescents

In today’s world people need to compete globally for jobs and one of the most important factors in getting a good paying job is education. However, even the best schools cannot overcome some of the obstacles placed in front of the students that walk through their doors. Poverty, chaotic home environments, discrepancies in exposure to technology, and lack of funding for schools all negatively impact the effort to educate children.

The parents may have to choose between providing resources for school or putting food on the table that day, for example. This idea strengthens the argument that poverty and education are interwoven in a complex web. Another important detail that can be explained by one of the anthropological authors is the theory of cultural production. This theory is explained as the way teachers unconsciously process subliminal class to hierarchize their students (Bourgois). Not only does this directly connect to the underlying socioeconomic issues, but also the stereotypes that are subconsciously pushed on students. While all the domains stand alone as important aspects to understanding poverty and education, the interwoven web of all three really completes the circle.

The American class system, which is comprised of: the lower class, middle class, and upper class is divided up by power and the ability to control situations around us. With slavery abolished and racism on the decline, there still remains a link between the predominate race in the upper class and lower class of America. The upper class is comprised of mostly privileged white Americans and the lower class is comprised of predominantly minority’s. The hierarchy of this wealth distribution must break down in order to reassemble in a fashion that benefits all members of all classes in this country. One key factor that is often attributed to success is education; therefore, educating all members of society to a similar baseline could right the offset that the lower class and upper privileged class currently have.

Poverty and the effect it has on our society, and our students are an uncomfortable topic for some people to approach. We as a culture sometimes like to assume that this is an unfortunate phenomenon that occurs outside of the United States, far removed from our first world resources. In reality we are surrounded by poverty, wether or not we realize that truth is determined by our perception of others around us. In the book “Teaching with Poverty in Mind” by Eric Jensen, we are forced to learn about this topic and are confronted with the reality and harsh nature this status forces upon our students and community members.

Whether you're born with a silver spoon or have faced adversity in your life money shouldn’t affect your education, right? Not everyone was raised in a home with favorable conditions and getting yourself out of a difficult economic situation can be hard, with almost 70% of people born in the lower class staying there. Most people think it is the individual's decision to do well in school and raise themselves out of poverty and while it may be their responsibility this is an unfair opinion because not everyone is given the right materials. The less fortunate children don’t have access to things like tutors, internet, expensive materials and much more. Poverty affecting a child’s education needs to be dealt with by raising taxes to support education and by equalizing children in schools as much as possible.