Why Educational Inequality Affects Us All

Throughout decades, education inequality is still one of the most deliberate and controversial issues in the United States. Thus far, the privilege or right to receive education has not attained the level of equality throughout the nation. Poor districts obtain less educational funds while rich districts obtain more, which create an immense gap between the quality of schools in poor and rich areas. In other words, the education gap is the root of inequality in America. Inequality in education is linked to the major problems in the society. The need for studies to be done to find ways of overcoming these inequalities is very inevitable. The means of mitigating these inequalities are important for the entire world. This is something of great interest due to the fact that children need quality education which is a pillar for a guaranteed future. Generally speaking, the distinctions among races, genders, and classes in the society have caused the educational inequality in America.

It has become common today to dismiss the lack of education coming from our impoverished public schools. Jonathan Kozol an award winning social injustice writer, trying to bring to light how our school system talks to their students. In his essay “Still Separate, Still Unequal," Kozol visits many public high schools as well as public elementary schools across the country, realizing the outrageous truth about segregating in our public education system. Kozol, cross-examining children describing their feelings as being put away where no one desires your presence. Children feeling diminished for being a minority; attending a school that does not take into consideration at the least the child’s well being. Showing clear signs of segregation in the education system.

Inequality has been present since the beginning of civilization. Education has played into this since schooling began; only boys were allowed to be educated while the girls would stay at home. Minorities, such as blacks, Latinos, etc. were excluded from receiving an education as well. Although education has progressed since then, it is seen in Ann Ferguson’s Bad Boys, Conley’s Education and Kozol’s Still Separate, Still Unequal that inequality within punishment, funding/resources and tracking, especially amongst minorities, is still present and even promoted in the modern education system.

Martin Luther once said, “When schools flourish, all flourishes.” Schools are the institutions where students’ foundations for lifelong success are built. One would think, or at least hope, that sixty years after the Brown v. Board of Education decision, all schools in America would be flourishing or near flourishing. How wonderful would it be, if politicians and other people in power realized how true Martin Luther’s words were. Unfortunately, this is not the case. As Jonathan Kozol explicitly depicts in his 1991 novel, Savage Inequalities, inequality in American public schools still exists despite segregation being outlawed. Even though this book was written twenty-five years ago, it still applies to this day. There are many schools in America that are still segregated, and the complete opposite of flourishing. This is due to one main reason: inadequate funding. There is a tremendous amount of inequality in funding between the poor, city schools, and the affluent, suburban schools. Kozol explores these various schools in his novel, and demonstrates how by underfunding schools that are in dire need of funds, we are essentially setting up our future generations for failure. We are inhibiting them from reaching their potentials and showcasing their talents. We ourselves are ripping their chances of a bright future out of their hands. We are allowing our society to believe segregation in schools is ok.

It has become common today to dismiss the lack of education coming from impoverished schools. Jonathan Kozol an award winning social injustice writer, trying to bring to light how our school system genuinely ponders their students. In his essay “Still Separate, Still UNEQUAL," Kozol visits many public high schools as well as elementary schools across the country, realizing the outrageous truth about segregating in our public education system. Kozol, cross-examining children describing their feelings as being put away where no one desires your presence. Children feeling diminished for being a minority; attending a school that does not take into consideration at the least the child’s well being. Showing clear signs of segregation in the education system.

Due to the many large scale reform acts of previous, it is almost obvious that we need a change in the public schooling system. The aim of each act is to make a just system for each student to achieve. However, not all public school children are succeeding, in fact a large fraction of students are failing. Not only are the students failing, but entire schools are failing. This make origin a predictor of success because each school, depending on origin, is financed differently. Origin, however, is ultimately based upon income, therefore, income is the ultimate predictor of success. This means that the paycheck of the family that a child is born into more or less determines the child’s educational success. This is one of the many reasons why reform is necessary; because school as it is does not offer each child the same opportunities. This makes a main issue of public schooling a social issue, poverty.

Of particular interest during this week’s reading was the section on “Equity and Social Justice.” While education has developed drastically over the years, educational inequality has widened as well. Rury notes “ . . . school segregation has increased, and the problems of poor and minority children have grown more acute in communities across the country” (Rury 231). Often times, it can be deceptive when we are told that something is developing because people often link development with greatness, which isn’t the truth at all. It’s often suggested that these developments are consistent with neo-liberal policies, however they are also linked to changes in the larger economy. Students who suffer the most are often from relatively poor urban schools,

School inequality remains a challenge despite efforts of civil right groups and minority movement. Congress and legislation are lenient to guarantee an equilibrium and meet the minorities’ needs. Racial inequality remains an issue for low-income and minority students. More black and Latino students dropped out rate are higher.

As a result, this funding system creates an unfair situation for children. A not well funded school means lack of resources and lack of experienced teachers. Teachers placed on low-income schools are sometimes teachers that just came out of an undergraduate education and are placed on these schools to gain experienced towards their degrees. As Kozol argues, “Teachers in these schools must work, and know that they must work within the ‘box’ of segregated demographics and extreme inequalities”[287]. In other words, teachers who are working in low income schools must know that they are able to make a big impact on the lives of their students. Teachers have the power to give children the knowledge that they need to overcome obstacles in their lives. However, those teachers must know that they are working with students who are already at a disadvantage economically and educationally. As a result of living in a poor neighborhood these children are limited in their access to the quality of education they can get. Under those circumstances they are been placed on a low educational level that will affect their future in so many ways.

Nationally, 22 percent of children in the richest country in the world live at or below the federal poverty line. Half in low-income families has meal basic needs, like free lunches, free breakfast, etc… They need meal for students, schools, etc. They unfortunately are assigned to the most inadequately funded schools with the largest class sizes and lowest paid teachers, that’s why a lot of teachers are disappointed because they don’t have a great salary. Families who lived in poverty need to do anything to help their kids in education. “Savage inequalities of schooling”, (Jonathan Kozol). The school system has been designed to a dress the education of relatively homogenous populations. However, there are heterogeneous populations whose education demands

I believe that optimum success begins with a strong educational foundation. Without a strong foundation, it is easy for students to sell themselves short or believe anything that is challenging is impossible. I want to be a part of Teach for America because, this program is taking on the challenge of the disregarded issue known as educational inequality. Regardless of the views of other people, I believe every student deserves a chance to receive a quality education no matter what race, ethnicity, or socio-economic background they come from. For many children, education is one of the first steps to escaping poverty.

The most pressing public policy issue affecting my community is educational disparity and inequality. Education is the key for racial equality, yet the federal government continues to neglect the educational discrepancies that plague various African American communities. Opportunities that are not offered to African American students are a microcosm to the present struggles minorities endure. The continued growth of the Black middle class since the 1960’s has serve to expand the social and educational advancement of black students. However, recent reports show that an increased number of minority high school graduates in urban settings suffer from inadequate school and educational conditions. Since the 1964 Civil Rights Act that prohibited

Children living in poverty suffer significantly in education. Having a negative education has long lasting impact on a kid’s life. A poor education affects many other areas in a child’s life. Schools in underfunded communities are under resourced which creates a struggle to meet the learning needs of the children’s full potential. A study showed that in 2008 the dropout rate of students living in low income families was four and a half times greater than the rate of dropouts from higher income families. This limited education makes it much more onerous for poverty-stricken children to elevate themselves out of poverty especially when a large quantity of them are dropping out.

Although, many believe education is equal, it is important to realize the various factors that contradict this belief. Low-income schools are not afforded the same educational opportunities as those with higher funding. I teach at a low-income school made up of minority students. In comparison to my own children’s wealthier school, I am witness to this variance. There is a difference in resources available to my children than what I have available for use with my students. For example, a local bank sponsors a program through my child’s school. The bank travels to their school once a month to take deposits and teach them about the importance of saving money. My school students do not have the opportunity

This essay should help shed light on the perpetual arguments that politics, income, and economic theory lead to cause and effect inequalities within the higher education system. I will also discuss the vice versa counter-arguments that higher education has cause and effect inequalities leading to income and economic deficits.