Education Is A Right But Not A Reality For Many In The United States Today
Introduction
The United States has the most expensive and least effective education system in the industrialized world. In a country where education is increasingly essential to economic opportunity and upward mobility, the fact that we are failing to provide all students with equal opportunities for success is nothing short of tragic. This isn't just an issue of fairness—it's also bad economics. As a nation, we need to invest more money into our public schools and higher education systems so that they can provide every student with an equal chance at success.
The current system perpetuates a cycle of poverty.
Students who attend schools in low-income communities often have limited educational choices, and as a result, they are less likely to enroll in college immediately following high school graduation or attend colleges with competitive acceptance rates. If and when these students do make it into college, many face additional challenges that make it difficult for them to succeed academically. This can delay their time to degree completion and in many cases, students leave before completing their degree.
This is a problem for several reasons:
First, it perpetuates an unequal society by creating classes of citizens who are more or less qualified based on the circumstances of their birth.
Second, it creates a shortage of highly trained and educated workers who could contribute significantly to the development of our economy and society as a whole.
Third, it leaves behind millions of people who could otherwise be contributing members of society. These individuals experience a lack of opportunity and/or resources making the path to upward social and economic mobility difficult.
What are the long-term effects of disparities in education by race and class?
Although there have been tremendous strides in education over the last century, disparities by race and class still exist. These disparities are felt throughout society, starting with children's earliest years. These disparities result from a variety of factors including housing discrimination, unequal access to quality healthcare and nutrition, lack of access to quality preschools, and in schools with higher concentrations of students of color they often have less-qualified teachers.
Why is this important? Opportunities for quality early childhood education have a lasting impact on an individual’s trajectory. If they receive a high-quality education early, they are more likely to pursue a postsecondary credential following high school.
Obtaining a postsecondary credential has individual and societal benefits, such as higher lifetime earnings, higher contributions to taxes, lower rates of unemployment, increase in social mobility, lower utilization rates of public assistance, healthier lifestyles, higher civic engagement and rates of volunteerism (Ma et al., 2019).
Research has shown that investments made in education, benefit not only individuals but our entire American society.
We all deserve access to quality and affordable education.
The United States public school and higher education systems are ripe for an overhaul to serve our nation’s citizens properly.
We all deserve access to quality and affordable education. Education is a fundamental right for all Americans, and it's the responsibility of our nation's leaders to provide access to quality and affordable education for everyone.
Education is one of the most important investments we can make in our future. If we want our economy to grow, we need to invest in people. We need more people equipped with the necessary skills to succeed in today’s global economy. And for that reason alone, we need great schools, colleges/universities, and workforce development programs to serve every individual - regardless of their socioeconomic status, race or ethnicity.
Conclusion
The question is, will we make the right investments to create the change that is needed?
I'm optimistic. I see the potential for greater access and equality in education. I believe that it's within our grasp. But it won't happen without a lot of work—from everyone, this includes politicians, parents, educators, and education leaders.
But don't worry: we've got this!
Want to Read More? Check Out this Report About the Benefits of Higher Education
Ma, J., Pender, M., & Welch, M. (2019). Education pays 2019: The benefits of higher education for individuals and society. https://trends.collegeboard.org/education-pays