EDUCATION

BY: NETTA JOSEPH

HISTORY OF EDUCATION
Families used to be the primary source of education for children.
Children were taught at home.
As education evolved to take place in proper schools, the primary
function was to be able to read religious texts and expand religious
knowledge.
During the industrial revolution, education grew and expanded in
response to the world becoming more urban and less based on
agriculture.
As we know it today, education is a corner-stone of our society.

THE PLAYERS:
TEACHERS
Teachers are vital to the education system.
In the early 19th century, teaching was a temporary hobby for women to do until
they married. It required very little education and no formal credentials.
Horace Mann championed education reform in the 19 th century.
He helped push for mandatory school attendance and professional teachers.
Today teachers are extremely qualified yet still vastly underpaid, undervalued in
society, overworked, and extremely frustrated.
They often have too many students, and too few supplies, to provide quality
teaching.

THE PLAYERS:
THE STUDENTS
It is now mandatory for all children to be in a school of some kind.
However, not all children get the same education.
As we know, education is vital for children to learn basic knowledge to
function in society.
It is also crucial for socialization, learning about their own culture,
learning about new cultures, and training children to be upstanding,
helpful members of society.
So why do some children benefit more than others?

MONEY IN EDUCATION
Public schools are mostly funded by property tax, meaning that in
wealthier neighborhoods public schools are better funded than in their
poorer counterparts.
The wealthy white neighborhoods usually have a plethora of resources,
highly qualified teachers, and great courses
Whereas the poorer, African American neighborhoods have horribly
dilapidated facilities, very few, often underqualified, teachers, and
almost no resources.
Children in poorer neighborhoods often drop out and cannot escape the
cycle of poverty because of a lack of accessibility to quality education

VIEWS ON EDUCATION
The problem with money in education is not just in high school.
Studies show that people from disadvantaged families, if they achieve
college at all, have a much lower chance of graduating, than those that
come from wealthy families.
It is more expensive to go to college than ever before.
Student debt is constantly growing and is estimated to be over 1
trillion.
It is harder than ever to find jobs, even with a bachelors degree.

COST OF COLLEGE:
STUDENT DEBT IS SO HIGH THAT MANY SEE
COLLEGE AS AN UNATTAINABLE DREAM

VIEWS ON EDUCATION:
REPUBLICAN VS DEMOCRAT
There are differing views on how to deal with this issue.
Democrats are pushing for education reform, especially in this 2016 election.
They want the federal government to help put forward tuition-free public
colleges and work toward decreasing student debt.
Republicans do not favor the federal government getting involved in
education. They feel it should remain an issue for the states.
They would like to keep education privatized and for-profit. They want schools
to be held accountable for test scores and graduation rates.

MY VIEWS
Education is so critical for our society to thrive.
So why are so many people against education reform?
People have selfish views, such as how will it benefit me? and why should I
pay for someone elses education?
To improve this institution I would change the entire system. Stop public schools
from being funded by property tax and have a proper budget for them that is
controlled federally and cannot be cut.
I would also make public colleges and universities tuition-free.
I would educate the public and try to make others understand why we should all
care about everyones right to quality education.

FUNCTIONALIST VIEWS
The functionalist perspective would be that every small part of the
educational system works together in harmony toward the greater
good of society.
Each teacher affects each child. If every teacher does their part well,
and every child does their best to learn, they will all benefit society.
Children who work hard and learn will grow into helpful members of
society with highly skilled jobs.
Children who fall behind may lend up working less skilled, but still vital,
jobs for the community.

CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE
The conflict perspective is quite the opposite.
Those with the most money have the power over the educational system.
Those without money are powerless to change their status.
Without education, one will always have a lower status in society, and without
power, one will never have access to quality education.
They are doomed to repeat the cycle of poverty because they cannot access the
higher quality education they need and deserve.
The need for social justice and education reform is high.
Without reform, there will never be harmony because of so much inequality in this
institution.

SOURCES USED:
@EducareLab. "[Infographic] College Student Debt and Highest & Lowest Paid
College Majors." EducareLab. EducareLab, 03 Feb. 2016. Web. 09 Oct. 2016.
Dynarski, Susan. "For the Poor, the Graduation Gap Is Even Wider Than the
Enrollment Gap." The New York Times. The New York Times, 01 June 2015.
Web. 02 Oct. 2016.
Kozol, Jonathan. Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools. New York:
Crown Pub., 1991. Print.
Long, Heather. "The Case against Going to College." CNNMoney. Cable News
Network, 09 Dec. 2015. Web. 09 Oct. 2016.

SOURCES USED:
CONTINUED
Mifflin, Lawrie, and Meredith Kolodner. "At DNC, Democrats Spoke Out On A Topic
That Republicans Mostly Avoided." The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post, 29 July
2016. Web. 09 Oct. 2016.
Mulhere, Kaitlin. "Where the 2016 Republican Candidates Stand on College Issues."
Time. Time, 29 Oct. 2015. Web. 09 Oct. 2016.
Singer, Alan. "Welcome Back! A Brief History of Education in the United States (Part
1)." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 07 Sept. 2015. Web. 09 Oct. 2016.
Witt, Jon. "Chapter Eight: Education and Religion." Soc. New York: McGraw-Hill,
2014. 179-92. Print.