Education in America: Separate and Unequal

The greatest country in the world still has problems evenly distributing education to its youth. The articles I have read for this unit have a common theme regarding our education system. The authors illustrate to the reader about the struggles in America concerning how we obtain and education. Oppression, politics, racism, and socioeconomic status are a few examples of what is wrong with our country and its means of delivering a fair education to all Americans.

Doctor Benjamin Barber’s article The Educated Student: Global Citizen or Global Consumer? discusses how the schools are being attacked by advertising campaigns. Barber talks about the poor school districts being targeted by a company called Channel One. Channel One provides these less fortunate schools with computers, televisions, and other technology. In return the schools have to show the students a twelve minute video that contains three minutes of advertising. In my opinion, this means were trading out our textbooks for fashion and material things. I do not believe the upper class schools have to deal with the same inequalities as the lower class schools. Doctor Barber’s intentions in his writings are about educating people about empowering themselves through culture and education. Doctor Barber assumes that 9/11 would empower more people and help produce a better education system. Doctor Barber stated ‘’in the aftermath of 9/11, it was particularly those public-official-citizens. All citizens because in what they do, they are committed to the welfare of their neighbors, their children, to future generations.” (Barber 420). I believe that 9/11 has had more negative effects than positive, and education has not profited from the tragedy that occurred more than ten y...

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...help make up a person’s ability, personality, and means rather than money.

I feel the author is attempting to convey that class means everything when it comes to education. Mantsios lists several references and charts that show what the odds would be if you were low, middle, or high class to attend a university and what level of education you might obtain.

All of these authors have made valid points. They have all provided examples and evidence that America is still unfair, segregated, and provides unequal opportunities for education. As an American, I think we are still fighting for our freedoms and rights, such as education.

References

Barber, Benjamin. The Educated Student: Global Citizen or Global Consumer ?. New York, New York: Longman,2007. Print.

Kozol, Johnathan. Still Separate, Still Unequal. New York, New York: Longman,2007. Print.