by Dottie Cooper

Created on: November 28, 2008   Last Updated: November 20, 2011

The one inalienable right of every American citizen is that of a free, appropriate public education.

Does America value education?

In its most inspired moments, education is the foundation of everything the United States has come to stand for. The first public libraries existed to expand the knowledge base of the common citizen. Presidents have pressed forward with the motive of instituting democracy in non-democratic societies on the premise that all should have the opportunity to exist in a knowledge-filled society where people have the biggest say in how a country is run.

While global standardized tests may show that America lags behind most industrialized nations in the initial education of its citizens, what these tests and their analyzers fail to mention is that America tests all its students, not just the ones who are the best and brightest. American schools teach all students, not just the most privileged or those with the most potential.

Does America value education?

The answer to this question depends in large part on one's upbringing and family values. In some parts of the country, in some neighborhoods, in some families, education is the only way out of a terrible, often recurring, situation such as poverty or violence. Get educated, get out. A high school diploma is akin to the gold medal that reaps sponsorships from major corporations for athletes. A high school diploma means a chance at escape or accomplishing something not often achieved in some families.

In other parts of the country, the college has been chosen. The money has been set aside. All the child need do is go through the motions of attending classes, submitting work that is quality enough to earn a passing grade. The expectation is set that the child will complete high school and go on to college, not necessarily with a decent grade or the required skills.

Such is the disparity that exists at the two extremes of the class system in America.

Does America value education?

Teachers most often teach because they have a burning desire to work with students and to impart knowledge that may be life-altering on some level. The difference in education today and even 15 or 20 years ago is the level at which mandates occur. With the advent of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), many elected officials with no background in education suddenly created a set of standards that were to be met by all teachers for all students. Demographics and funding were never taken into consideration. When NCLB was first

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>