SCHOOL OPPRESSION
Does our education provide us with the resources we need to be successful?
Studying does not come easy to some of us, however, there are more students at a disadvatage than we’d like to admit. Have you ever wondered why the quiet student sitting in the back, taking notes, struggles to pass the class?
The Equality versus Equity image above, symbolizes the education students typically recieve in the United States. The boxes represent the resources students are provided to succeed.
Is education equal?
Our status in society is defined by the amount of education we receive. We spend almost all our lives at a school setting, where teachers explain to us the importance of passing our classes. The level of education we receive is supposed to give us more opportunities to get a job, that will pay us well and provide us with benefits.
We feel the pressure to pass our exams because we know it will make the difference between getting a B+ or an A- in the class. A test score determines a students’ intelligence. Truth is, education is a political issue that affects everyone in society. Even if you are not a student at this moment, you know someone that is or plans to seek higher education.
The United States claims that we live in a society that gives everyone equal opportunities to excel. Is this true? Do we really have the ‘same opportunities’ to excel academically? The curriculum in Public schools is completely different from the curriculum being used in Private and Charter schools. http://www.users.miamioh.edu/shermalw/edp603_group3-f00.html
As students and members of society, we have often heard that hard work pays off. Yet, in reality students, whose parents have money, have an advantage over students that don’t. If you have money you can buy technological devices, attend tutoring, and have the resources needed to go to school, whereas, some students’ parents struggle to buy them a backpack, notebook, or even a pencil.
The video, titled Equal Education in the United States provides us with a visual representation that educational resources are different for students with and without money. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9B8cSMdjAI Watch it to learn more about the statistics that our society continues to face.
How is education any different than it was 50 years ago?
School Segregation
The Brown versus Board of Education, Supreme Court decision ruled that “separate but equal” was illegal. However, that has not stopped school institutions from segregating students on the basis of their parents’ wealth.
A student is legally required to attend the school closest to their home location. If students are living in poor neighborhoods, the school they are attend will not have the same amount of funding as a school located in rich neighborhoods.
The San Jose Unified School District (SJUSD) http://sjusd.org and Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) https://www.pausd.org/student-services have different amount of resources available to their students. The inequity between these districts, predict the success an individual will have in society. For example, students’ attending PAUSD will have a facilitated education as opposed to students attending a school in the SJUSD. The facilitation of resources certain students have available to them, grants them the opportunity to solely focus on their education. Students attending SJUSD have to focus on school, helping their parents, and avoiding any mishaps (which may be related to gang violence). When school institutions segregate students on the basis of their academic performance, this creates a bigger gap in the skills they are receiving.
Resources available to students do not pertain only to the classroom. Parents’ level of education determines the assistance or lack of assistance a student has at home. Why does society value individuals’ memorization skills rather than students’ comprehension skills?
The prestigious allure that a school is able to maintain primarily focuses on the test scores students are able to achieve. School institutions need to focus on the well being of the students, aid them to obtain the confidence they need to excel academically, and positively reinforce their hard work. It is our responsibility to make sure that students are being provided with all the resources they need to succeed.
How can we help??
The prestigious allure that a school is able to maintain primarily focuses on the test scores students are able to achieve. School institutions need to focus on the well being of the students, aid them to obtain the confidence they need to excel academically, and positively reinforce their hard work. It is our responsibility to make sure that students are being provided with all the resources they need to succeed. As a united society, we must ensure that children are being integrated into schools that provide them the materials they need to be successful in life. Education is the key to breaking chains. As parents, brothers, sisters, mothers, and members of society we need to advocate for an equal and equitable education.
