Education is critical to human growth because it allows people to gain the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for fulfilling and productive lives. Not every kid in the United States has equal access to high-quality education. Meatto (2019) acknowledges that racial segregation in public schools has been unlawful in the United States for sixty-five years. Nonetheless, American public schools remain disproportionately segregated and unequal, with severe repercussions for kids, particularly students of color (Meatto, 2019). The intersection of socioeconomic and racial division has widened educational differences between affluent and poor and between white and minority students. The nation’s severely uneven and segregated K-12 public education system is the most visible manifestation of education inequality and a significant contributor to it.
The United States is not adhering to its pledge to equal education opportunities. Since the country underinvests in public education by over $150 billion yearly, millions of American children, specifically Black, brown, and low-income children, are denied the chance to succeed (The Century Foundation, 2020). Furthermore, students in the United States do worse than students in other developed countries, with considerable differences along ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic categories (The Century Foundation, 2020; Tucker, 2021). Hence, volatility in education investment closely parallels diversity in student results. Students tend to obtain better grades and score higher in states that invest more in public schools.
Different and unequal experiences influencing students’ understanding and knowledge of race and diversity throughout K-12 will follow them into higher education. Gordon and Reber (2021) state that the educational system should emphasize vulnerable students. Nonetheless, opponents of this approach argue that diversity efforts must go beyond demographic efforts to achieve genuine integration. If knowledge is power, then students from various backgrounds and experiences may feel undervalued when schools or universities exclusively provide a European-centric curriculum as the valued knowledge (Wells, 2020). Likewise, when educational institutions establish disciplinarily or conduct policies or processes that only acknowledge particular norms of behavior and presentation of students from specific backgrounds, others will feel excluded.
State governments make most key educational policies concerning elementary and secondary school decisions in the United States. Gordon and Rebel (2021) confirm that local districts are responsible for the implementation choices involved with managing schools. While the federal government may play an important role in R&D and offer much-needed financial help, tying federal funds to conditions is a powerful but limited instrument (Gordon & Rebel, 2021). Understanding the significance of non-school elements in influencing educational achievements in the country is vital. For instance, the corrosive effects of systemic oppression and racism across American society and the negative repercussions of childhood poverty lead to educational inequalities (Gordon & Rebel, 2021). The solutions to these issues are simultaneously upgrading school systems and providing equal funding to all schools. Retraining current instructors can also increase teacher quality (Gordon & Rebel, 2021). Partnering student teachers with more pedagogically competent cooperating teachers, for instance, boosts their effectiveness as new instructors.
To conclude, one of the most apparent expressions of education inequality, as well as a primary contributor, is the nation’s profoundly unequal and segregated K-12 public school system. Although the educational system may help vulnerable kids tackle the problem, opponents of this method contend that in order to achieve real integration, diversity initiatives must go beyond race. Others will feel alienated when educational institutions construct disciplinary mechanisms that assist pupils from particular backgrounds. As a result, the solution is to focus on equitable opportunities, funding, and teacher quality.
References
Gordon, N., & Rebel, S. (2021). Addressing inequities in the US K-12 education system. Economic Strategy Group. Web.
Meatto, K. (2019). Still separate, still unequal: Teaching about school segregation and educational inequality. The New York Times. Web.
The Century Foundation. (2020). Closing America’s education funding gaps. The Century Foundation. Web.
Tucker, M. (2021). Why other countries keep outperforming us in education (and how to catch up). Education Week. Web.
Wells, A. S. (2020). Racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity across K–12 and higher education sectors: Challenges and opportunities for cross-sector learning. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 52(2), 56–61. Web.