Education is a universal experience, but is it truly optimized? Many students feel let down by the system, ill-equipped for the real world, and unheard or unsupported. A significant challenge lies in the investment in students and the willingness of schools to listen to their opinions. One solution is to engage stakeholders further, particularly parents, who play a vital role in instilling morals alongside intelligence. By involving parents, we address the moral aspect of education, benefiting all parties involved.
To ensure students' voices are heard, institutions must address the historical issue of students feeling ignored. In the document “What is the purpose of Education?'' In a quote from Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech at Morehouse College in 1948, he states “The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But education that stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason but with no morals…. We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” This quote tells us that education is important but if we don't teach morals and intelligence. One way we have been doing this is getting the main stakeholders into this, for instance, parents. Without the parents the biggest stakeholders are hopeless students, if parents get involved then the moral side of education will be somewhat taught by parents. This benefits all parties.
Students also want to be heard it's not uncommon for students to say that they feel ignored at their respective institutions and this stems far past modern-day education. In the article “A Child Of Slavery Who Taught A Generation” the author Karen Grisby Bates states Cooper's insistence on an academic education for her students was not a diss of vocational work.” Anna J. Cooper wanted her students to be able to learn just as much as the rest. This is how students should advocate for themselves and schools need to listen. They need to speak up on things that they like or hate about their school. If schools continue to ignore the students and staff that advocate for these students then society is not going to thrive in the future.
Lastly, the extensive military budget overshadows education's position as a top priority in the United States. In a statement From “The ASCD Committee on Platform of Beliefs,” it says “The main purpose of the American… productivity in a democratic society.” Education is not the most significant thing in this country. In all truth, education should be our number one priority. In an article from Bussiness Insider, It states “ The US spent $877 billion in 2022, which accounts for almost 40 percent of all spending. By comparison, the US federal government allocated just $76.4 billion for education in 2022.” This shows that we need to talk about how much we spend on education. 76.4 billion is not enough to maintain an education in a country of 65.1 million students in Public Education.
Optimizing education requires addressing the concerns and aspirations of all stakeholders involved. By actively involving parents, we can ensure that the moral aspect of education is not neglected and that students receive a well-rounded foundation for their future. Additionally, schools must recognize the historical issue of students feeling unheard and take proactive measures to listen and respond to their needs. Only by fostering a culture of dialogue and collaboration can we create an education system that truly prepares students for the challenges of the real world.
What inspired me to write this story was the problems we have in education today. I went to Catholic school my whole life and I can say for certain that compared to people I knew who went to public schools my education was far superior. This leads me to wonder why there is a massive difference in education. I did not write this essay to discuss my personal experiences in education; instead, it is intended for those who did not have the opportunity to learn the valuable knowledge I acquired in school.