One of the main problems confronting America is the inefficient public education system. No doubt that America is one of the prosperous countries in the world, yet it stands at twenty-sixth in the field of public education. As per the international ranking of the OECD countries, the public education system of America is moderate when compared with the rest of the world. Given that education is the primary building block on which the progress of a nation depends, America must plug the loopholes and update its education system. Inefficient structure apart, the educational system in many other ways has exacted a severe toll on the students. It has been described as the civil rights issue of the time and aptly so. Why is it deemed a civil right issue? It has been deemed as a civil right issue due to its surging college fee, forcing students to jettison their education, inflicting a severe toll on mental health, not paying college athletes, and due to prevailing racial inequalities.
Firstly, the astronomical spike in the tuition fee has made education a civil rights issue because it has forced them to stop their education or made them incapable to get an education. It is the responsibility of the state to provide education to students but here the failure is conspicuous. In the 1978-79 period, the cost of attaining education in a private college and public college was 17,680 dollars and 8,250 dollars annually respectively. Since then, the fee has seen an upward trend. In 2008-2009, the cost for a private college was 38,270 dollars whereas in public college the fee was 16,460 dollars. It means that there was a 29 percent rise in tuition fees of private colleges while in public colleges the fee rise was 25 percent. The statistics imply the astronomical rise in college fees. So, what was the impact? Obviously, it creates problems for youth to get a college education, particularly those belonging to lower or middle-income backgrounds. The situation for employed youth worsens as there was a decrease in wages and rise in tuition fee of the colleges. Over the years, the allocation of state resources for education has seen a downward trend. Today, instructive expense addresses about a bit of school pay, while state and close by governments give the other half. However, around thirty years earlier, the split was completely unique, with instructive or educational expense giving basically a fourth of pay and state and neighborhood governments getting the rest. Over the span of the latest decade, significant cuts in state financing for high-level training have added to gigantic instructive expense increases and pushed a more prominent measure of the costs of school onto understudies. This shows how the state has been disregarding its obligations.
The American educational system is evolving as a civil rights issue because it is rife with the phenomenon of racial inequality. It has perpetuated an entrenched racial divide by offering different facilities to different races. In the broader field of education, there is a wide gulf between black people and white people. Contentions have been given that racial disparities have been moderated in the field of education. They additionally contend that it will require some investment to even out the long-term disparities, notwithstanding, the thought is established in misconception and unnecessary information on how bigotry shows in the instructive area. The instructive imbalances are more noticeable for the minority kids, showing that they need admittance to quality educators, quality instructive organizations, and educational plans. The state has relinquished its duty to give equivalent instructive offices and weight on their turn of events. One fundamental justification for this mentality is the bigoted strategies of the state. governments have given deficient financing to minority schools and paid no notice to modernize their schooling level. Comparing it with the European and Asian countries which give reserves more or less equally, America's main 10% school is rich and spends through 10% more than schools in the regions mired in poverty. individuals of color having science certificates establish simply 3 to 4 percent. Additionally, the ethnic minorities are likewise hindered from having their works distributed or get advancements in the college. The workforce of individuals of color in designing is tinier when contrasted with their white partners.
Firstly, college athletes are an important source of revenue for schools in many ways. These students take part In different competitions and represent their schools at different forums. It implies that their performance act as an integral factor for people to opt for a particular school. In the incumbent era, extra-curricular activities are gaining increasing traction among parents. So if college athletes perform well, it directly impacts the ranking of these educational institutions. apart from performing extra-curricular activities and earning praise and fame for their school, they also generate revenue. However, they are denied this right. In recent years, the debate has gained momentum, and arguments are given that college athletes should be paid. It has become a civil right as it is right of the college athletes to get paid.
Furthermore, studies have shown that the time spent by these college athletes for training constitutes time taken by actual work done. This implies that they do work akin to regular workers and still got nothing. This is one of the major drawbacks of the American educational system as non-payment of money to these athletes undermines their ability to effectively pursue their education and their career prospects. Considering this, they should be given a fair share so that they can effectively pursue their future.
Not only this, the burden of the high fee is exacting a toll on the mental health of the students. It has been said that the burden and depression of high fees cause severe health problems for the students. The situations exacerbated for those who are unemployed or belong to a poor household. It engenders anxiety, depression, and isolation. In the worst cases, students from lower to middle-income backgrounds have to undergo extra work in their jobs to be able to pay their fees. Most of the time, the inefficient public education system also leads to a job in the low-skilled sector. They are unable to fulfill their dream as the education system does not provide them with the necessary skills.
It has become a national issue and the inefficient educational system entails detrimental consequences for the whole nation. On the national level, the results are highly discouraging. The graduation rates have plummeted owing to the high fees. Most families don’t have the resources to see the completion of their education. Instead, they have to find work to support their families. So, the literacy rate that would have gone up would now see a decline. This will directly influence the nation’s development. The country’s development is contingent upon the literacy rate. So, when the latter decline, the former will be automatically influenced insidiously. The point is that as fewer students will be able to get an education, this will undermine the essentials that are usually required to lay the foundations of a progressive nation. Additionally, this is also contributing to the detriment of future generations. The probabilities of getting an education will decline leading to fewer opportunities for them to exploit. Ergo, this is a loss that extends over to coming generations and can have grave consequences.
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- J. ROZDOWSKI, MARK J. “Should College Athletes Be Paid?”
- Negative Effects of High Tuition Costs.”