Summary Of Beyond The University: Why Liberal Education Matters By Michael S. Roth

Beyond the University: Why Liberal Education Matters, by Michael S. Roth, offers several perspectives from some of the most influential American educators of all-time. Roth, who is partial to a liberal education due to his background and profession, still manages to offer a nonpartisan view into the mindsets of the United States of America’s most prominent educators. These prominent educators are from different backgrounds, races, and sexes; therefore, they prove that liberal education is something that affects everyone. In his book, Roth focuses on the viewpoints of Thomas Jefferson and Frederick Douglass: two opposing, influential members of the Civil War era. While Jefferson and Douglass seem to agree on basic principles, their supporting

Jefferson believed only white, privileged males needed an education because they were the ones with a voice in government (38). This was outrageous to Douglass because black people were being withheld the chance to be educated and participate in the government, and therefore, blacks were being kept from their rights to equality in freedom. Even after the Civil War, former slaves were being treated as second-class citizens in a nation that prided itself on equality. In fact, there were in laws that said it was illegal to educate slaves (44). Early in life, Douglass realized with education came freedom; however, the southern government realized this and tried to make it impossible for blacks to be educated in attempt to keep them from being citizens of America (44). Jefferson claimed he was “worried about the permanent prejudices of the ex-masters” and the “ex-slave's’ inability to forget the massive injustices done to them” (38). By not educating these people, Jefferson was denying the the chance to ever participate in the government and politics; therefore, denying them the right to ever be citizens and live in the same society as white

However, when it came down to specifics, these two men had very different ideas. Jefferson believed the education of the people was crucial for a government by the people, and since women, Native Americans, and black people were not considered Americans, they did not need an education (38). Jefferson believed a broad liberal arts education would provide white men with the tools to properly participate in their government. Douglass was educated by Sophia Auld, the mother of a family he was sent to live with as a child. Sophia read the bible and sang to Douglass, created the urge to read and write in the young boy. Sophia’s husband was upset and believed that if Douglass learned to read, it would “forever unfit him to be a slave” (43). This was an awakening to Douglass because he realized that “once you can read you have the independence to learn on your own” (43). If blacks in America could be educated, they would equally participate in government and politics as they should. Jefferson did not believe that black people should be slaves, but he did not want black people living among white people in society; he also believed that black people could not “proceed in the journey of enlightenment” and therefore could not be citizens (44). His idea of education extended only to white men; therefore, he left out women, Native Americans, and black people: the majority of America.