Inequity In Public Education

Public education is the backbone of American democracy. In the words, of Benjamin Franklin “laying such a foundation of knowledge and ability as, properly improved, may qualify [individuals] to pass through and execute the several offices of civil life, with advantage and reputation to themselves and country” (Jamieson 66). Without public education, democracy would not be able to thrive. In an ideal public education system, everyone is entitled to equal access and equity in order to learn how to be prepared to participate in democratic society. However, inherent inequity in public education system as a result of segregation, both racially and socioeconomically, causes marginalization of groups resulting in the inability to achieve this

As seen with the video titled “The Race of Life” students who have both parents in their home are automatically given an advantage in school than those who are raised by single parent households (Section 2/14/18). This inhibits how many students receive education about how to participate in democracy, leaving them unable to engage in even the simplest civics related discussions. Students who are not wealthy receive unfair education to those who are. This inherent inequality is best stated in Richard Rothstein’s piece where he describes the different reasons students can be performing badly in school simply because of the socioeconomic status they were born into. He says “The individual predictors of low achievement are well documented… With fewer family resources, their college ambitions are constrained (Johnson, In Progress)” (Rothstein 2). These problems are ones that plague primarily lower class families causing them to raise children with lesser educations resulting in a vicious cycle of inequality. This disadvantage is one that inhibits the quality of the civics education resulting in students failing to learn how to be prepared to participate in the democratic society. Students are also segregated based on their race with a homogenous mixture of either; african americans or white students attending the school. Predominantly black schools come as a

However, inequality runs rampant in this system because of racial and socioeconomic segregation resulting in a worse education for many. This can be changed however. It is necessary for congress to integrate these families using low income housing. With this, it will be possible for families of all different backgrounds to receive the education that they deserve in order to participate in a democratic