Is Education a Right or a Privilege? Sample English Essay Paper

Abstract

The overall purpose of the paper is to determine the role of integration in evaluating whether education is a right or a privilege. Racial and socioeconomic equity are the main factors discussed because; they affect education in terms of affordability and accessibility. The study reveals that students from an integrated school tend to perform better and have more opportunities as compared to those from a school with the same class of students. Schools should be integrated on both racial and socioeconomic grounds so that they tap into the full potential of students in order to achieve stable a society’s good performance.

Education is the core foundation of every society since it presents the means to achieve economic, civil, social, and political rights. These factors prove to be important for stable civil societies, sound governance, and strong institutions. Education also reveals new vices of ethical and moral awareness as it strives to impart skills and the ability to think and invent (Hartjen, Priyadarsini, 2004).  The constitution defines education as a right accorded to all children but, factors such as wealth and race affect this faction. This therefore leads the society back to the question of whether education is a right or a privilege. As much as the constitution looks at it as a right, equal accessibility for all might deem it otherwise.

In the article “The Next Kind of Integration,” Emily Bazelon, 2008, quotes “Is the purpose of integration simply to mix students of different colors for the sake of equity or to foster greater familiarity and comfort among the races? Should integration necessarily translate into concrete gains like greater achievement for all students?” with this, she raises concern over the productivity of integration as suggested by the courts. Some suggested that it should be done on a racial level while others suggested that it should be done on an economical class level. The racial level holds a stronger angle since this is something that could be achievable in bringing tangible results.

Racial segregation in schools has proven to be a giant issue over many centuries. This is whereby; students of difference races are accorded fewer positions in schools as compared to the white community. With many protests and court cases, the court overtime ruled for desegregation even though the percentage of white students in a school for example proves to be higher than that of black students. At some point, the rate of racial students might be at 15 percent of the school population meaning that not all students get equal opportunities or access to education. This reveals the need for racial integration whereby black students get to socialize with white students hence broadening their scopes for job acquisitions. This helps them in climbing the higher economic ladder hence building a better life. However, these are long term goals that might not be easily accessed. The lucky few benefit from such opportunities especially in cities like Kansas and Boston where the population of black students is 35% while that of white students is 55% (Bazelon, 2008).

Even after the Brown vs. Board of Education, the academic achievements of black students remained on the lower side as compared to that of white students. After much deliberation, it was discovered that black students still attended inferior schools with lower budgets hence lesser opportunities (Bazelon, 2008). In light of this, it was later broken down to the fact that the level of poverty among black families could also be a factor contributing to poor performance. If the majority of students in a school tend to be poor, then learning might not be at its peak thus minimal grades. Students from a poor background attending a low income school tend to perform poorly as compared to students from a poor background in a middle class income school. This shows how economic integration in schools helps in improving and motivating students regardless of the background. Since the government prides itself in the “No child left behind act,” economic integration would be a major contribution.

Not all students come from a society that could offer a wide range of opportunities, nor are all students or individuals born in a family with access to education to expand their prospects ( Hartjen, Priyadarsini, 2004). Students from a particular race or of poor financial background end up going about with their lives without realizing their full potential. This means that they are condemned to a place where they have no or minimal opportunities yet they are expected to compete with privileged students for resources such as job opportunities.  In “Two Cheers For Brown vs. The Education Board,” Clayborne Carson says, “To separate them from others of similar age and qualifications solely because of their race generates a feeling of inferiority as to their status in the community that may affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely ever to be undone” (Carson, 2004). Access for education has deemed it a privilege and not a right for the selected few. In today’s economy, without proper educations the chances for prosperity might be minimal considering the competition. Equity in school integration helps students to raise chances of being enrolled into colleges. Students from more affluent schools are most likely to be enrolled at a college as compared to students from lower income schools. This reduces chances for poor students who might be bright hence blocking them from possible prosperity (Carson, 2004).

Economical and racial integration also ensures lesser number of dropouts from schools. The number of students dropping out from segregated schools is higher than in integrated schools due to high poverty. With the increase in desegregation, the number of dropouts has significantly dropped hence better opportunities for students from all walks. Integration also helps in the reduction of racial achievement gaps whereby, some races were accorded more prosperity than the other (Guinier, 2004). Racial integration ensures that students get to interact and exchange ideas while creating friendships that lead to access of higher opportunities. Latino and Black American students had smaller achievement gaps as compared to those of white students who never attended high-poverty schools.  It also boosts critical thinking, creativity and problem solving due to the diversity created by mixture of students from different backgrounds who learn from each other.

In conclusion, Education should be a right and not a privilege set aside for the selected few. All children should be accorded equal education opportunities regardless of race or economic background. The education system needs to be pulled from what it used to be centuries ago in order to build a competent society. Children should be given the ability to improve their families or societies and not be doomed to poverty due to school systems that block their potential. I believe that there is need for equity socioeconomic and racial factors in education for maximum results.

References

Carson. C. (2004 April 1) Two Cheers for Brown v. Board of Education. King Institute Stanford Retrieved from https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/two_cheers_brown_board.pdf

Bazelon E. (2008 July 20) The Next Kind of Integration. Nytimes. Retrieved from             http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/magazine/20integration-t.html?mcubz=0

Hartjen, C. A., & Priyadarsini, S. (2012). The global victimization of children: Problems and                  solutions. New York: Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Guinier, L. (2004). From racial liberalism to racial literacy: Brown v. Board of Education and                  the interest-divergence dilemma. Journal of American History, 91(1), 92-118.

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