American progressives have long derided the right for its attacks on education and schools; however, it is long past time for the American left to look at itself in the mirror and realize its own hubris. This is not to let the hard right off the hook when it comes to education, but it is necessary for the left not to lose sight of its own failures.
The American education system is in crisis: a shortage of teachers, post-pandemic declines in learning and lack of proper funding plagues an already battered education sector. Instead of helping to reform this crumbling system and helping America’s youth, political figures on both sides of the aisle seem more willing to engage in culture war nonsense. While the left isn’t innocent in any of this deadlock, the main failings when it comes to the politicization of education still belong to the right.
Public education isn’t all about math and reading. There are many other topics students need to experience and learn about to become healthy and functioning members of society. With discourse around sex education becoming increasingly common, we must understand what adequate and competent education concerning sex looks like for America’s youth. However, the state of sex education in our public education system is in shambles and the public must take notice and address the ever-expanding problem.
When I was in middle school, I became seriously sick due to an asthma attack. While I recovered relatively well, I continued to use my sickness to persuade my parents to let me stay home which resulted in me missing weeks of school. While I felt great about not having to listen to my teachers or learn algebra, the results were predictable: I failed most of my classes during the last quarter of seventh grade. The ramifications of my actions continue to this day, as I struggle deeply with math because I skipped so many days of class back in seventh grade. My experience is not unique; chronic absenteeism, as this phenomenon is called, is a persistent problem for millions of American students.
American politicians often lambast so-called shadow governments and praise the necessity of accountability in politics. Yet, what if I were to tell you that there is a parallel system in the U.S. primarily supported by the rich and powerful, with little transparency and actively funded by the U.S. ...
Imagine that you are a kid in middle school, and you are struggling with algebra. You go in, take a midterm and score a C. Not bad, but also not great. To improve your next test score, you’re hoping to receive some extra attention from the teacher and maybe some out-of-class tutoring. Now imagine if none of those things happen. Instead, your school is closed, your teachers have been fired and you must move to another school. Unfortunately, this isn’t an imaginary situation, it is the reality being lived by millions of American students and teachers at this very moment.
We are three years into Joe Biden’s presidency, and Americans are not exactly happy about his performance so far as a chief executive. His approval rating has been consistently poor with an average of 39.8% in his third year in office, the second lowest only to Jimmy Carter for first-term presidents in the same period.
I started this column to discuss the ongoing collapse of America’s educational system in the face of limited funding, lack of parental involvement and bad policies. But before we get to any of that we must address a very serious question: Why do we have a taxpayer funded mandatory public education system in the first place?
Donald Trump’s rhetoric on the campaign trail and in office has never been tame by any standards. Ranging from quoting the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini to calling white supremacists “very fine people,” Trump seems to incite controversy whenever he opens his mouth. Yet, as the 2024 election approaches, Trump has accomplished the amazing task of spouting even more controversial language than ever.
As COVID-19 rampaged across the world in 2020 and widespread lockdowns swept across the nation, many of the country’s classrooms moved online to continue to educate the nation’s youth during a time of distress. Pencils, papers and textbooks were replaced with computers, phones and Zoom. However, now that the pandemic wave has subsided and students have begun to return to in-person classrooms, it seems that online classes are here to stay. While some celebrate the effectiveness of a technology-driven education system, Americans should take a long pause and think about how technology has changed education.
