BLOG ASSIGNMENT PART 2

How do we educate all children? (foreign born, American born, rich, poor, etc)

In order to educate all children regardless of if they are foreign born, American born, poor, rich, or whatever else, we have to present equal educational opportunities for all. In order to do this we have to create a system where accommodations are readily available to every student regardless of who they are. This means we need to make education more equitable so that way it is more accessible. I believe that in Chapter 2 of the book that the Gary schools were designed very closely to this with the “Work-Study-Play” method because it challenges students in unique and fun ways. On the United Nations Organization’s website, they state,”Those who leave school at an early age are vulnerable to unemployment, poverty, early marriage, and pregnancy. Some of the factors that fuel drop-out rates include poverty, gender, disability, family catastrophes, war and conflict, as well as perceived low return on investment for education.” We need to support all students regardless of if they may be “low return on investment for education” or not because that is inherently discriminatory. Then the passage on their website continues with,”Developing alternative learning opportunities that take into account these reasons for high drop-out rates are necessary to provide young people appropriate opportunities to consolidate their basic knowledge and competencies, and equip them with the relevant skills needed to obtain employment, become business owners and entrepreneurs or engage in other productive work. ” Education should be as hands on as possible and accessible to all in order for everyone to be able to progress in life.

School often benefits the rich and white (usually males) while it often fails minorities: such as the poor, BIPOC, disabled people, and women. I think this is the case because of a system of oppression that has been perpetuated by white people of power throughout history. In an article by Linda Strong-Leek titled bell hooks, Carter G. Woodson, and African American Education, she quotes Woodson,”We must be of the mind that the Negro has never been educated. He has merely been informed about other things which he has not been permitted to do. The Negroes have been shoved out of the regular school through the rear door into the obscurity of the backyard and told to imitate others when they see from afar, or they have been permitted in some places to come into the public school to see how others educate themselves. (p. 144)” Since education has been built on a system of oppression, it is bound to still exist within those structures since they have not been addressed fully. Due to this we have an obligation to give back to people who Woodson believes have never learned at all by finally giving them the true education they deserve instead of forcing people to conform to societal norms. bell hooks, however, believes that through her experience in segregated education she was given the tools by her educators to fight this white supremacy they were plagued with. And I believe that hooks is right and we have to return to giving people the necessary tools that they need in order to combat the system and give students the ability to think for themselves.