What College Can Mean To The Other America

What College Can Mean to the Other America

[Name of the Writer]

[Name of the Institution]

What College Can Mean to the Other America

Introduction

Mike Rose, in the Journal “What college can mean to other America” shed a light on an issue of significant importance whose roots has been deeply ingrained in the American society. Many agreeing to Rose consider that the issue poses a threat to the existence of American society. The issue that has been highlighted in the Journal describes; it has been evident in the past decades that numerous teenagers have opted to work in low paying dead-end jobs (Muller, 2014). A significant reason behind this is that many teenagers lack equal access to quality education. Sadly, due to the unforgiving nature of the economy of capitalist America, those who are already disenfranchised are continuously drifting out of from even those low-paying dead-end jobs. Policymakers, reformists, and educationists have put their heads together to find a robust plan to tackle this problem. Every time, a suggestion emanates from such meetings; every citizen must be provided with equal access to affordable and quality education. This paper intends to investigate what having access to affordable college could mean to America.

Discussion

According to numerous researchers, the problem of teenagers lacking access to affordable college and drifting out of college has serious consequences. Furthermore, they hold the view that teenagers not being able to go to affordable college makes them strip off their fundamental right to get educated. Moreover, according to many educationists, teenagers having access to affordable colleges would ultimately result in them actively participating in society. This argument is consolidated by the fact that education serves as a tool which pulls people out of poverty and put them on a course of greatness. Lastly, many believe that the capitalist nature of American economy restricts the growth of poor people and further mire them in poverty.

Education a fundamental right

Mike Rose in the Journal highlighted education is the fundamental right of every citizen. Furthermore, Mike Rose argues that there can significant positive changes in American society should every teenager has equal access to colleges. Logsdon in his publication said that everyone should take the responsibility of bringing reforms to the American education system (Logsdon, 1997). Furthermore, Logsdon has said that education is deemed as a fundamental human right in the majority of the countries around the world. Furthermore, Logsdon analyzed that because many countries have identified education and access to affordable education as a basic human right, they are able to become highly advanced and industrialized (Logsdon, 1997). Interestingly, Logsdon highlighted that education serves as a bridge that enables citizens to participate in democratic, political, and economic process in truest of sense (Logsdon, 1997). Logsdon has rightly pointed out that because teenagers are missing the facility of affordable education which makes them increasingly frustrated and disenfranchised (Logsdon, 1997). Moreover, while quality education is a right that should be protected, an affordable education is the right that should be given, no matter what. Additionally, society benefits from education collectively. For instance, should the upcoming generation be provided affordable education, there be a sharp decline in the crime rates. Hence, there are numerous visible changes from which the society is already benefitting. Many teenagers that get educated go on to do something productive and thus give back to society. Additionally, with access to affordable education, individuals are incorporated into society, who are enlightened and motivated to take society to unparalleled success, says Logsdon.

Education enables people to actively participate in society

What education provides to the individual is that it enables them to participate in society actively. It is evident that when there is an abundance of educated people in any society, there tends to exist numerous opportunities that would enable the educated people to give back to society. According to Li, with adequate education, people would be presented with numerous opportunities that would help them to understand the real meaning of living in a civilized and democratic society (Li, 2019). Li pointed out that the world has become a global village with civilized and mostly democratic societies all around the world (Li, 2019). In order to understand the real meaning of living in a civilized and democratic society, it is imperative to educate the upcoming generation. Without educating the younger generations, any society embarks on a course that leads to only decadence. Furthermore, Rose highlighted in the journal “What college can mean to other America” highlighted that smaller communities in the United States not only lack a quality education but are also missing out on affordable education. Li has consolidated this fact by arguing that smaller communities can embark on a journey to become bigger and highly organized community. Additionally, Li argues that with the recognition of the right of equal access to education, a society having various cultural and social elements would be shaped (Li, 2019). Li implies that a society having diverse roots enable its residents to participate and interact actively (Li, 2019).

Education as a tool to pull people out of poverty

It is incumbent on the Federal government to invest additional resources in the field of education, especially college-level education. MacNeil, Prater, & Busch recognize that following the completion of a college degree, an individual is on their way to land a full-time job (MacNeil, Prater, & Busch, 2009). With the government investing more resources into college-level education, individuals would never be indebted to student loans. Moreover, overall investment in education would mean that there is a little burden on the citizens in terms of finances, says MacNeil. According to MacNeil, Prater, & Busch, with up-to-date educational infrastructure, practices, and standards, the education system would produce individuals that would serve the country by working in different fields a substantive salary (MacNeil, Prater, & Busch, 2009). Therefore, having sound education provides individuals to avail bigger and better economic opportunities.

Capitalism exacerbating the issue of equal access to education

Capitalistic point of view states that every individual has freedom and equality. Roderick, Coca, Nagaoka think otherwise (Roderick, Coca & Nagaoka, 2011). They argue that this capitalistic perspective is true as far as the law is concerned (Roderick, Coca & Nagaoka, 2011). However, Roderick, Coca, Nagaoka links capitalism with increasing significant inequalities related to wealth (Roderick, Coca & Nagaoka, 2011). Roderick, Coca, Nagaoka have identified that about 1% of the wealthiest people have control over 34% of the wealth of the entire US. This 1%, apart from holding most of the wealth of the nation, wield significant power on the decision making the process. Roderick, Coca, Nagaoka argue that due to this fact there is little input from a common in the decision-making the process (Roderick, Coca & Nagaoka, 2011). Against this background, it becomes quite difficult for an individual to deal with the unforgiving nature of the capitalist economy.

Conclusion

Taking into consideration the discussion above, it is evident that the majority of the researchers agreed that access to education is a right that should be safeguarded at all costs (Muller, 2014). Furthermore, the researchers highlighted that by having the necessary skills and knowledge, a society can benefit collectively. Lastly, the capitalist nature of the economy has proven to be the biggest impediment in providing equal opportunities to every citizen. It is evident that teenagers with lack of access to an affordable college education have serious consequences for the American society collectively. The government must take drastic measures to ensure that maximum teenagers are provided with the facility of affordable and quality education. Failing to provide this basic human right, American society is bound to become decadent in the years to come.

References

Li, X. (2019). Challenging Both Rural Advantage and Disadvantage Narratives: The Effects of Family Factors on American Student College Expectations in the Early 2010s. Journal of Research in Rural Education (Online), 35(5), 1-16.

Logsdon, J. M. (1997). Not by Schools Alone: Sharing Responsibility for America's Education Reform. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 5(3), 313.

MacNeil, A. J., Prater, D. L., & Busch, S. (2009). The effects of school culture and climate on student achievement. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 12(1), 73-84.

Muller, G. H. (2014). What College Can Mean to the Other America. The McGraw-Hill Reader: Issues Across the Disciplines. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, 195-196.

Roderick, M., Coca, V., & Nagaoka, J. (2011). Potholes on the road to college: High school effects in shaping urban students’ participation in college application, four-year college enrollment, and college match. Sociology of Education, 84(3), 178-211.