Sydney Augustine
Ithaca College '19 New York University '23
The United States education system that exists today is broken and failing our children. This statement is not meant to be negative, but it is more of a critical awareness that current and future educators need. If we are to make changes, we must acknowledge the issues of achievement gaps, school funding, safety of students, and much more. It is also important that the white patriarchal ideals our education system was built on are still deeply embedded in our schools today. While certain students are giving great opportunities, others, especially women and people of color, aren’t even given a fighting chance.
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With that being said politics plays a huge role in education and the political beliefs of our founding fathers lay the groundwork for the education system. It is important to remember that while Thomas Jefferson desired for citizens to be well-versed and educated, he was only speaking to a specific population - white males.
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The system was not built for marginalized groups, meaning we have all right to interpret what it truly means to be a good citizen. And in current times, good American citizens are those who question the system, those in power, and how they are using their power. To be a good citizen is to evaluate what is happening around you and working to make it a better place for everyone.
Artifact #1
In my Social and Cultural Foundations of Education class, I critically reflected on how politics influenced my education, specifically with school elections. I was able to realize the political motives behind many of the policies and activities that happen in schools and how I played a personal role. We are not only there to get a good education, but understand the political system, become good, active citizens, and develop democratic leadership. School government elections are one way of teaching students this before they can actually vote in a real election and be active citizens.
Artifact #2
In my Intro to Developmental Psychology class, we watched a documentary called 21 Up in America, which follows the same group of economically, racially and socially diverse kids growing up in America every seven years. This documentary speaks volumes to how certain citizens are able to thrive and others are struggling to survive, which is based off gender, race, and class. The same old beliefs that built the education system still exist and prevent the success of marginalized groups.
STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVE #2
Students will demonstrate understandings of the historical and present structures of education and the significance of schools as a cultural institution within a larger system of power.