The Value of Education for Minorities
The public education
experience through the eyes of minorities has been a hard and laborious journey.
It has been evident that minorities have had to fight for the right to learn
and gain an education that was at least remotely close to that of their white
peers. Education has consistently been seen as a fight for the means of holding
power for one’s self, and over others. Throughout history, it has felt as
though white people viewed it as a competition for control; a means to maintain
a social order that is ideal for themselves. People of color though have been
one of the main reasons as to how our education system has been molded and
shaped. They do not want to claim anything strictly for themselves, but rather they
strongly urge for the ideal world of equality and fairness regardless of race,
ethnicity, etc. They want the same chances others receive when they are perceive
as worthy and valid individuals. I personally believe that we do not live in a
whitewashed world, as much as some white people would like to think. It feels as
though we do because people perpetuate the glamour of whiteness and the power
it holds in regards to opportunity and favorability, but society is far more
colorful and diverse than people are led to believe. It is because of immigrant
culture why we have such a strong and influential public education system
throughout the majority of our country. Immigrants that come into this country
are valuable in that they offer insight to other cultures and demonstrate that
there is beauty and value in things that are not “white”. The importance of
education for those that come here is of the utmost importance as this country
was founded by immigrants themselves. The American culture is that we have all
come here to live free lives to better ourselves and our families, but why
should this only apply to the white man? This place has been labeled as the
land of the free and has prided itself off of its diversity, so why not truly
embrace the so called “melting pot” and make educational experiences personal
and meaningful to those that are in fact worthy of a quality education?
Education is a sign of
power and gives people the tools to further their life experiences and
betterment. It baffles me that people are so competitive in nature that they
want to see others fail while they themselves are off thriving. The importance
of educational opportunity is that if there is to be competition, it should not
be for the resources, but rather how well those resources are being utilized. People
of color are seen as a threat to the white man because they are scared that
they will be taking their jobs, “invading” their spaces, but in all actuality
they simply just want to coexist. Because we live in a world where this is
still a prevalent instance, people of color and other minorities often must
display resilience in order to be at the same level or surpass their white
peers. In some cases, the competition for resources is at an all-time high for those
that are truly trying to show that they are just as capable as those who are
seen as having default ability and entitlement to opportunity. It is from this
resilience that minorities display which shows they are capable and are worthy
of equal opportunity and that they should not have to fight for the right to
equal chances to get where they need and want to be.
America
is seen as such a whitewashed, Eurocentric focused country, but the prevalence
and significance of “majority-minority” presence is what makes this country
truly a rainbow of culture. This country had been founded on the grounds that
it is comprised of people searching for a place to grow and better their lives
and the lives of others. Immigrants have brought with them the gratitude of
being able to freely live out their lives. It is toxic to believe that the American
dream only applies to those that are white. Americans all work to reach their
dreams and goals, and most importantly we all contribute to the pool of funds
that go to the public school system. You need to work to learn and you need to
learn to work. Without the tax dollars of every worker, we would not have such
a flowing economy that offers job opportunities and schooling throughout the
country. Where do those tax dollars come from though? They are the product of
workers that have went to school to better their lives. Their life betterment
is also that of those that are working towards similar life goals. Education is
still so unequal to this day though, which is why it is important to fund
schools in lower socioeconomic areas, give them resources to educate their
children, because without that, so much potential would be going to waste. The
US education system can be made so much better if we keep the concept of
inclusivity and progression in mind. It’s not about taking away from those that
have so much, but rather giving to those that need those extra resources in
order for them to also be a part of this symbiotic system.
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