Education and Inequality

Schools had many advantages
but they still had many
issues to address. Source.

Before, not many people had the privilege of receiving an education. Only those who could afford it were able to get educated. However, by not going to school, many people were uneducated, and didn't learn the English language. By creating public schools, people were given the opportunity to be able to train for a better job, achieve American citizenship, have scientific and technological knowledge, and be able to live better lives. By creating public schools, we were able to assimilate, or merge different cultures together with our own, immigrants and stabilize a prosperous democratic nation.However, there were many different problems with the first few public schooling systems. For example, it wasn't formal schooling, and students would leave after four years to find a job.

By establishing a public school system, it helped many families assimilate. It helped tem learn English, and taught students math, and how to read and write. It also helped families by providing them with childcare for employed parents, and prevented children form working at sweatshops or factories.

Despite the public schooling system, back then it had many issues. One of those issues being that they perpetuated inequality. For example, there were different opportunities for whites and blacks. Until 1940, African Americans were allowed to attend elementary school. Also, only 1% of African Americans were able to attend high school. Another issue was that mainly European immigrants were encouraged to attend schools instead of people of color.


Old public school
located in Maryland. Source.

Some people or parents didn't want to send their children to school in fear of their kids being "Americanized". which means that they were afraid of their kids forgetting their culture and where they come from. They resented replacing their native language with English. Also, since in public schools, kids had to read the parts of the Bile, many Catholics didn't agree with the fact that they had mandatory reading of the Protestant Bible.

Now public schools are for everyone, however their are still many issues on inequality that need to be addressed and fixed.