Inequities in the American education system

BAPSBlog
Written By Elizabeth Brunello
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BAPS leader Joshua Anderson shares his impressions from attending the Presidential Candidate Forum on Education Equity in Pittsburgh this past December.

Education is the driving force behind all future ambitions of the United States. And with the most paramount elections of the 21st century coming in less than a year, it was essential for MSNBC to bring this topic to the forefront in its own setting.

Some amount of nuance existed between the candidates on how to improve schooling and make it equal, but something was agreed on by the outset: Donald Trump and his Republican Party cannot be looked to for meaningful education reform.

His administration has hired the most unqualified education secretary in history who has paved the way for privatization and failed to protect the students who are most vulnerable.

It is important to know at the outset that all of the candidates’ platforms are better than the GOP alternative. I’m not going to tell anybody who to vote for, but I do encourage all readers to back the candidate who has the most uncorrupted and consistent history.

Here are some of my impressions of the candidates and positions put forward:

Rehema Ellis 

I’d be remiss not to mention the astonishing performance that Rehema Ellis did in probing the Democratic candidates. She knows that platitudes inevitably lead to unfulfilled promises and never settled for them. Asking not only what their specific plans were but how they would implement them was simple yet incredibly effective.

Now to the Big 4:

Pete Buttigieg (13%)*

(*Based on latest RCP polling data from South Carolina primary)

The policies that Buttigieg highlighted were:

  • Universal Pre-K

  • Creation of Education Access Corps

  • Portable teaching licenses

  • Student loan forgiveness for 7 years of Title 1 teaching

  • Invest in community schools model

  • Offer a tax credit for half the cost of an internship

  • Close offshore tax loopholes

  • Reverse Trump tax cuts

Elizabeth Warren (7%)

The policies that Warren outlined were:

  • 2￠tax on the top 1/10th of 1% to fund universal childcare and x4 funding for Title 1 schools

  • Fully fund IDEA

  • 1 billion dollar excellence grant for every public school in America

  • Cancel student loan debt

  • Every charter school must meet the requirements of public schools

  • All post-high school education is tuition free

  • Every existing public charter school in America remains open

  • Funds only go to public schools 


Bernie Sanders (25%)

Sanders emphasized the following policies:

  • Universal child care

  • Minimum $60,000 salary for teachers

  • Triple funding for Title 1 schools

  • Increase funding for IDEA

  • Increase funding for the Civil Rights Division

  • Cancel student loan debt

  • All public colleges tuition free

  • Nutrition guaranteed for all students

  • College athletes can profit from endorsements 

Joe Biden (34%)

Biden, coming in late at the end of the event spoke about:

  • Free community college

  • Double funding for Pell Grants

  • Triple funding for Title 1

  • Minimum $60,000 salary for teachers

  • Provide more advanced placement courses

Understanding Small Gains and a Plan for Logan County

I’m a progressive who would like to see the reforms like the ones listed above happen as much as anyone else. But we shouldn’t miss the forest for the trees when it comes to attempting to improve people's lives in such a dramatic way.

In order to harbor enough support for any of the policies that we want, it will be necessary to work hand-in-hand with establishment Democrats and moderate Republicans who are willing to cooperate. Short and attainable goals that have substantial influence over our immediate surroundings should be a top priority.

As a high school student, here are a few of the most common challenges I experience in the public school system, and the most common complaints that I hear about from fellow students. They may seem small to those who’ve long since graduated from school, but these issues affect kids every day:

  • Not enough field trips:

No student has the expectation that the school should take them to the park or zoo to drink apple juice and eat animal crackers every month, but a bi-yearly outing per grade level would give students at least give students something to look forward to. Maybe if enough students don’t have any disciplinary referrals or unexcused absences, and make decent grades, there could be a field trip to Water Ways or Camden Park. Take it from me, all that most students look forward to is the weekend and half an hour of time to spend with friends at lunch. Students need to be engaged in order to learn, anyway.

  • Wasted school days:

There are many occasions where I could accomplish all of the actual work that I do during the school day in under an hour. Every day of class should be productive. The WV Department of Education shouldn’t be perplexed when there is decline in attendance when its possible to make passing grades while missing every Monday or Friday.

  • Teaching:

Teachers should teach students how to think. This shouldn’t be confused with teachers telling students what to think. The classes where students have the worst grades are formatted in a way where the students listen to the teacher talk for an entire class period then search up answer keys online. We need interactive, engaging classes that challenge us.

  • Useless rules:

No hats or hoods. Why? I’m not supporting complete anarchy here, obviously some things are inappropriate for an educational setting. But where does the concern with a student covering the top of their head come from? Meanwhile, students struggle with food insecurity, mental health issues, homelessness… the list goes on. What are our values here?

Elizabeth Brunello