America Skips School Summary
The Downfall of Educational Expectations
"America Skips School" by Benjamin R. Barber and "Back to Basics: Test Scores Don 't Lie" by Diane Ravitch are essays by accomplished authors examining the condition of Americas educational system. The main theme of both essays are a criticism of the public school system in America. While both authors have different objections and problems with the system, both clearly feel that there needs to be major changes.
Barber, in "America Skips School", makes a very compelling concise argument of how the entire system is in crisis. Between low expectations, underpaid teachers, the mindset of consumerism being all invasive, and the fact that America simply doesn 't care about quality education, America is slipping …show more content…
Education is not given the credence it deserves . we are a nation that has become accustomed to instant gratification. The very things that will create long term excellence and security for our country is being ignored in favor of the pursuit of frivolous materialism and …show more content…
They receive affirmation of this through the media, their peers, and by the longstanding social decree that place more value on male children. This problem is not confined only to American schools. When looking at seventeen nations, females consistently were outranked by their male contemporaries. Peer pressure, consisting of all genders, races, and status, in school also causes a lack of academic excellence. For example, in an all black high school in Washington,D.C., "if they did well in their studies, they might be accused of "acting white."" (Ravitch,3) The student 's are faced with fighting against conforming to what is considered the "norm" for their situation or being ostracised. Those who place their education as more important face the chances of being labeled a number of unflattering terms that could potentially make the school years a trial.
Ravitch also points out that those countries who push a rigorous curriculum at a young age and expect discipline and hard work are the countries that are now surpassing America in many fields. "There is a growing real world correspondence between our declining test results and our declining economic prowess"
"America Skips School" by Benjamin R. Barber and "Back to Basics: Test Scores Don 't Lie" by Diane Ravitch are essays by accomplished authors examining the condition of Americas educational system. The main theme of both essays are a criticism of the public school system in America. While both authors have different objections and problems with the system, both clearly feel that there needs to be major changes.
Barber, in "America Skips School", makes a very compelling concise argument of how the entire system is in crisis. Between low expectations, underpaid teachers, the mindset of consumerism being all invasive, and the fact that America simply doesn 't care about quality education, America is slipping …show more content…
Education is not given the credence it deserves . we are a nation that has become accustomed to instant gratification. The very things that will create long term excellence and security for our country is being ignored in favor of the pursuit of frivolous materialism and …show more content…
They receive affirmation of this through the media, their peers, and by the longstanding social decree that place more value on male children. This problem is not confined only to American schools. When looking at seventeen nations, females consistently were outranked by their male contemporaries. Peer pressure, consisting of all genders, races, and status, in school also causes a lack of academic excellence. For example, in an all black high school in Washington,D.C., "if they did well in their studies, they might be accused of "acting white."" (Ravitch,3) The student 's are faced with fighting against conforming to what is considered the "norm" for their situation or being ostracised. Those who place their education as more important face the chances of being labeled a number of unflattering terms that could potentially make the school years a trial.
Ravitch also points out that those countries who push a rigorous curriculum at a young age and expect discipline and hard work are the countries that are now surpassing America in many fields. "There is a growing real world correspondence between our declining test results and our declining economic prowess"