To be honest, I struggled in answering this question. You'd think that as a citizen in a country that has a very well functioning democracy as well as a very strong public school system, I would be able to very easily connect the two. However, this was not the case.
Because of my inherent knowledge of our government, I was able to create a basic definition of a democracy. It is a government in which the people govern themselves. Any man or woman above the age of eighteen is able to vote on laws and elect officials. This is right is given to everyone regardless of race, class, or gender. In this type of government, citizens hold quite a lot of power.
As I sat at my desk thinking of what this meant, suddenly the trust that the government has in the people of The United States dawned on me. The expectation is that the citizens are able to make an educated decision on any of the laws or elections they are voting on. If not, the democracy will crash and burn.
This is where public education comes in. In order for the government to trust that the citizens are educated, they must provide an adequate education to everyone. For this type of government to succeed, there is no other option but for the common man to be well educated. In a country in which a dictatorship is in power, the citizens do not need to think. These people just follow laws. In contrast, the people of a democracy vote for laws to be put in place or not. The whole system relies on the fact that the people should not only have the right to a say in their government, but that they are actually able to govern themselves sufficiently.
Many people of this country cannot afford private school educations, or college educations. This is why public schools are imperative. An education in a democracy is not a privilege, it is a right. The government of a democracy encourages learning, prosperity, and the sharing of ideas. This only helps it to grow. In public schools, all children are offered an education that will allow them to be a intelligent voter in the future.
Kendall, there is a charming simplicity in this post. I really like how your post starts with a very personal narrative perspective and concludes with a confident, more third person, statement about democracy and education. This was very engaging. It probably won't work all the time, but it worked for this. I really don't have much to offer. I agree that a government-funded education is essential in a country that relies on the common man to run the government. A democracy based on social equality cannot exist without it.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I might suggest in the future would be to challenge your own conclusion. I like this post, but it would have been more thorough and convincing if you had addressed potential opposition to your point of view. For example, in the first two paragraphs, you are very optimistic about the success of our democracy and our system of education. What about all of those inner city children who do not receive the same quality education that students from more affluent towns receive? Are they being prepared to contribute to the democracy? How does your answer account for these kids?