Form: Ira Glass’s podcast was a lot more compelling to listen to than the more “home-made” podcast that we initially were instructed to listen to for a variety of reasons. To begin, this podcast was only a few minutes to listen to in comparison to the 49 minute “home-made” podcast—this allows us to gather a better understanding of the overall message Glass was trying to convey. Because it was short, it got straight to the point instead of looking at a variety of aspects about one topic that may lead us astray. It allowed for the listener to keep focus instead of drifting off in another direction due to its length.
This podcast also comparatively was also more riveting to listen to because of the overall story/message. The initial podcast Exposing the Mythology of Education Reform was pretty back and forth with different individuals speaking about different topics, having different opinions, and interrupting one another to add more ideas. Ira Glass’s podcast though, had a more personal story told by the individual herself. To me, this caught my attention a lot more than the first podcast did. It demonstrated how real these issues are, and that change needs to take place. Her heartfelt story portrayed a clearer message.
Content: Jada’s experience of switching from a poorly funded inner city school to a well-funded suburban school and then back again was very moving and emotional to listeners, and allows for a sense of how truly concerning such issues are in today’s society. Jada talked about how exciting her new school was in comparison to her old one. She used the words, “so amazing” and how there were so many resources available to her now, like having a greenhouse and a computer lab, where these things were not even accessible in her old school. Jada was so grateful for the opportunity to receive the education she felt she deserved.
Switching back to her poorly funded inner city school after being caught using her grandfather’s address though, she described her first day back as remembering how kids were so different than her other school and how she knew she would not learn as much as she could and as much as she should because of how disruptive the atmosphere was when simply trying to get through a lesson plan. To me, this is eye opening in itself. Jada knew she deserved more than she could get, but at the same time she knew she would never get that because of her school placement. It is unfair to those motivated kids to be stuck in a school atmosphere that cannot provide them with the best because they do not have the money for newer resources or the discipline for the disruptive children. All of this seems to be set aside and the focus goes to those schools who already have everything because they are more achieving overall.
I feel that Jada’s reflecting on her experience between the two schools is enough to prove how unjust our school system can be and actually is. Many students go through Jada’s experience because of where they live. The podcast even stated, “If you are living in a poorer neighborhood, your school will get less money and not be as good.” In today’s world, this statement is essentially almost always true. Students have little choice over where they choose to live and because of those decisions made by parents they are placed within school systems that they cannot change.
The child’s destiny should not lie within the neighborhood in which they live. Change is apparent in order to give children the equal opportunity they deserve to further their standards of education. I know that a lot of schools with a higher standard are likely to receive grants for new resources such as computer labs. I think it would be a cool thing to have those things like grants be directed more towards those schools who have less opportunity than those who have the money to purchase things like that on their own. I believe a reform method that would have a big impact as well is equally distributing tax income to all areas within the state, rather than it being based upon what areas provide the most money. Our education freedom should be equal to all.
Comments
3 responses to “Should your neighborhood dictate your destiny?”
I agree with Melinda that it is unfair how much a child’s neighborhood ends up determining their future, because it determines the quality of their school. Jada’s story is not uncommon either, for I have seen first hand students lie about their addresses in order to attend a better public school. For example, I had a friend growing up who lived on the border of two towns. Her mother had enrolled her in the public school which was better, my school. Unfortunately, a few years later, it was discovered that her mother had lied in order to get her into the better public school, when in actuality, she was supposed to be attending the public school more negative reputation. She was eventually forced to change schools, until her mother had to physically move her children just a few blocks away for a better quality education. Fortunately, my friends mother was passionate and well-off enough to make change; but what about children like Jada?
I think Dana makes a good point too, how it might work out for some individuals to be able to pick up their family and move to a different neighborhood to ensure their child receives the best education possible, but there are some families that this just is not an option for–that does not mean the family or parent is not motivated to giving their child the best education that they deserve, they just simply cannot.
I think it is so unfair for children like Jada to be “stuck.” She is obviously looking for an out from her school but there is no way possible for her to achieve this. I think it is apparent that changes need to be made to fix scenarios like this. While ALL children deserve the best, I especially think it is unfair for those who have so much motivation and so much passion to make something out of themselves and for them to be unable to make any sort of change.
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