Inequality in Education - Are All Children Developing Equally

Inequality in Education

Introduction

Children are heading off to school today. They will learn math, reading and writing along with other topics that should help each child develop into a well-rounded and highly educated individual. The question of concern, are all children learning and developing equally? Aside from delays that a child may have as an individual, it is possible that children are not getting the same standards across the board. We, as a society, may not see the immediate concern from such inequality; we can look at the past to see that there is a perpetual cycle of inequality that may never change without intervention on behalf of those whom need it now.

It is assumed that areas populated with more Hispanics or black families are at the lower end of the spectrum in terms of income and education, while those living in a higher population of white families are at the higher end of the spectrum. The question to ask is whether the statistics support this assumption.

We will review six schools from around Colorado and what the economics are in these areas. Is there a correlation between funding for these schools and racial/economic inequalities? We will also discuss the literature on inequality and education. Lastly, we will take a look how the literature compares to the local statistics in the state.

The purpose of this paper is to show that there is sufficient data to prove that lower income minorities have inequality in education. Hopefully, by the end of this paper we can begin to see that change is necessary. This change will be based in fairness and equality for the basic needs of education to be met with a chance for all children to strive and succeed.

Background

One may ask wh...

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...ing in lower income areas with schools and education reflecting such numbers. Comparing state statistics to the literature furthers the importance of the need to change this inequality.

Making changes can be made but with every step an obstruction seems to put a stop to any change. When confronted with the opportunity to put more money into school, it tends to be voted down, with many asking, “Why should I care?” Walter Cronkite once said, “ Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation. This chance means that students can have books and learning materials. This chance means that education can be equal in an unequal country. The money and means we put into each school now gives way to a future where welfare programs a lessened because of the things we do today. I say it is worth the cost to see this gap close.