Educational Policy & Cost of Incarceration

What Counts as Educational Policy?
By Jean Anyon

The author of this article argues that in order to make actual changes, there must be a reform of polices first. There is proof that poverty works against students in urban schools ability to develop and achieve. With even just small amounts of support, it is proven that students living in poverty can achieve higher levels. Some suggestions that the author provides to remove economic barriers include:
  • Legislate a higher living wage
  • Create jobs that offer career ladders
  • Tax wealthy families and corporations to pay for these investments
  • Integrate segregated housing 
  • Create public transit routes so low-income urban residents have access to jobs in suburbs.
The author argues that "polices like these would create a social foundation on which high-quality schooling would rest".


The Full Cost of Incarceration in the US
By Matt Ferner

This article outlines the social costs of the effects of incarceration. More than half of the costs are put upon family members. People who have been incarcerated earn less at their jobs and have a harder time finding jobs. The research has also shown that high levels of incarceration could increase crime rates. Children who have a parent that has been incarcerated is five times more likely to go to prison than their peers. Most of these children are unable to finish high school or attend college. These children sacrifice their education to join the work force and support their family.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Schools, Prisons, and Social Implications of Punishment

Schools punish the students who have the greatest academic, social, economic, and emotional needs.  Minorities most likely to be suspended and expelled. "Not the best thing for the student, but the best thing for the school." Schools inability to meet the needs causes students to be disciplined - not addressing the reason behind the problematic behavior. School punishments are consistent with how adults are punished in the US. Students lose incentive to comply with school rules - cycle of punishment Functions of schooling - sorting, socializing and social control Removing a child from school is a punishment when they most likely require mores schooling. The true factors of misbehavior get ignored. Sorting out the "bad apples" so that others can learn - only students whose behavior will change by being suspended is those who care about school.  Removing trouble making students - new trouble makers emerge. Teachers with low expectations and unmotivated - h...
Read more

Deculturalization

Image
Deculturalization and the Claim of Racial and Cultural Superiority by Anglo-Americans By: Joel Spring &  The Indian Boarding Schools By: Michelle Bollinger These two articles discuss how one culture with power can form a belief that other cultures are inferior to them. They come up with ways to justify their beliefs and execute plans to eliminate and assimilate cultures. Schools often become a large part of this process. The following are quotes that stood out to me while reading each article. "Under the direction of white, Christian leaders, savage Indians could shed their barbaric ways and assimilate into white society and become civilized." The mindset of this quote is true racism. Believing that one way of doing things is better, or the right way to do something and forcing others to lose their identify. Throughout the article you see how a group of people become powerless to people who have means, which in turn gives them power. Even though t...
Read more

How To Become Batman

Image
How To Become Batman Hosts: Hanna Rosin & Alix Spiegel This podcast is arguing that if people change their expectations then blind people will be able to see. It is an extreme example of a concept that I have always been fascinated by: enabling. Throughout the podcast you learn about Daniel who is a blind man that taught himself echolocation as a child. His mother allowed him to experiment with the world around him. She banished her own fear and raised him like a seeing child. He was allowed to climb trees, walk to school, and even learned to ride a bike. Thinking about this as a seeing person seems so unlikely. Your first thought is probably "I would never be able to ride a bike without my eyes!"  Daniel believes that these expectations are what hold people back from achieving all that they can.  When you break this down to a smaller, less extreme example it is easier to see the effects and understand. If someone does everything for you, you never learn how to...
Read more