The Detroit Educational System Analysis - Coursework Example

The Detroit Educational System Multiple Perspectives of the Situation The educational sector is one of the most problematic s in the contemporary period across cultures because of insufficiencies in physical, material and human capital. The case in point is the situation of a student named Marshal Brown who is a 4th grader at PS25 in downtown Detroit. In terms of facilities, the school is extremely despondent. Likewise, due to substandard and shabby materials used to construct the school and the inability or perhaps negligence of the school administrators, health and sanitation is disappointingly ignored. Moreover, the roster of teachers is somewhat deficient in what is called “experiential knowledge” which is evident in the teachers’ educational background, a fresh graduate of a bachelor’s degree. Also, unfortunately, professionalism is also absent within the walls of the school’s faculty and administration which is shown by the principal’s irresponsible resignation. Indeed, Marshal’s school needs complete revamping. This type of educational system is a chronic dilemma of any society. There will always exist, in any nation, learning centers that are pitiful in all respects. Sadly, these predicaments of one institution extend and affect the other functioning social institutions; hence, society is called a system of interconnected parts that operate harmoniously as a whole (Paton, 1921). Primarily, the family is affected by an inferior educational system since their hopes and dreams for a better future are disheartened because of low quality instructions, specifically in relation to the children or the receivers of knowledge. Many parents exert great effort just to provide their children with the best education yet the success of their aspirations still depends on the quality of education a particular school can provide. Second, the community itself will suffer the consequences of a badly operated educational establishment since it is the community that will bear the grunt of a dire reputation. Moreover, because of the quality of education provided, the community as well as the society will more likely to produce deviant individuals and will likely lead to an increase in juvenile delinquencies. Aside from the family and the community, the government will also endure the existence of poorly managed educational systems in regions remote from the center of administration. Government officials will become anxious of the uneven distribution of education in its territory hence it will necessitate a review and in-depth analysis of its current regulations for the educational institution. And lastly, one of the most affected shareholders of the educational institution and has the most wide-ranging influence over the future of a society is the economy. A mediocre educational system will pose a substantial dilemma to the economy because the required educational qualifications for certain work-related tasks will have an insufficient supply of individuals that could fill in vacancies. The valuable human capital for the guarantee of productivity of economic performance greatly depends on the rich availability of skilled and knowledgeable individuals. Social, Economic and Historical Circumstances of the Problem In late 2001, the Congress passed a policy named “No Child Left Behind Act” and approved by President George W. Bush. It is the most determined federal education decree ever. It reformed and improved Washington’s contribution in education, revised the rules, and implemented to enhance student performance, limit a multitude of learning discrepancies and guarantee every student highly competent instructors. However, the primary purpose of the policy is a historic effort to enforce a results-based accountability regime on schools throughout the land (Hess & Finn, 2007). Test- driven accountability is the contemporary standard in public schools, another consequence of the No Child Left Behind Act. Numerous state and local officials perceive that this dependence on tests is too limited an evaluation of educational achievement, yet NCLB has aimed at better attention to low-achieving students and strengthened attempts to enhance determinedly low-performing schools (Jennings & Rentner, 2006). This over-emphasis on student achievement could have been one of the causes of the inadequacies of qualified teachers in some areas, such as downtown Detroit. Most of the knowledgeable and competent teachers are likely to be assigned in schools located in the urban areas due to the importance high value conferred to high-performing students since the implementation of the NCLB. Moreover, aside from the lack of qualified instructors in public schools in rather distant locations, the pressure to achieve and perform well academically pose serious pressure to these low-performing schools. Hence, instead of being motivated, faculty and school administrators of such schools remain inferior because of hopelessness to improve. Structural Arrangements that Shape Social Behavior In sociology, there are three major perspectives that are used by social analysts, which are structural-functionalist, conflict and symbolic interaction. In the case of the educational system in downtown Detroit, the conflict perspective could be applied. The apparent neglect that the school administrators have committed to the school of Detroit evidently illustrates that the primary objective of the school is not to provide quality education and academic excellence but to acquire generous profit through the tuition fees paid by the toiling parents of the children. Moreover, education should be accessible and adaptable. Yet, these ideal notions of an educational system seem to be much difficult endeavors for several educational institutions in the world. Government and other concerned organizations in a particular nation mutually wield considerable efforts to improve the educational system, both in the regional and national levels. However, despite these attempts to reform the foundations of education, there are still statistics that reveal on the poor academic performances of some individuals or ethnic and minority groups. Solutions for Changing Society Subsequent researcher/s on the subject matter should delve on the economic objectives of educational institutions. The poor quality education incidences in schools could be a sign of the latent objective of the school which is to avoid students from obtaining a degree early on so that these students would be forced to enrol over and over again hence adding to the revenue collected by educational institutions. Likewise, the bestowal of an inferior or low class degree to some ethnic or minority groups could denote an objective leaning towards the realization of a society dominated by the most powerful cultural groups through occupying the highest and the most prestigious positions in the economic sectors. For policymakers, it is relevant to update the educational system along with the new findings from fully funded and well-manned focus groups or research teams. The blind approach in drafting policies for the improvement of the educational system will definitely disregard the plights and demands of the ethnic minority groups and other disadvantaged groups. A grass root approach towards educational improvement will be most appropriate in a society characterized by immense diversity. Enlightening programs for the different ethnic and poor communities should be staged in regularly to remind the members of a minority group of their own historical heritage so they will not lose sight of their true nature and origin. Building the self-identity of the ethnic communities primarily on their own efforts will likely lessen racism and stereotype forming. And lastly, teachers and other officials of a particular educational institution should be properly trained in ethical behaviours and professionalism to prevent incidences of discrimination and unprofessionalism inside the classroom or within the school vicinity. Moreover, teachers from ethnic minority and poor background should be treated with deference for them to elicit a behaviour that would be eventually a role model for the students who are underprivileged. Pros and Cons of the Solutions These recommendations toward a responsible and quality educational system clearly have its advantages and disadvantages, strengths and weaknesses. The positive results that could be produced from these solutions are the guarantee that education will be unbiased in its objectives and address the heterogeneity and diversity of students, from their racial affinities, social status to their individual sexuality. Moreover, implementing these solutions could alleviate the recent trends of the mushrooming of profit-generating educational institutions. On the other hand, the disadvantage will be that the educational system will confront a lot more hardship in addressing the needs and educational requirements of the diverse group of students. These solutions entail a painstaking effort from the shareholders, particularly the government, which could instead lead to determination to change the current educational system could result in the slacking and irresponsibility of institutional officials. Works Cited Hess, Frederick M. & Finn, C.E. "No Child Left Behind Needs Some Work." Policy Review (2007): 45. Jennings, Jack & Rentner, D.S. "Ten Big Effects of the No Child Left Behind Act on Public Schools." Phi Delta Kappan (2006): 110. Paton, Stewart. Human Behavior in Relation to the Study of Educational, Social and Ethical Problems. New York: Charles Scribners Sons, 1921. Read More