America via Erika: THAT Valedictorian Speech and the influence of her ideas on corporate America - Essay Example

He considers workers as slaves- slaves of the system that has been set before them. Besides, the education system is the reflection of the environment around it; the reflection of American materialism and corporatism. The system set up students to work for big corporations which in the long- run make them to be the corporations’ slaves. People are no longer motivated by passion to work but rather money is their motivational force because the system has failed to inspire those who go through it, it simply trains them.

The education system products should use their minds to innovate and not memorize, for creativity and not futile activity, which in America is a diminishing scenario. He challenges those already fully entrenched in the system to be critical, ask questions, and create their own perspective so as to change the system’s incompetency. The valedictorian speech by Erika has pointed out to critical concerns of the American education system. These concerns have also been raised by other people, academicians, and institutions.

Their concerns are informed by their view that the American education system is not achieving the original goal of education which is learning (REF). Erika notes that the system has its goal which is for students to pass test. According to him, this goal does not facilitate a holistic learning. As a result, the students are programmed to work rather than being thinkers and adventurers. In the speech, Erika considers being a worker as being a slave to the already established system; that is what the American education system teaches people to be.

Erika concurs with John Gatto’s argument that there is need for the education system to encourage youthfulness qualities namely resilience, adventure, and curiosity. Unfortunately, the system doesn’t allow this to happen, rather, it expects everyone to be the same and those who deviate are seen as not worthy to the scheme of public education. The system is aligned to what Erika