Budget Cut In Schools

In one school, the vice principal estimated that 37% of the month of October was given to testing, but only 33% of the students who took the test passed. The relentless and constant stream of tests force teachers to turn their class curriculum into a month long cram session that doesn't actually teach students. In order to cope, students learn to parrot back facts without any real understanding. A study conducted by Kyung Hee Kim of the School of Education at the College of William and Mary shows that creativity of American students has been in decline since the 1960s. Kim goes on the blame the “No Child Left Behind Program” as one of the reasons for this decline , stating that “Standardized testing forces emphasis on rote learning instead of critical, creative thinking, and diminishes students’ natural curiosity and joy for learning in its own right.” Standardized testing creates an environment where children come to despise learning and with that, begin to despise the pursuit of knowledge in general. This focus on “rote learning” stays with children their entire lives, hindering their ability to think at a deeper level and even to create independent and original thoughts and

“One of the most powerful tools for empowering individuals and communities is making certain that any individual who wants to receive a quality education can do so” (Christine Gregoire). Everyone deserves an equal education regardless of where they live or who their parents are. Children are facing the consequences of decisions they can’t make. The current way public schools are being funded is not working effectively, students are suffering and there needs to be a change. Basing school funding on property tax leads to unequal opportunities and environments for students, even though the government may claim it is not up to them, there needs to be a drastic change.

People go to college to get a good paying job, have job security, and get a degree. Well at least that’s what it should be about. That’s what Charles Murray believes in his essay “Are Too Many People Going to College.” Murray counters the argument of Sanford Ungar who believes colleges should have a more liberal approach towards its classes and have students actually learn a broad range of real life skills instead of just going into a career just because it pays well. In Ungar’s essay he explains the misperception that Americans have on obtaining a liberal-arts degree and how they believe it doesn’t translate well to the real world. Despite Ungar’s points Murray’s essay touched on many valid points such as a liberal education should be learned

Lynda Barry in her work The Sanctuary of School, wrote about her life as a kid with a toxic family life where she relied on school to be a place she feels secure. She tried to escape from her toxic family by going to school; was the only way for her to relieve her mind. The school granted her freedom to draw and provided her a safe place to stay. Painting and drawing was the only activity that made her happy. By doing these activities were the only way to express herself. Therefore, if school was to cancel this activity, many children that are like Barry would have nothing to relieve and relied on.

Many people go to college for many reasons the main one for most is to get a degree in something they think will give them better job opportunities which in return would allow them to have a better paying job then what they may have now. A lot of time ,effort and money go into college and so it’s understandable to think that once you’re done you’ll have a great job waiting for you . In a lot of cases it really doesn’t turn out that way, but either way college is well worth all the time and money someone puts into it.

A rising issue in today’s society is deciding whether or not college is worth the cost. There is an extreme amount of pressure that is forced upon high school students by parents, teachers, and peers to further their education and attend college. However, there is research that challenges the thought that college is the best possible path for a person to take. College may be a great investment for some people, but it is not meant for everyone. This is supported by the arguments that colleges are expensive, jobs do not always require a college degree, and students are forced to choose a lifestyle before being exposed to the real world.

President Barack Obama once said, “The future belongs to young people with an education and the imagination to create.” In schools, one of the most overlooked and underfunded subjects are the arts. During the 1930s, art education was greatly supported in the U.S. However, as time progressed the focus of education shifted to more standardized tests, science, and math. The arts were pushed into a corner, despite being able to help students grow who they are as people, but also help them in other important areas of school. The arts are important in education and should get funding appropriately.

Robinson claims the fine arts are not placed on the same pedestal as core subjects like mathematics, science, and literature. As such, when the education

There has been a multitude of famous individuals that have changed the course of human history over the years. With their work being the source of inspiration of many to simply having a likeable, repeatable demeanor, there is no doubt that to be regarded in that special collective of individuals. One of the most famous civil rights leader that advocated for 13 years, Martin Luther King Jr., discertation called, “The Purpose of Education,” that brings awareness to the importance of education and its overall relevance in tepid year of 1947. Dr. King brings clarity to his opinion in the beginning of his paragraph stating, “It seems to me that education has a two-fold function to perform in the life of man and in society: the one is utility and

In Charles Murray’s article, “Down With the Four-Year College Degree”, he discusses how he believes the four year degree is ruining college education. Murray exemplifies the ludicrousness of the four year degree when he says:

Students should think carefully about their choice of major if they want a good return on investment for their college degree. In their reading, For Some, College May Not be a Smart Investment, Stephanie Owen and Isabel Sawhill maintains that, “According to Census’s calculations, the lifetime earnings of an education or arts major working the service sector are actually lower than the average lifetime earnings of a high school graduate," (p. 5, 2013). Basically, Owen and Sawhill are claiming that a person with an arts major is making, on average, less than a person with only a high school graduate degree.

Schools regularly have many external professionals who work with them, and these can include: educational psychologists; speech and language therapists; specialist teachers; Education Welfare Officers; School Improvement Partners; and physiotherapists/occupational therapists.

On November 1st, 2014 at 11:34pm the Summerville High School marching band was announced the SCBDA 5A State Champion for the first time in a decade. I believe this to be my greatest accomplishment, being a part of an organization that accomplished so much even though we were the underdogs of the rest of the competition. Our high school was not the most musically talented, nor are we the largest. However, the heart and soul we put into our performance was recognized by the judges.

This text is taken from a lecture that was given by William Morris about the importance of the arts. In this lecture he tries to convince his audience why the arts are beneficial and should be available to not only the wealthy but also ordinary people. He uses personification and imagery in order to make what he is saying more interesting, and also uses inclusive language to appeal to the whole audience.

Does it ever appear to you as if people live their lives trying to attain happiness? The decisions people make every day seem to revolve around what will make them the happiest. No one knows the true meaning of happiness but we all want to have it. Many people try to attain happiness through actions or things. Some people buy everything that they want to try and make themselves happy. Others go through great lengths such as stealing, lying, and even murder hoping to be happy. Since we are all paying lots and working hard to get our college degree, will be happier when we our degree? Does having a college degree make you a happier person? Not a better question can be asked to a college student going through these extreme lengths to get a degree. Will this really bring us happiness or is happiness a choice?