Effects of Inequality and Poverty vs.

Teachers and Schooling on

Americas Youth
(David C. Berliner-2013)
Annotation #5
Questions:
Why does America continue to live in a dream of how it perceives
itself?
I ask this question because throughout this article I read about the myths
that the American government uses to guide their politics. In this case the
myths apply to education. We shouldnt be measuring our education
system on myths but rather on facts that paint a picture of educational
inequality that leads to terrible social ills of homelessness, high crime and
murder rates, and illiteracy.
Who or what guides our governments approach in creating
wrongheaded education policies?
If policies like NCLB have been proven to be ineffective, then why is it still
in effect? Furthermore, why do they continue to implement alternative
policies to NCLB that continue to provide the same result? It sounds like
the American government is too proud to admit when it has failed its
society.
When does this social injustice stop being accepted by citizens and
when will changes be demanded?
This question is more of a witnessing of how a lack of education continues
to further citizens inability to bring about social change. Its as if the
American government wants illiterate citizens and a large poor social
class that is dependent on a larger government to maintain their
impoverished conditions. The pursuit of happiness is replaced by the
pursuit of a handout.
Reaction:
This article just motivates me more to teach my students what it means to be a
true citizen of the United States of America by teaching from the perspective of
the citizen verses the government. One way to increase students awareness of
the injustice in education is to simply alert them to the issue. I will use past civil
rights issues like segregation and voting rights as a platform from which my
students can leap from to get in the fight of inequality and poverty in America.
Connections:
As a student I grew up poor and I do recall my education being effected by my
poverty because life for me wasnt about getting an education for tomorrow it
was about getting food for today. When I was growing up it was more about
survival than learning. Survival is not something a kid should be dealing with.
Instead, children should be seeking answers to life through education. The fear
that in or out of school someone or something could take my life, always loomed
over my head. This anxiety followed me into my adult life until I stopped
running and started fighting for my civil rights as an active citizen.
Restatements:

It seems that change will not occur through a government that seeks to
replicate what doesnt work in education and in our U.S. economy. The change
that needs to occur is from outside the government, by the citizens. Citizens
need to start a movement, teaching one another to work in communities to
promote citizenship through government awareness. Hopefully, this would then
lead to improved voter turnout that could guide a progressive change in the gap
between the rich and the poor. Nothing will change if nothing is done by the
people and for the people. Unfortunately, it sounds like the government today is
for the dollar and by the dollar.
Applications: As a teacher I will work hard to teach students the importance of
voting and understanding their constitutional rights as citizens of the United
States.