The Common School and The Educated Citizen

The Common School was an initiative that started to bring education only to certain children.  At first, education was only provided to white children mainly boys. The good think is that education was fee and was only at its beginnings. It is true that this initiative might sound very selective, but it was the beginning of an institution that will build future citizens able to use critical thinking and other skills in order for the nation to become what it is today.  n her article "A Relevant History of Public Education in the United States", Grace Chen, mentions how important it is to know the history of the beginnings of public schools in the united states to appreciate the "evolving process" the institution has been through. 

Grace Chen says: 

"Most Americans take the public education system in this country for granted, assuming that education for all American citizens is a right that has always been provided. However, the history of public education in the United States is one that dates back centuries, and it offers insight into the constantly evolving process of creating a learned society in this country."

Schools in the United States are characterized by some advantages and disadvantages. For example, today, American schools are open to any gender, race, ethnicity and religion which is an evidence of progress if is compare to The Common School discussed in the textbook. However it is noticeable how American society still represents significant inequalities from a social and economic point of view. One can say that schools that are located in rich areas are more likely to receive private funding than schools located in poor neighborhoods. Also, higher-income schools can hire qualified teachers, offer up-to-date material and better-equipped facilities. In contrast, the United States of America share the privilege to allow all children to have an education, federal, state and local funds and they can also attend to the so called charter schools, which combine public and private capital and are also free. 

On the other hand, higher level education in the United States is well known by how well they prepare students for their professional career. United States is popular for its ability to hire and admit professionals into its workforce when compared to other countries. Although higher education might be the synonym of debts, United States provides a significant repertoire of good and highly recognized universities. Schools has shaped the lives of American citizens since decades ago. Think about how everything started, at first it was only exclusive to a specific population and gender. With the advances, progress, and evolution, and after some revolutions and protests, schools are now open to all kinds of people. The American citizen is now what Thomas Jefferson refer to as the educated citizen with enough critical skills to vote and perform activities worthy of a good citizen. Education has led this country to become the empire that is today. Education has shaped my life in a way that I am not only willing to learn what they taught at school, but I am also willing to self-educate into research of information following my own criticism. Education is key for a future common school and for a better educated citizen, because there is still work to do. Education is a never ending process.

Works Cited: 

Chen, Grace. “A Relevant History of Public Education in the United States.” Public School Review, https://www.publicschoolreview.com/blog/a-relevant-history-of-public-education-in-the-united-states.