“Who creates and allows poverty to exist in the wealthiest and most powerful country in recorded history?” (Paul Thomas) The ever-popular education/poverty debate is a chick-or-egg problem; no one is quite sure which came first and how to solve the problem.
When looking to fix the problem we need to focus on improving the education system, which in turn, will fix the issue of poverty. The ruling elite class needs poverty in order to stay on top of the hierarchy of power, and the people with power drive the realities of the people without power.
Those in the “ruling class” have created a culture in which we see the consequences of poverty, but they hide the realities of privilege. One way of continuing to have a separation between the wealthy and the poor is by the education system; the poverty areas of the country have the lowest test scores, while the wealthier areas have higher tests scores. The current testing system needs to be reviewed to see who is benefiting from the testing system and why. The testing remains to be seen as a reflection of the gap and inequality in society. The way the system is set up now, poverty and testing are benefiting the wealthy and hindering the poor, making the “American dream” out of reach for those in poverty.
Title: Testing and Poverty in Education
Source: www.dailycensored.com, September 12, 2010
Author: Paul Thomas
URL: http://www.dailycensored.com/poverty-and-testing-in-education-the-present-scientifico-legal-complex/
Student Researcher: Samantha George, Sonoma State University
Faculty Evaluator: Crystal White, Sonoma State University