Sadly, high-income schools are often notorious for low academic standards. Parents often worry that their children will suffer as a result of underachieving in school. High-income teachers also complain about the pressure to inflate grades, which discourages students from studying. Similarly, a lack of challenging exams can discourage students from studying. Fortunately, there are ways to combat these problems. Below are a few examples of what can go wrong.
Increasingly, critics of public education believe that the only solution is to introduce market competition to schools. While this strategy might sound reasonable, it neglects the role of government policies that inhibit the success of schools. These policies include rigid personnel rules, bureaucratic regulations, and the mandate to use education. In other words, schools are not accountable for poor performance because students have not done their homework or have the desire to improve their academic performance.
Whether we blame students, teachers, or both, there is no way to improve the quality of education in America without addressing the root causes of the problem. As a matter of fact, the problems with public education are more complex than one may think. Ineffective curricula, bad textbooks, and a lack of motivation among students are all symptoms of a failing education system. Despite the problems with the educational system, many teachers are just doing their jobs within the constraints of an ailing system. The solution must be inculcated from the top down.
In addition to the underlying causes of the problems in the education system, the home life of children plays a large role in their development. Whether parents are college-level educated or not may have a direct impact on the students’ development. In addition to teachers, their families’ incomes often limit the support they can offer students. And students from low-income families face additional difficulties at home.