Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 2

Hello Everyone!

This week in class we have been discussing education inequity in our nation. I keep saying that this is an issue near and dear to my heart because I've attended both urban and suburban schools growing up, and have seen the severe differences in the quality of the education provided. Surprisingly, it is something that I always think back on, and it still angers me to this day that there are children who are not as well-quipped as others to succeed in their academic pursuits.

So, I thought I would ask my international contacts M. Rathburn and E. Priest if there were any similar issues going on in their respective countries. M.Rathburn in Scotland let me know that there is a great deal of disparity in the quality of education between private and public schools. She stated that it simply was not fair that children should be offered mediocre education merely because they can not afford a private education. I thought that this was a very interesting look at this issue, because it does not seem to be such a concern here in America. We typically just assume that of course privately educated individuals are going to get a unique and sometimes superior education, and its okay because their families chose that type of education for them. However, does that mean that other children should suffer? I personally think that that should not be an option. Its our responsibility to ensure that all children have access to quality education because it is their right. 

As for E. Priest in China, she stated that disparities are more demographically and socio-economically based. It is common knowledge that rural, poorer communities have little access to quality education. That is why organizations like the one E. Priest works for, enter these localities in order to break the cycle and make things better. Unfortunately, there are so many children in need, that it is going to take massive government influence and policy to effectively reach these individuals.

As always, it is very interesting discussing such issues with my international counterparts and I do enjoy the different perspectives it gives me. I am forced to  take a closer look at the issues in our own country in comparison to others.