The Editor
Chicago Tribune
435 N. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
In the 25 th May, 2018 edition of your newspaper, you carried a story on the deplorable state of public schools in the US. The paper called the federal government to increase the amount of funds that it allocates to public schools. Particular focus was given to the crumbling infrastructure and the inadequate resources that public schools face. Essentially, the story underscored the failure by successive governments to invest sufficient amounts in public schools. In this letter, I express solidary with the paper in its calls for more funding. Increased funding for public education holds the key to enhancing student performance.
The US leads the world in nearly all major issues. However, a scrutiny of the country’s education system reveals that it lags behind other developed nations. The poor state of America’s public schools can be blamed almost entirely on inadequate funding. It has been observed that over the last few years, states have been slashing the amounts that they set aside for public education (Leachman, Masterson & Figuera, 2017). This measure is the result of the tough financial situations that the states face particularly after they have suffered a recession. Most states rely on property taxes to fund their public education programs (Turner et al., 2016). The harsh economic environment has forced many businesses to exit their markets. Consequently, the amount of taxes that state and local governments collect is reduced substantially. To enhance the capacity of state and local governments to deliver public education, the federal government simply needs to increase funding.
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There are various reasons why the US federal government needs to increase public school funding. More funding promises to incentivize teachers. Today, there are teachers who are forced to pay for supplies that they use in classrooms using their own resources (White, 2016). Furthermore, as schools implement budget cuts as a result of limited funding, teachers are forced to be extremely frugal in their use of school resources (White, 2016). The dedication that these teachers show is indeed remarkable. However, the financial hardships that schools face have a demoralizing effect on teachers. By increasing funding, the federal government will spare these teachers of the need to pay for supplies. Another reason why increased federal funding for education is needed concerns equity. The meager funding that the federal government gives public schools is inadequate to meet the needs of students. A recent report established that the limited federal funding particularly disenfranchises students from minority and poor communities. According to Catherine Lahmon who chairs the U.S. Commission of Civil Rights, low-income students and students of color are often relegated to low-quality school facilities that lack equitable access to teachers, instructional materials, technology and technology support, critical facilities, and physical maintenance” (Jao, 2018). Lahmon’s words reflect the state of public education in the US. Owing to poor funding, minority students are denied the quality education that the government should be providing. Therefore, to promote equity and incentivize teachers, the federal government should reform its public education funding policy.
The US federal government is notorious for its failure to implement policies that are in the best interest of the American people. To ensure that it increases funding for public education, it is important to develop an advocacy plan. The main element of this plan will be to challenge the American people to demand action. This letter and the paper’s numerous articles on public education are among the tools that will be useful in sensitizing the American public. Appealing to elected officials to pressure the federal government to provide states with more funding is another element of the advocacy plan. These officials are uniquely placed to agitate for the interests of American students. Among the effective measures that the officials could adopt is refusing to pass laws that the federal government needs to function until it (the federal government) allocates more funding for public education.
As I conclude, I would like to thank the paper for continuing to highlight important educational issues. The US needs to reclaim its glory and position as a nation that is dedicated to education. The failure by the federal government to invest adequate amounts in public education has seen the country join the list of nations whose governments do not prioritize education. Public education is at the heart of the American society. Given the important role that education plays, the government should not spare any effort or resource in ensuring that all American students have access to quality education. Increasing funding is one of the many measures that the governments can implement.
References
Jao, A. (2018). Segregation, school funding inequalities still punishing Black, Latino students .NBC News. Retrieved May 30, 2018 from
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/segregation-school-funding-inequalities-still-punishing-black-latino-students-n837186
Leachman, M., Masterson, K., & Figuera, E. (2017). A punishing decade for school funding.
Retrieved May 30, 2018 from https://www.cbpp.org/research/state-budget-and-tax/a-punishing-decade-for-school-funding
Turner, C., Khrais, R., Lloyd, T., Olgin, A., Isensee, L., Vevea, B., & Carsen, D. (2017). Why America’s schools have a money problem. NPR. Retrieved May 30, 2018
From https://www.npr.org/2016/04/18/474256366/why-americas-schools-have-a-money-problem
White, M. C. (2016). Here’s how much your kid’s teacher is shelling out for school supplies. Time. Retrieved May 30, 2018 from http://time.com/money/4392319/teachers-buying-school-supplies/
