Since time immemorial, education has always been the main focus of society. In today’s times, education is key for the upbringing of astute individuals. Further, the American education system provides private, public, and homeschooling platforms. Narrowing down on public education is most common in the United States. Public education in the US is state-funded either fully or partially. In addition, the education standards are set and regulated by the state. The public education system has set goals to achieve specific developments for the schools, society, economy, and students. These goals aim to develop students’ intellectual capacity and shape their future adulthood life. Current developments in the socio-economic and political trends directly affect the lives of the students and the schools, too hence a need to consider social, political, and economic goals in structuring public education goals.
One of the most significant consideration focus points is the social impact that public education impacts students. Curbing violence in society is a social goal that education aims at achieving (Zawacki-Richter, Kerres, Bedenlier, Bond & Buntins, 2020). Education directly influences and shapes the social characters of individuals. Education is a civilization tool that gradually cuts off the barbarianism traits from individuals. Through education, individuals become more responsible and accountable for their actions. Through education, man has evolved to a more humane creator. Racism has reduced over recent times due to education. The fight against racism since the early 90s came through civilization which was a learned man’s idea of equality across all races. Further, the push for gender equality attributes the education developments. Women empowerment in today’s times has seen several women achieving several milestones through education. Most social challenges such as violence and discrimination are overcome through education.
Curbing and education of drug abuse is another social impact that education should focus on among the main goals. Education molds self-responsibility qualities on individuals (Zawacki-Richter, Kerres, Bedenlier, Bond & Buntins, 2020). The rate of drug abuse across America ranks among the highest globally, accounting for several deaths and criminal activities yearly. Public education should educate its students on the impacts of drug abuse. As much as science studies try to pass the knowledge on the dangers of drug abuse, the need to strategize a much better system that aims at reducing the numbers of drug addicts. Drugs such as cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and alcohol have a great negative social impact on society. These drugs cause individuals to commit crimes such as murder, robbery, sexual misconduct, misconduct, and disorderliness. Further, drugs harm the children as most of the children involved in drug abuse tend to drop out of school. In addition, family separation is commonly attributed to drug abuse too. These impacts call for a focus on the strategies that help curb drug abuse by schools.
The goal towards the mental development of American citizens can be achieved through education. Education aims at developing the critical thinking of individuals in society (Barrett, Treves, Shmis, Ambasz & Ustinova, 2018). Through education, one learns mathematics and science, which helps the mind develop. These subjects impact the brain, creating an ability for the mind to think and solve problems in society critically. Astute business individuals have a good mathematics background, enabling them to tackle most of the financial risks easily. On the other hand, diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease can be prevented or slowed down through education as learning keeps the mind active hence reducing cases of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a common illness that affects the brain by gradually degrading the brain cell and eventually affecting cognitive development. Alzheimer’s disease is one of the main killer diseases in the USA. Education promises better mental health at old age hence the need to strategize on strategies to achieve the mental health goal.
Sex education in schools is an important social goal aiming to teach the students’ sex issues such as health and early pregnancy. Sexually transmitted diseases and early pregnancies among teens are trending social impacts (Durlak, Weissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor & Schellinger, 2011). These trends call for proper strategizing of schools’ goals to focus on sex education and teen pregnancies as a social goal. Generally, sexually transmitted diseases directly impact the students’ performance, which may negatively affect the individual’s future life. Disease such as HIV /AIDS affects individuals’ health and mental well-being. The stigma around HIV causes one to lose focus on life’s goals and beat himself down. HIV infections account for most of the suicide cases in the USA. Further, early pregnancies cause dropout in female students, which in turn causes the students to lose their dreams and ambitions and focus on parenting responsibilities. Schools aim to prepare students for adulthood; hence, focusing on sex education and teen pregnancy should be the main goal to achieve its objectives.
On the other hand, political goals need to be focused on in the public education system. Patriotism and the importance of voting in America are part of identification with one’s citizenship (Chubb & Moe, 1988). There is a need for self-driven love and admiration for one’s country should be instilled in students as they grow through education. Education provides history classes that offer political education to the students. Through history classes, pass American history knowledge to the students and even unfold the country’s struggle to achieve all its developments. Through history classes, the love and admiration for America are achieved. Further, the need for voting is one of society’s overlooked issues. For the love of the country, voting should be the main goal for all citizens. Through voting, America develops its infrastructural and economic standards much better. In addition, voting affects the economy and political affairs, affecting society. The need to promote awareness and knowledge of the political goals gives the necessity for education to focus on patriotism and voting as political goals.
As much as economics is a main study in the public education system, there is a need to focus on some key economic goals. Equity in the funding of economic resources should need much focus (Johnes, Portela & Thanassoulis, 2017). As the saying goes, tomorrow’s leaders are today’s youths, so must they be molded to be better leaders. Equal progressive development of all states and infrastructures in all states in the country are important to the general growth of the gross domestic product (GDP). Further, equal allocation and distribution of resources also impact society’s welfare. A country with equally distributed resources experiences even populations all over the country hence more economic development. The students in class today are tomorrow’s leaders; hence proper economic skill development should be a goal to focus on under the public education system.
Globally, there is a need to produce competitive individuals in the economic field. America’s GPD acts as a benchmark for several other countries of the world (Johnes, Portela & Thanassoulis, 2017). To maintain this standard, the future policymakers, business persons, and economists who are today’s students need to have a competitive advantage over students from other countries in economics. Through this, the country’s economic prowess is safeguarded. However, public education systems should put more focus on economic goals.
Pre-school plays a huge role in molding the character of children. The choice of preschool for children is key as the quality of the preschool impacts the future of the children. At preschool, children learn the basics of reading, writing, mathematics, creativity, and sports. Well-developed preschool setups help realize a child’s strengths and weaknesses early in life and work to bring out the best in them. Sportspersons are discovered early in preschool and then put in sports programs to help develop their qualities. In addition, at preschool, children learn to be accountable and responsible early enough for their actions. Leadership traits can be developed from childhood by recognizing them early in their lives. This aspect greatly affects the economy as the children’s future is defined early enough to prepare. As a result, the public education system should focus on this aspect should be made it one of the key goals of the public education system.
In conclusion, social, economic, and political goals should be the main focus in public education systems as the system holds the USA’s future in its hands. Focusing on the political goals makes the students be patriotic and understand voting values. Socioeconomic goals, on the other hand, develop the personal traits of individuals by molding them to be respectable and astute individuals in society. By molding the students earlier in life, they become better citizens and live better lives.
References
Barrett, P., Treves, A., Shmis, T., Ambasz, D., & Ustinova, M. (2018). The Impact of School Infrastructure on Learning: A Synthesis of the Evidence. INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN FOCUS, World Bank, 5-50. doi: 10.1596/978-1-4648-1378-8
Chubb, J., & Moe, T. (1988). Politics, Markets, and the Organization of Schools. American Political Science Review, 82(4), 1065-1087. doi: 10.2307/1961750
Durlak, J., Weissberg, R., Dymnicki, A., Taylor, R., & Schellinger, K. (2011). The Impact of Enhancing Students’ Social and Emotional Learning: A Meta-Analysis of School-Based Universal Interventions. Child Development, 82(1), 405-432. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01564.x
Johnes, J., Portela, M., & Thanassoulis, E. (2017). Efficiency in education. Journal Of The Operational Research Society, 68(4), 331-338. doi: 10.1057/s41274-016-0109-z
Zawacki-Richter, O., Kerres, M., Bedenlier, S., Bond, M., & Buntins, K. (2020). Systematic reviews in educational research (1st ed., pp. 145-161). New York: Springer VS.
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