Education: Helping the Disenfranchised
As we approach Presidents Day, it’s a good time to reflect not only on the ways the founding fathers acted to plant the seeds of democracy and equality in the United States, but also how closely these were intermingled with the roots of education that also grew from them to make the U.S. system of education somewhat unique.
A Good Start
Thomas Jefferson, for example, believed that a common system of education for all free citizens was what was needed for democracy to succeed. He argued for a structure that would consist of elementary and grammar schools, universities, and lifelong learning opportunities. Regrettably, this occurred during a time when cultures were largely compartmentalized, choosing to segregate themselves by faith or geographic origin. Just as with any crop being planted, some seeds fell on the hard ground of what we would call exclusion and discrimination today. In Jefferson’s world, for instance, African Americans were not seen as capable of moving much beyond the academic attainment of a child; Native Americans had potential if they would only give up their primitive ways and embrace European culture; and though capable, women typically were only seen as needing an elementary education and enough common sense to raise their children right especially if their father was somehow absent in their lives, most likely because of military service (Brulatour, 2012).
Although this is offensive to us today, two important offshoots can be seen over the intervening centuries to the present day that in part, at least, may make most Americans feel a bit better.
1. First, we must realize that we also live in a time period where certain groups have been disenfranchised and/or discriminated against; yet, there has been continuous and increasing action against this; historically the path has been marked by more successes than failures in pursuing equality.
2. Second, education historically has remained a steady champion for democracy, equality, and the inclusion of all in the pursuit of learning and all of its benefits. This needs to be embraced.
Achieving the centuries old goal of equal education for all has not been fully realized; however, the successful inclusion of various disenfranchised groups and education’s role in making this happen are worth celebrating. Here are some examples why.
Including the First to Be Excluded
Imagine you were one of the millions of slaves when the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 went into effect. You have little if any education, no connections, and nowhere to go. What do you do? We don’t have to rely much on our own creativity here. Freed slave Charles Smith, who was 21 at the time, tells us in his own voice that being set free made little difference to him; he stayed right where he was at, working for the same family. Initially there was enough sympathy for freed slaves for the creation of the some helpful organizations like the Bureau of Refugees, Freedman, and Abandoned Lands; (Merriam & Grace, 2011). African Americans not only were on a path toward fuller access to education, they were also starting to create opportunities for themselves to hasten the process. Since the first Historically Black College was established in 1837, HBCUs grew steadily into the early to mid 1900s. Currently there are 105 HBCUs in the U.S., serving 16% of all African American students enrolled in higher education.
Next, the American Indian Education Foundation (AIEF) provides a good overview of the history of Native Americans in the U.S. educational system. Their website explains that initially education meant assimilation. They had to give up their culture and adopt European culture totally. The other horrific synonym for this process was “civilizing” which included:
• Students had to wear standard uniforms
• Boys had their long hair cut
• Students were given new names
• Traditional foods were abandoned
• Students were not allowed to speak their native languages, even to each other
• Students had to adopt Christianity
Today this would be considered ethnic cleansing or genocide as the goal was really to eliminate Native American populations. However, again, the seeds for education to offer a share in democracy and the benefits of learning were planted. In the 1920s, led by John Collier, the Executive Secretary for the American Indian Defense Association, education shifted its focus toward community schools that allowed respect for native cultures, and the curriculum of the above bulleted list was tossed out. By the 1940s and into the 1950s, Native American groups began to take ownership of their own education and right to learning (AIEF, 2012).
On the other hand, females followed a bit of a paradoxical path in education. As they initially rarely went beyond elementary education in colonial America, there was a shift to mostly female teachers who taught small groups of children, often in their own kitchens. These were even nicknamed “dame schools.” They were responsible for preparing boys for higher education which the women themselves were not allowed to attend (Madigan, 2009). The ironic problem was obvious, so in the 1800s, seminaries and single-gender academies, initially designed to prepare women for suitable careers like teaching and nursing, began to spring up (Madigan, 2009). By the early to mid 1900s, colleges became coeducational; however, women were tracked into vocational training to prepare them for what were still deemed appropriate careers like being a secretary.
For all three of these large groups and others, there has been a continued push for truer equal access to education. One only has to glance over a chronology of these acts like the one provided by The Leadership Conference to see this is a long and ongoing battle waged and supported by most Americans. The good news is that the National Center for Education Statistics shows a greater participation in higher education for these groups through 2011.
The Latest to Receive Better Access
More recently in the last few decades, non-traditional (including first-generation college students, working adults with families, and single mothers), disabled, and military students have received the focus of inclusion in higher education. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows, for instance, that between 1970-2010 the percentage of women who have earned at least a four-year college degree rose from 11.2% to 36.4% with the number of women earning an associate’s degree or completing some college rising from 10.9% to 30.2% (2011). The percentage of students with disabilities is also rising as postsecondary institutions increase the support available to them. The same holds true for military students who are increasingly supported by G.I. Bill benefits. All three groups are given credit for the rapid increase in online education options over the past decade.
Closer Than Ever
Like the “chicken or the egg” argument, some will debate whether education would have embraced the disenfranchised if not for laws or vice versa: Would laws have been enacted if not pushed for by education and its constituents? This is exactly the point: The growth of our democracy and the movement toward equality is so deeply entangled with the vines of education that it really is hard to separate them. The fact also remains that historically, U.S. schools have taught not only the three Rs, but also the importance of cultural sensitivity, the benefits of inclusion, and the beauty of diversity. This has not come easily, and Americans will continue to struggle with how to implement true equality within their educational system. However, that Americans still have much to learn should also not be cause for complaint. Isn’t learning and making progress what education is all about?
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