Response to: Chapter 2 " Changing Classes? The promises and Pitfalls of Education".

After the personal reading, " Changing Classes? The Promises and Pitfalls of Education" in the Education Matters book, it is evident that what class you are plays a major role in education. For example, a student from the lower class is poorly educated, where a student from middle class is educated well, leaving high class with the top education level. Although it is not fair, this makes sense to me. Students from low-incomed areas and families can not afford the education they deserve. They lack the funds to improve their school system, purchase supplies, and overall, get the most out of their education opportunity.

As the reading goes on, the story is told of Alexie, an Indian boy who tells of his education, struggles, and accomplishments throughout his educational experience. He spends much of his childhood being discriminated against for his ethnicity. Although he performs well academically, some teachers did not accept that and treated him as though he was not good enough. He attends a very poor school on a reservation, where education is not necessarily as good as it could be. It all leads back to the fact that he is Indian, and not white. He moves to a farm town high school, where education is more valued, as he learns more than in the past. As Alexia graduates, he is perhaps one of the smartest students in his graduating class, as he is valedictorian. As for the students on the reservation, many did not learn the skills they should have, as many still cannot read. They spend their lives, as their parents, in the bar scene. Alexie was able to become more successful after attending the better school.

As you can see, a person's life can be changed by simply attending the right school. Alexie could have wound up as an alcoholic, low life, stuck on the reserve. Instead, he will most likely live a happy, successful life. All of this has occurred by switching to a better education. Education is key to a future. Without this, you can count on a miserable life, full of stress and sorrow. The low income children could also have a bright future if given the educational opportunity. Just because they were raised low class, and made to feel less intelligent and important, does not mean that they cannot do what the higher class students can, they are just not given the opportunity to shine.