The Plight of Urban Public Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Plight of Urban Public Education - Essay Example Public schools in the urban areas are grossly understaffed, and lack basic educational equipment that would put the quality of their education at par with other schools. Though deplorable conditions and poor educational standards exist throughout public schools, the predicament is most severe in inner-cities where the populations are mostly made up of minority ethnic groups.2 Urban public schools are allocated fewer resources than suburban schools and lack basic equipment such as laboratories, sanatoria and computers. As a result of this underfunding, urban schools are characterized by high frequencies of school dropouts, low numbers of students graduating, poor performance in standardized examinations, and low academic prospects from the students. Though a big portion of the problem in urban public schools can be blamed on underfunding, there are other societal factors that play a role in the degraded nature of urban public education.3 These problems include lack of jobs, lack of decent housing, lack of proper healthcare, and high crime rates and ethnic stereotypes. In addition, the levels of motivation among teachers and parents is often low in these public urban schools.4 The gravity of the problem is multiplied by the ethnic diversity in urban areas and, therefore, necessity for these schools to offer bilingual education. Changing demographic trends and an increasing number of migrants demand that the schools take the need of students who have trouble reading, writing and comprehending the English language. Urban public schools need urgent and sustainable help if the students are to compete favorably in the job market, and if the quality of their education is to improve. Christian principles recommend kindness and a Samaritan spirit towards those in need.5 In line with this Christian value, the Church must do all it can to ensure that not only do urban dwellers meet their basic human needs but that they