Essay on Decline of Modern School Education in US

“Proponents of standards-based reform argue that flexibility in past reform efforts have not necessarily been shown to be successful.” says Stanford University study. The education system all across America has transformed and modified itself over the years. So much so that it has taken a toll on the lives of children and adults daily. In order for students to achieve greatness and become successful, the standards set for them have to be situated with how teachers conduct their lesson, testing and assessments, and having the right amount of sources. There isn’t a lot of evidence that supports the fact that programs established in schools are improving the students well being and academic ability. With that being said, it is society’s job to improve the education system that is being set for future generations. The seven themes of catholic social teachings surround the idea that the lives of humans should be lived in a responsible way and build a just society that accommodates the needs and wants of every human person. The system embedded in education is not shaping the children effectively in our modern society. 

Education is seen as not being as effective as it used to be because of many new alterations that have been made over the past years. From the lack of motivation, drive, and support that is being projected, academic performances deteriorate and decrease. The curriculum and school environment as a whole causes kids to have high anxiety, self-esteem problems, and beings in a depressed state.  According to, “Impact of School Climate” written on youth.gov it states, “Negative school climate is tied to multiple negative outcomes for students and has been shown to exacerbate harmful behavior and diminish achievement.” This exemplifies that the school environment can have an obstructive effect on the mental and emotional well being of children. Having a stressful environment isn’t the only contribution to the school climate failing. Many programs in schools are established in order to enhance each student's ability to grow in their own self. However, being in these programs can have negative effects that come out of it as well. Programs can have very high expectations that not all students can meet, can cause students to create a lack of work ethic, and overall promotes racial inequality as well as a negative self-image. According to “Pros and Cons of Gifted Learning Programs in Schools” written by Becton Loveless it states, “Research has shown that a child's self-esteem can suffer when they no longer feel they have an academic advantage over their peers….researchers Christopher Yaluma and Adam Tyner found that 12.4 percent of students in wealthier schools take part in gifted programs, but in poor schools, less than half of that number (6.1 percent) participate.” This shows that programs don’t always have benefiting outcomes for the students that partake in. Therefore, the components in America’s educational system aren’t always going to have a positive effect on the students.

Along with many articles and researches that coincide with this argument, the seven themes of catholic social teachings also support why the education system isn’t shaping children correctly. Students aren’t always in a disposition to obtain the correct education they deserve. Which means that it is going against the theme of rights and responsibilities. The theme of rights and responsibilities explain that essential fundamental right is that every person is enabled to access all of the necessities that make for human decency, whether it may be life, food, shelter, but in this case education. It is the society’s job to protect each other so that human rights can be achieved the moral way. The theme of caring for God's creation also correlates with this topic. Caring for God’s creation refers to using the gifts God has provided us with and allowing all of his children to flourish. We are all called together to protect people and the planet, but it will never be fulfilled if the lives of students aren't being adequately provided for. These principles build on the foundation of the dignity of human life, and in order for the educational system to sufficiently support students, you must measure every policy and institution so that everyone is cared for, most importantly the poor and vulnerable. 

Above all, the educational system in American isn’t doing its job to benefit children the way that it should. Although it gives many conveniences to students, not everyone is taken into consideration. Standards have changed, programs have advanced, and there isn’t a lot of evidence that supports the fact that programs established in schools are improving the students well being and academic ability.