Immoral US Education

Every so often, a new report comes out showing how the US is lagging behind global competitors in standardized test scores. In response, policy makers clamor to discuss higher standards for K-12 students and teachers nationwide.

However, United States educational failures are not a nationwide problem: top-performing schools and students perform as well as any nation on standardized tests. Poor schools in poor communities, on the other hand, have outcomes that bring down the national average. Kozol's book, "Savage Inequalities", shows the horrifying reality of struggling schools.

The inadequate funding of schools in low-income contributes to the problem, and is certainly immoral. But schools are only part of the problem. A recent NPR story shows how living in a violent community can prevent kids from even getting to school. Experiences prior to entering the K-12 system also have a significant impact on educational outcomes, as high-quality childcare has been correlated with decreased need for special education and a correctional services. Indeed, some studies have found that the earlier the intervention, the greater the outcomes.

 So, any effort to address this "Sputnik Moment" should not simply focus on a national reform of the K-12 system, like the No Child Left Behind policy. Reforms must recognize that our education problem starts as early as as prenatal care, not when a child enters kindergarten. Also, reforms must focus on revitalizing struggling communities as a whole. Proposed budget cuts to the Community Development Block Grant program only detract from this goal.

Studies like the one linked in this post show that investments in early childhood education can actually save us money by increasing productivity and decreasing spending on this like special ed. and correction. Now, more than ever, an educated public is essential for a competitive economy. However, I think there is a better, moral argument for such reforms. Children deserve to live happy, healthy lives. It is simply wrong to deny children access to a happy and safe upbringing.

Moral Budgeting

Have you heard?  Local, state, and federal governments across the US are faced with a serious budget challenge. Like any public problem, there is no “right” technical solution that will solve everything. Every proposal has trade-offs. So, when making these tough decisions, it is extremely important that we honestly weigh the pros and cons of different proposals. Sure, we want to balance the budget, but it is not enough to justify a cut to a program, or the removal of collective bargaining rights, by simply saying "we're faced with a deficit.".  If the deficit were the only value we looked at when making a political decision, then we wouldn’t have extended the Bush Tax cuts, we would raise taxes, and cut virtually every government program.

I think that it is immoral to justify a political decision in such a superficial way. We don’t want a society that jumps to conclusions based on rhetoric, so any effort to sway opinions using rhetoric is just plain wrong. Further, our societies reliance on mass media outlets for political information is one of the factors that leads to decision-making based on rhetoric and the wrong way to make decisions. 

Now, budgeting is a complex and time consuming process, so it is unreasonable and idealistic to propose that every American should have thorough discussions about every budgetary proposal. However, THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TO LEARN ABOUT BUDGETING AND PARTICIPATE IN BUDGETING. The Participatory Budgeting Process in Porto Alegre, Brazil is a classic example of a different way to do things.

In the United States, democratic innovation is our proud tradition. We must learn to create new methods for budgeting that are less vulnerable to political opportunism and manipulation and more likely to reflect our societies strong moral compass.