America Versus South Korea
When discussing America’s education, it is important to remember the foreground of how education came to be in America. There simply hasn’t been a movement in the U.S. to establish the rights of children in respect to equal, free, and adequate education. One of the few pending constitutional amendments is the Child Labor Amendment of 1924, limiting and prohibiting labor for those under 18 (Lurie). When there is a guarantee to education, the report and history suggest, direct litigation can produce lasting results. When it comes to discussing free tuition for higher education, I do not think it is appropriate for the nation to give out free tuition. While tuition is free, living expenses are not covered. Free tuition resulted in lower grants used for housing and students in need had to rely more on loans (Schrager). In America, free tuition can increase enrollment for poorer students, but without adequate support and preparation many struggle and drop out without getting much value from college (Schrager).
Free tuition certainly helps some people, but it is not the most efficient use of money if the goal is to increase access to university education and reduce the debt of poor and middle class families (Cohodes and Goodman). Currently, the American university system is very progressive. The amount families end up paying is based on their income, which means richer students in a way fund poorer students. I believe that the idea of free tuition that is present in America’s society. If free tuition ended up being a reality, the money that would have to be brought up in order to pay for future and continuing college students will have to come from taxes. Taxes will be at an all-time high in order to make this a reality. So in a way, college tuition is not free.
President Barack Obama praised Korea for its excellent education system saying that the Korean education system is one to emulate into America. Although many Americans agreed with him, many Koreans believed that it was the opposite reaction for them. Koreans believed that America’s education system is one they should imitate (Herald). Obama probably made this statement because he only saw the surface of the Korean system, and did not understand/witness its deeper problems. But President Obama perhaps meant to say that American teachers and parents should learn from Koreans’ extraordinary passion for education (Herald). Families are choosing to live separately because they do not want to uproot their children from the excellent education system in Seoul (Herald). This is not the case in America. Most American people are stuck within the confides of their district. They are not able to send th...