Many American students, distracted and lacking care for education, can come to abuse and devalue their educational privileges.
Photo By: Whitten Bumbalough, Photo Manager

By: Bobbi Zahn, Activities Manager

The upcoming generation of American students seems to have lessened their priority for education. Before when education was sparse, it was only for the wealthy. Nowadays, school seems to be a second thought, not something that requires a devotion of time. Students can’t seem to grasp the privilege that comes with being provided a free and accessible education in the U.S., or how valuable education is.

The top ten reasons why developing countries lack education are: lack of funding, no teachers or untrained teachers, no classrooms, lack of materials, exclusion of children (disabilities or gender), conflicts, distance, hunger, and expense.

Fortunately, children in the U.S. don’t have these barriers preventing them from a formal education. Then, why do they take it for granted? Is it because education is given to us freely that we disregard how valuable education is?

For example, children in Bodinga, Africa are crammed into a classroom of fifty students with a sparse amount of textbooks and notoriously absent teachers. Even with school, most of the students—around 80%—can’t read a single word by the third grade. This is, unfortunately, a common occurrence for students who wish to learn but don’t have the ability to.Even with these circumstances, the students still crave education, which is something many Americans have lost.

On the other hand, other countries, such as: China, Japan,  and Singapore, can devote time and money into education have children that take it very seriously.

“In South Korea, education is the main concern of everyone. How well you do in education is directly correlated with your worth. [For example] you take the SAT only once and if you fail to take it then you redo a whole year of high school.” Says junior Ahyeon Cho.

The perception that many American’s have on education can possibly be explained in Carl Rogers’ Freedom to Learn (1969). In essence, the more students look at school and find it less valuable for their future, the less they’ll care about their work. Students who don’t find school important for their goals will not contribute the effort needed to have a successful high school career. Students in the U.S. aren’t necessarily brought up with the mindset of school as their main focus, unlike students in other countries.

In South Korea, education is prized at a young age. Once children start school in South Korea, they are expected to do well and take advanced lessons outside of class. The idea of an elementary student taking on extra coursework in order to further their education might seem ridiculous to Americans, but in South Korea, it is practiced frequently.

“My first grade cousin goes to sleep at 2 A.M. due to 11 intensive private tutoring classes, which is normal,” continues Cho.

American students, now, couldn’t be bothered to finish their homework let alone spend their free time with intense tutoring classes.

AP and IB teacher, Mrs. Jane Cooper says, “In the years that I have been teaching, there have always been disinterested students. What has changed today, however, is how much less students contribute on their end through homework, reading outside of class, etc.”

Another practice that seemed to go out of style in American is respecting authority in a classroom. Students in other countries would not dare to speak out against a teacher, but in the good ole’ USA, students pay no heed.

Senior Vasily Maltsev says, “For students in Russia […] you have to treat your teachers with respect. My grandma was a teacher and she was paid for staying after.”

Teachers in America sacrifice their time for their students and get little to no respect or pay for it. Teachers are also forced to teach disinterested kids. Imagine teaching for seven hours a day to students who would rather be tweeting or gossiping instead of learning.

Students in America need a wake-up call. Education is the foundation we must build our country upon, in order to achieve success as individuals or as a whole. The fact that this country has made education accessible should have every student counting their blessings.