Allie Eriksen

1st hour

10/25/16

Letter to the President

Dear Mr. President,

I am sure that you are well aware of the ongoing issues taking place in our country. Although some may have more of a significance than others, regardless of their severity, they all play a role in the corruption of our country today.

In my opinion, one of the most crucial issues that has had a great effect on our nation is the distribution of wealth. Now I am not advising that we begin taking money away from the wealthy and give it to the poor, I am simply trying to recognize the fact that the issue begins with education and the schooling system. There are places in America that are very privileged, the people who are fortunate enough to live in a nice suburb or a clean town. These are also the people who are able to send their kids to a better school. When a child is placed in a better school, they are able to receive a better education. This is because when a school system has money, they can afford things such as nice materials and good teachers. This also meaning that with a good education, they will have a much higher chance of getting into a better college and receive a good, high-paying job. This is the never ending cycle that cannot seem to be broken. Although these may seem like minor differences, in reality they make all the difference in the world. An article written by the Department of Education states, “Policies and protocols must be in place to ensure food protection, sanitation, safe water supply, healthy air quality, good lighting, safe playgrounds, violence prevention and emergency response.” The article goes on to describe the many other aspects that make up a good school environment. With that being said, many schools in America don't have any of these things, and it is unfortunate that we are unable to provide them with the support they need. But why? The United States is the wealthiest country in America, so why haven't we solved this issue? It is because people don't realize the severity of this situation. They don't understand that without proper education, the future of America will see little to no improvement at all.

Although the concept that family history influences your future may be an efficient system of earning money for the wealthy, the same concept also applies to those who are struggling. If one is born into a lifestyle that has a hard time just getting by, then it is highly unlikely that the child will attend a high quality school and receive a good education. It is nearly impossible that they are able to break free from the restrictions of their family background and completely change everything around them. The schooling system is the foundation of this national issue, and it is where the social gap originates. While continuing my research on the matter, I discovered an article written by Kafoumba Doumbia, a student at Columbia University. He states, “Information cannot be converted into knowledge without education. Education makes us capable of interpreting things, among other things. It is not just about the lessons in textbooks. It is about the lessons of life.” This quote further enhanced my understanding of the situation by opening up my eyes to the aspect of the matter that mainly applies to the idea of receiving a job. As he states, without education, we are not given the opportunities to learn these life skills and lessons. This is why education is a crucial thing to have in our lives, it is because it is the basis of our future and of success. And if a child is not given this opportunity, they will fall behind and never be able to catch back up with the rest of the group.

While I feel very confident in my claim, others may believe that this is not true at all, and that the issue in of itself is not of much significance. For those who believe that this concept is not true, may also believe that if a child were willing to work hard enough that they would be able to break the cycle and lead a better life than what was originally granted to them. Although this may work for some, I have seen the direct effects of family history on one’s future too many times to believe that the cycle does not exist. For example, in the true story ‘Outliers’ illustrated by Malcolm Gladwell, the author provides insight on the secrets to success, and how many billionaires such as Bill Gates and Bill Joy came to be. These being just two examples of the many, Gladwell provides a thorough review of their history as he retraces their steps. While the main idea of their family histories may be different, they all share one thing in common that allowed them to accomplish their goals. That being the idea that these were the people that were provided with opportunities as a child. Opportunities that would allow them to expand their horizon and further their knowledge on the career they wished to pursue. In specific, Gladwell makes note of one man in particular. While the name of this man is unknown, the information on his family history is initially what led me to enforce the idea of my claim. He grew up in a small, rundown town with little to his name. He attended a poor quality school, therefore meaning that he received a poor education. But this does not mean that he was not intelligent. In fact, as a young boy, he was the smartest in his class and he excelled in school. But, as he continued his academic career, it was soon made apparent that he would not be able to utilize his talent to its full extent. Why you may ask? It is because this is a result of his family background. Although he was very smart, he was unable to find the proper social skills that are typically accompanied by a good education. The story goes on to describe what his life was like as an adult, and to no surprise, he lived an almost below average life. So you see, it is simply not just the knowledge that is the importance of receiving a good education, it is among other things such as learning proper social skills and problem solving.

This has been an ongoing issue for many years now, and I for one believe that it needs to be solved. Education and the schooling system is the basis of it all, as it starts with how a child learns and adapts to the situations around them. America has become a divided nation in terms of the distribution of wealth. The idea is fairly simple, those who receive a good education will most likely receive a good job and a steady income. Those who do not have a very slim chance of finding it easy to pay the bills. I am hoping that you are willing to understand my concern, thank you for your time.

Works Cited

http://education.nh.gov/instruction/school_health/health_coord_environ.htm

http://edlab.tc.columbia.edu/index.php?q=node/9886