The roles of education in American society.

The roles of education in American society.

Baldwin and Rio examine the issues of education and racism in American society and the inability to help deal with racism. Baldwin is convinced that the American education system operates as a paradox or irony because it does not equip society members with what they need to learn to bring change and development. The system also fails to reflect the real picture of problems in the American society hence its inability to promote critical thinking and independent-mindedness. Rio explores the aspect of organic capital which is a set of social and cultural ways of life that youths from minority groups in response to limited opportunities and criminalization. However, due to the flawed education system, this is interpreted as criminality, making it even harder for these youths to penetrate the mainstream institutions.

According to Baldwin, education is designed to help society members achieve their goals by impacting creative thinking and self-independence. Education helps people to be independent-minded. This helps them learn about other people and their environment, hence involving in decision-making on the right actions to take. Independent and critical thinking helps society members understand and correct wrongs in society. Baldwin talks about the paradox in the American education system where African Americans are taught that they live in a society that grants them liberty, justice and equal opportunity. However, this is not the case as many face racism and discrimination outside their homes and have to work extra hard to enjoy liberty. Society reduces them to slaves and people of no value to the white man.

Rio notes that despite the flawed education, black and Latino youth can learn and to think independently about the situation that the society has placed them in. Therefore, they develop a clear sense of how they should behave to ensure they are courteous, professional and moral. Most of the times, behaviour and attempts of these youth from minority groups do not match the community’s belief on what is right or professional because the belief is only from the white or majority population’s view. Individuals, including teachers who are supposed to understand the reason behind the behaviour, are quick to criminalize. These experiences clearly show that the American education system fails to address its purpose in the community.

Baldwin describes education to be more than what students or individuals learn in school but all experiences throughout their lives. As a matter of fact, what members of the community experience beyond the classroom can be categorized as a crucial education to help them survive and live their dreams. Rio notes that black and Latino community members, especially the youth, are the best learners and products of this important education. Youths from these communities have developed their own social and cultural capital after learning that society denies them the social and cultural capital they need to succeed in school and the labour market. The social and cultural capital developed by these individuals from minority groups aims to shield them from poverty, violence, punitive social environment, an unfair justice system that leads to incarceration and helps them fit into mainstream institutions and organizations. Rio is convinced that the new social, cultural capital has helped marginalized communities to achieve persistence that is the key reason why many minority groups are still patriotic, and some have even managed to beat poverty. The American education system fails to provide the real picture about the marginalized and the poor in the community, which describes how they are able to live in these conditions. The education paints these societies as disorganized hence inability to develop collective efficacy which is not the case. Rio assigns the term organic capital to the behaviour that the boys from the black and Latino community demonstrate in response to blocked opportunities and criminalization.

Second, Baldwin is convinced that educators and the education system have the role of addressing racism and empowering minority groups, especially the black students, to continue fighting for justice and quality. This is only possible through impacting values and skills that ensure the students become active citizens and responsible leaders. As leaders, they will push as an advocate for democracy, change and justice. However, due to the paradox in education, society is not ready for such people or leaders because it is not geared towards that.

Rio demonstrates the inability of the education system to prepare leaders, as shown by Baldwin. He also expounds on society’s unpreparedness to receive such leaders due to the continued resistance to organic capital that boys from the black and Latino have developed. Mainstream institutions and people in authority are opposed to organic capital even though it is only aimed at helping these individuals beat challenges in the environment. This is very clear from Ronny’s experience who ais unable to fit into the demands of the mainstream institutions not because his intentions and ways were wrong but because they are not according to the biased system and beliefs in the mainstream institutions. Racism, which continues to be a major problem due to the American education system’s inability to address it, contributed to Ronny’s inability to acquire the job. Ronny’s experience shows how racism is potentially dangerous through its ability to blocking various opportunities from Black and Latino members of the society. The interviewer was so buried in hate and racism to the point that shop could not notice Ronny’s qualifications and his effort in an attempt to be recognized as legit and professional.

 

 

 

 

In my opinion, the young men’s actions in Rio’s text, including mike, should not be blamed on these boys or individuals from the Black or Latino communities. The system that continues to segregate them and paint them as violent, disorganized and as robbers even after petty crimes as a way of protesting. Therefore, all community members, despite race and leaders, should reexamine the entire system is they are determined to bring change.

Conclusion.

In conclusion, both Baldwin and Rio’s arguments on education and racism, respectively are very accurate. Baldwin explains the American education system’s inability to address racism and the problems of division and injustice that have been characteristic of the community for centuries. By highlighting these issues, Baldwin explains what the education system should focus on to bring change that will be key. Rio performs a study and finds out what can be described as the product of true education; organic capital. Education in schools gives the wrong picture of the poor and the marginalized members of the community. This contributes to criminalization, heightens racism and denies members of the Black and Latino community an opportunity to exploit opportunities, especially in mainstream institutions. Therefore, Rio also provides concepts and ideas about how the American education system should be like.