The Igbo and Yoruba tribes of Nigeria are credited with the proverb “It takes a whole village to raise a child.” I don’t think that it is fair to blame parents for the language failings of their children. This concept of success via communal effort is a key factor to support greater accountability placed on the public education system. Hart & Risley (1995) reported a widening gap in the vocabulary growth of children from professional, working class, and welfare families throughout the first three years of life. Based on the figures provided by the authors, the direct correlation tween vocabulary size and socioeconomic status begins around two years old and follows a trend from that point forward (p.234).
According to the American Psychology Association (n.d.) school conditions contribute more to SES differences in learning rates than family characteristics. Although parents should bear responsibility for their children’s education this charge is eventually inherited by the education system thanks to compulsory schooling requirements. From early as the 1830s the purpose of a common curriculum, as seen by those supportive advocates, has included transforming children into moral, literate, and productive citizens (Kober, 2007). Kober also states in the report that public investment would make schools accountable to the American People. As long as the trend carries into the public school system as reported by Hart & Risley the American people, not just parents, should be held accountable for student language acquisition and literacy.
Although parents are a stakeholder at the table when it comes to public education it should be the responsibility of the school system to ensure equal access to academic programs. The Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 as defined by the Office for Civil rights glossary (US Department of Education, 2015) requires school districts to take action to overcome barriers to students’ equal participation. If the trending gap in the vocabulary growth of children from professional, working class, and welfare families continues to carry over into the Pre K-12 public school system, parents should not be held primarily responsible as long as student learning is funded by the American tax dollars. The U.S. Department of Education reports the President’s budget request for fiscal year 2017 to include $69.6. billion in discretionary funding (2016).
References
American Psychology Association. (n.d.). Education and socioeconomic status. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/publications/factsheet-education.aspx
Hart, B., & Risley, T. (1995). Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experience of Young American Children. Baltimore, MD: P. H. Brookes.
Kober, N. (2007). Why we still need public schools: Public education for the common good. Retrieved from http://www.cep–dc.org/
US Department of Education. (2015, October 15). Developing programs for english language learners: Glossary. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/ell/glossary.html
Us. Department of Education (2015, October 15). Developing programs for english language learners: Glossary. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/ell/glossary.html
US Department of Education. (2016, February 9) About ED: Budget office. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/index.html
Insights & Opinions That Arise 