The Evolving Role of Government in Education Kawanna Rutledge Grand Canyon University EDU 310 October 30, 2010 The Evolving Role of Government in Education In the essay, I will be discussing the following: the evolving role of state and federal government in U. S. education, the church /state debate in public education as while as the laws and cases that had an impact on U. S. education. The state and the federal government have different roles in U. S education. The state is responsible for the department of education, curriculum, and the funding.
However, the state provides funding to public schools throughout each state to benefit the children education, staff members, administrators, and teachers etc. Basically, the state board is responsible for approving statewide educational policies and determine budget priorities (“Education in the U. S. ”, 2010). In addition, the federal government also provides funding to the public schools as well. The government has many federal agencies and organization that helps benefit children educational needs in order for them to be successful. The NCLB alters the federal government’s role in elementary and secondary education by requiring the states and schools to measure success in terms of student performance” (“Education in the U. S. ”, 2010). However, the federal government also provides grants and scholarships to people who are attending a college or university to get a higher education. As a result, the NCLB also benefits children with disability, because they have the same rights and opportunities as other children with no disability to attend any public school, college or university in order to enhance their knowledge and become successful individual.
The most famous case that had a major impact on U. S. education was the Brown v. Board of Education. This particular case was about segregation and discrimination against African American students attending an all white school. However, it was not right how the public school was discriminating against African American students, because they had the same rights and opportunity as the white students to attend any public school across the nation. The constitution says: “No state shall… deny to any person… the equal protection of the laws. (14 Amendment) meaning that all people across the nation have the same rights, and opportunity as others. In September 1950, Linda Brown, 7, was not allowed to register at an all-white school in Topeka Kansas. The Kansas school system-and others around the nation-thought that it was okay for black students and whites students to attend separate but equal schools. Linda’s father thought that practice was unfair and sued the school system. His case and others like it went to the Supreme Court under Linda Brown name.
The justices ruled 9-0 that segregating public schools meant that black students were not being treated equally. The court said they were therefore being deprived of their 14 Amendment rights (“3 Supreme Court Cases”, 2010, p. 4). As a result, Brown had won the case, and it opened up many opportunities for African American students which gave them the same equal rights as white students to attend any public school and further their education as well.
The separation of church and state has been debating over religion practice in the public schools for many years. The First Amendment in the U. S. Constitution states in part that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” (Mc Carthy, 2009, p. 714). In the United States, the government had abandon religion practice in public schools, because the government feels that religion practice in public school is not appropriate for the students.
Therefore, the government took action, and abandon religion practice from all public schools such as reading the bible, prayer, celebrating most holidays, praying at graduations ceremony, and school programs like the chores etc. Passe and Willox (2009) stated over time, a series of Supreme Court rulings applied the establishment clause to schools, there by prohibiting schools from celebrating particular religions, or even from promoting religions, over secular belief system.
Most schools discontinued the practice of public prayer, holiday celebration with religion themes and taking matter to the extreme-teaching about religion altogether. (Passe & Willox, 2009, p. 103) The government had made a big mistake by removing religion practice from public schools, because the Bible as well as other textbooks teaches the children about, morals, values, respect and life etc. The government fails to realize that education started in churches and the Bible was used to help children and people learn how to read.
In conclusion, the state and federal government need to provide more funding to the Department of Education, because there are too many schools closing down in society today due to the lack of funding. In addition, the church and state need to come to an agreement and bring religion back into the public schools to educate the children, because the Bible also teaches about the world as well as the future to come.
Reference Embassy of the United States in Japan: Education in the U. S. Retrieved October 29, 2010, from http://www. aboutusa. japan. usembassy. gov/e/jusa-education. html Mc Carthy, M. (2009). Beyond the Wall of Separation: Church-State Concerns in Public Schools. (cover story). Phi Delta Kappan, 90(10) 714-719. Passe, J. & Willox, L. (2009). Teaching Religion in America’s Public Schools: A Necessary Disruption, Social Studies 100(3), 102-106. (2010). 3 Supreme Court Cases EVERY KID SHOULD KNOW. (cover story). Scholastic News- -Edition 5/6, 79(2), 4-5.