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Garland’s “Let’s Really Reform Our Schools” Student example “Let’s Really Reform Our Schools” – Summary
and Response Essay According to Anita
Garland, secondary schools in the United States are failing at their most
basic responsibility—educating America’s youth. Drastic measures need to be taken
in order to repair the system. Mandating all teens to attend school is part
of the problem, so we should make attending school optional. This would
result in children recognizing the privilege of getting an education.
Improving the quality of food provided at school should help children to be
healthier and think more clearly. Scrap the after school sports, and the prom
while you’re at it. She also suggests we dress the children in uniforms so
they will focus on learning, instead of what to wear. She claims that if we
implement these reforms, our high schools will get back on track. Anita
Garland starts off her essay, “Let’s Really Reform Our Schools”, by
stating, “American high schools are disasters” (101). She goes on to propose
several steps towards rectifying the inadequacies of the public school
system. Garland makes some excellent suggestions, and even provides some
viable tactics towards improving high schools in America, but other parts of
her strategy are harmful and unnecessary. The first
point Garland makes is that “we must stop allowing the attendance of
so-called students who are not interested in studying” (101). Making school
attendance optional would have profound benefits. Possibly the most important
one would be allowing teachers to use the time they waste having to
repeatedly reprimand the same trouble makers, on teaching the students who
desire to learn. This concept seems so obvious. We need to start at the top
and reform or better yet eliminate the Department of Education. The
bureaucrats in charge of that albatross have weighted the federal funding to
schools, not on merit or student achievement, but total school days attended
by students per school year. As long as there is financial benefit to forcing
everyone to attend school you can be sure that schools will follow the money.
A few bureaucrats standing in the unemployment line can only help our
country. The
author also rails against the unhealthy eating habits that are promoted in
the cafeterias of schools. “School cafeterias, of all places, should
demonstrate how a healthful, low-fat, well-balanced diet produces healthy,
energetic, mentally alert people” (Garland 102). I couldn’t agree more with
her on this point. Adolescent obesity, diabetes, and Attention Deficit
Disorder are out of control in the United States, but the schools still
provide an endless stream of sugar, fat, cholesterol, and unhealthy
artificial sweeteners to our impressionable youths. I see no reason that the
American tax payers should be forced to subsidize junk food for
school-children. It only destroys our children’s bodies, and inhibits their
ability to think and learn. I would have to veto many of Ms. Garland’s suggestions,
though. The list of counterproductive measures includes creating dress codes
and eliminating competitive team sports. Having attended both schools that
required a uniform and others that didn’t, I can say assuredly that uniforms
are of no benefit whatsoever. They place an unnecessary burden on the parents
of children to buy expensive uniforms, rather than whatever clothes they can
find on sale. A much better option is a strict dress code that requires
modest and appropriate clothing to be worn by all students. In response to
the author’s assertion that we should eliminate competitive sports as an
after school activity, I disagree with her entirely. I defer to the authors
own words, “Students need an outlet for their energies, and friendly
competition . . . is fun and physically beneficial” (Garland 102).
Extra-curricular activities are just that—extra. Students should not
be forced to participate in them, but we should be thankful for the healthy
exercise and eating habits that are taught through after school sports. I agree with the
writer that radical action needs to be taken in order to reform our education
system. Even if reforms don’t solve all of the problems, they undoubtedly
will move us in the right direction. If we forget uniforms, and reform school
sports, not abandon them, I think Ms. Garlands advice could greatly improve
American high schools. Works Cited Garland, Anita. "Let's Really Reform Our Schools." Reader
Digest October 2000: 101-103. |
