Erika Bohannon
Grade 11

Berea High School

Why is a high quality education necessary for the public good?

Former Harvard Law School Dean Derek Bok once said, "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." This statement perfectly illustrates the necessity of education within a society. Not only does education shape the minds of the young, but it also impacts society as a whole, and ultimately that society’s future as well. Additionally, as this quote explains, the public must support quality education for all, for the sake of its own betterment. A high quality education is necessary for the public good in order to maintain a democracy's social contract, to ensure equality, and to shape the future of civilization.

Education stands as an important principle of John Locke's Social Contract, a concept by which our government relies. The Social Contract states that individuals must willingly abandon utter, reckless freedom in return for governmental protection and provision of necessities. By the Social Contract, a government has an obligation to provide for its citizens, which the United States government does in the form of protection of life, property and core liberties, retirement and service benefits, as well as a public education. Citizens that oppose school levies often complain that, as they do not benefit directly from the school system, they have no reason to personally fund it. In reality, every citizen benefits from a public education system. Any citizen that has ever attended a publicly-funded school has already reaped the benefits, and should therefore pay their dues to the system. The popular bumper sticker reading, "If you can read this, thank a teacher," exemplifies this notion well. At any rate, even those with a private education can see the advantages of having an educated, capable general workforce. Society as a whole excels when the majority has received adequate instruction. For this reason, the populous must receive a quality education.

A high quality education can also help to ensure equality. In this country, huge disparities of income and opportunity still wreak havoc on the population, translating into a myriad of social and economic problems for the many within the clutches of poverty. While we live in a capitalistic society, the sad truth remains: some individuals cannot pull themselves from poor conditions, simply because they lack the tools to do so. In order for capitalism and equality to function as a reality in this country, every young citizen must have access to the essentials of an education, so that they may reap the profit of their efforts. Unfortunately, this reality has thus far gone unfulfilled; the public education system of the United States lacks equality, and in some areas, it lacks quality as well. If ever these social problems will improve, a high quality education must exist.

Immediate necessity aside, society’s future hinges on the education of the young. The phrase "children are our future" may seem clichéd and trite, but its overuse comes from the truth of its message. Society heads forward through the efforts, the inventions, and the developments of learned individuals. If a society will continue to advance, it must continue to create inquisitive, brilliant minds. Many have noted education’s role in teaching the young to think and explore- and many have held this as the greatest gift of a quality education. Such a gift expands past the individual, but instead reaches onward into history. Because society will always desire great thinkers, society must always provide an institution that educates children in how to think.

Despite the heavy scrutiny often pointed towards the public education system, a high quality education remains essential to the well-being of a society. Every individual in a population benefits from education, whether indirectly or directly. Perhaps more importantly, however, a quality education achieves far more than its purpose of basic schooling. A quality education, when properly provided, can work to ensure equality, and promote a better future for all citizens.