Why We Need Education
Gathering of People
Education is a life-long journey. Since its inception, the mantra of the United Negro College Fund has been “A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste.” Gone are the days when a high school diploma is the minimum entry-level requirement to begin a well-paying career. Whether you are seeking a career in services industries, the corporate sector, health care, or as an administrator, IT specialist… even a minister, just graduating from high school is not enough. With the working population in the millions, the median income of high school graduates with no further education rarely climbs beyond 45k -barely enough to sustain a single person in today’s economy, and new positions are requiring at least an undergraduate (BA or BS) college degree. Further advancement within organizations is literally impossible without seeking additional education and training in specific fields.
As a child, my mother reiterated three things, which I carry with me throughout life:
1) There is no such word as can’t. Phil 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” (KJV)
2) Read… when you read you can learn anything.
3) No one is smarter than you, they are just more educated.
Circumstances caused some of us born in the 40s and 50s to forego education beyond high school. I was fortunate to amongst the first recipients of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, and lived through the volatile era that followed. I both witnessed or participated in the civil rights movement as leaders fought for equal rights -especially in education, jobs and housing for people who had been denied such rights in this country. Suddenly doors began to open and I was able to achieve quality education in one of the most prestigious high schools in our public school system…all I needed to do was attend classes and with an open mind begin to learn. I had to make the grade by carrying a no less than a 3.8 grade point average for three years prior to high school, and when I graduated in 1967 my education was equivalent to four years of college.
Suddenly in the 1970s, there was movement from primary education to high schools that raised the question of unfair advantages for minorities, leading to the need for affirmative action, especially in higher education. Opportunities in higher education became available at local, state and federal government levels. Many of us who otherwise would not be able to afford college were eligible to apply for grants. The Basic Education Opportunity Grants (BEOG) and other education subsidies were heaven sent.
However, just as the government gave, they took away. Grant money dried up and student loans became the norm, resulting in the need to make serious choices; work two jobs to make ends meet and provide opportunities for our children, or borrow money to continue our college education while struggling financially. I chose to provide for my child and expose her to opportunities I didn’t have as a child.
Employment was slightly different. Back then, doors opened rapidly and I was able to not only test and obtain an excellent position with the city government, upward movement was merit based according to job performance. Any additional education was to achieve certification in a specific field or to enhance professional development. This no longer holds true today. My resume, although extensive, no longer opens doors.
Unfortunately, education is competitive in nature. Society places a much heavier emphasis on the degree of education one has to determine ability and worthiness, which is still unequal and discriminatory. There remain many obstacles to overcome including, underlying racial tensions resulting in a different type of oppression in public education. School systems have once again become separate and unequal, while families still struggle to afford higher education thus placing the burden of competitive achievement on children to seek scholarships. Children are growing up too fast -becoming stressed out little adults because of the push to achieve in all aspects of their lives.
We should not allow this to discourage us from voraciously seeking as much knowledge as possible. Education begins in the womb. It is the responsibility of every parent to instill the importance of being educated into the heart of every child, without pushing the envelope to become more than their own ability. It is the responsibility of everyone to continue to seek knowledge in order to help our children achieve.
Education teaches us about ourselves, opens doors and leads to a better quality of life. It is our responsibility to stand up and fight for quality, affordable education at all levels, in all neighborhoods and for all children.
Through education–from birth to death–we engage in a world of cultural exchange that has to be pleasing to the creator, regardless of our beliefs be it Allah, Jesus Christ, Buddha or other sources of self-spiritualization.
Why do we need to be educated? Knowledge = Discernment = Understanding = Wisdom. Education affords us the opportunity to change the world, one mind at a time.
© 2008 Sharon Moore Stenhouse – All Rights Reserved
