Naturally, conversations regarding education and its system are constantly evolving, as education is evolving itself. In fact, if education wasn't constantly evolving, we'd have something to worry about, because education is nowhere near what it was fifty to sixty years ago. That being said, it is imperative that we remember and circle back to these prior conversations regarding education and its system because they help us to understand exactly how and why education has gotten to where it is today.
These conversations range anywhere from discussing the integration of blacks and whites in schools to debating what to do in schools after the 9/11 bombings. In the 1950s and '60s, we, as a nation, were so primitive in our thought that we considered segregation in schools as something for the betterment of society. We allowed whites to have superior education while blacks were being taught in worse facilities and constantly getting denied entry to schools. Even after the Brown vs. Board of Education court case of 1954, which stated that denying one's entry to a school based on their race is illegal, segregation continued because many people were still strongly opposed to the ruling. It wasn't until during Kennedy's presidency that integration was truly initiated. Kennedy put millions of dollars towards reforming education, and many people finally realized that integrating schools promoted positive advancement for everyone. As a result, the conversation changed from "how can we integrate schools so everyone is happy", to "how can we form a learning environment that is compatible for everyone so that all students can reach their full potential".
After 9/11 occurred, many people were in a state of panic, and rightfully so, as 9/11 was the largest terror attack ever carried out on American soil. The bombings especially affected schools and the environment within them. Many teachers had to change their delivery in some way, so as to not offend or anger anyone. Students who aligned themselves with the muslim faith were at a major disadvantage, because they were looked down upon and did not know how others would react to them. The role of security was heightened at many schools as the possibility of threats to public safety became much more real. Though many negative impacts arose from the bombings, we were eventually able to draw some positive effects they had. Teachers used this opportunity to enhance critical thinking in their students, and many people discussed how we could take from this event to elevate security and insure safety for the general public.
American education has clearly had its ups and downs, but it is neither the high points nor the low points that define how we as a country value our education system or our citizens. Society is ever-changing, and the education system needs to adapt right with it. the conversations surrounding American education are constantly being reshaped throughout each decade, but the center of these conversations will invariably remain the same. There will always be a need for reform in education, and we can't control that, but what we can control are the conversations regarding what actions to take for necessary reform, because education is all about promoting the advancement of society, and all we want is for the next generation to have a chance to be better than the last.