Horace Mann Flaws

The American education system has drastically declined due to a rise in mediocrity. At one time, America was the world leader in technology, service, industry, everything, but it seems that overconfidence and dormancy has caused our nation to fall behind the progressively growing competitive market in the world in regards to education. Other countries have a national standard for goals, requirements, and regulations. Currently, our education system is regulated by the states which implement their own curriculum, set their own requirements, and these findings reflect the need for change. Problems in education never end, so we need to keep changing and adapting. In this essay I will discuss the problems Horace Mann had with education, along with …show more content…
He was not wealthy yet succeeded like any other. He graduated from Brown University and pursued a career in law and politics. Disheartened by the conditions of the state’s public school system, he pursed a career in education only to become secretary of the Massachusetts’s Board of Education. He has changed the school system so much that there are many schools named after him, in fact in San Diego, we have a Horace Mann Middle School. Under physical education he wanted the basics. He wanted sanitary intelligence and cleanliness. This meant better health and life standards. Politically, Mann believed that people need to be aware of politics and government. He wanted people to participate in voting and those who participated actively should recognize “the nature and functions of the government”. He also believed that people should be religiously educated and after being educated choose ourselves whether this is an important aspect to our lives. With the time education takes, morals is something Mann thought should be ingrained, “if we teach them right than it will stay with them when they grow old” was the attitude he had. After all, students do spend 7 hours of our days at school and in due course, from education one could grow on wealth and “securing abundance”. Even though written in 1848, these educational problems continue to exist but bigger problems have risen in this millennium, beginning with the way we …show more content…
I remember wanting to sell magazines, candy, Sally Foster wrapping paper, and jewelry so that I could try to win a free pizza party and limo ride. I remember the PowerAde and Coca Cola sold on campus. Not only did they cost $1.25 for the 20 ounce bottle but the only place you could buy Pepsi was at the student store. Corporations advertise for free in huge masses when they help provide funding for school. “The schools aren’t just looking for ways to advertise: they’re also concerned with the student’s perceptions of various products” (Moore 145). Another example would be the box top providers like General Mills. These corporative sponsors are “immersing children in sophisticated, integrated marketing campaigns for their food and beverages” (Golin) and this brainwashes us to be conformists, “its intention is to make children alike as possible” (Gatto 156). Not only are these corporations marketing and placing corporative logos everywhere, the way we are taught in History is from the point of view of the conqueror, in which case is always America. If America is going to show students their side, they must also teach to learn to accept other sides. Students are taught patriotism and the righteousness of the Almighty United States of America, when in actuality we are brainwashed to categorize, separate, and distinguish ourselves as better than others and should be taught