National Defense Education Act

Education is an important aspect of how the world survives. Without it, the next generation would never excel; therefore, defeating the purpose of a species to thrive and gain knowledge through reproduction. The way that education works is based upon what goals are set and who is supervising them. In the United States, there is a Department of Education that works with small groups to set standards. Other countries have extremely different systems, some more rigorous and others non-existent. In many other first world countries, higher education is paid for through the government which is something the U.S. was previously considering through the campaign of Bernie Sanders. Despite the shiny surface of free college tuition, there are setbacks. …show more content…
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, there was difficulty in having educational bills passed in the House. The dilemma caused recurring hardship on the Senate to find a new way for the government to be actively involved in education and make proper use of the Department. The intelligent minds of Congress found their solution with the USSR’s launch of Sputnik. They realized that with the Cold War at hand, it would be more likely for a bill on education to pass if it were labeled as a defense bill. Thus the National Defense Education Act was put into action in 1958. In order to pass the bill, they made the argument not over if there should be government assisted financial aid, but how it should be presented. The Cold War had instilled a fear of Communism in the hearts of countless citizens so, Congress fought the ideas of grants down as being “socialistic” which in turn boosted the support for federal loans. With this new system of financial aid, the number of students pursuing higher education grew exponentially. Some may have never thought college was an option; others may have wanted to avoid sending their families down a road of financial unease; but the fact of the matter is that through this national reform of funding, millions of students were able to further their futures and achieve their dreams (“Senate Historical …show more content…
The highest level of impact regarding federal laws on education, concern the fairness and Constitutional right to education of students and teachers. Not only do they propose new acts and bills, they also oversee government funding of education. They allocate funds ONLY to school-districts which follow federal guidelines and meet criteria. Schools then have students take standardized tests to prove their worth to the government and receive funding. To aid in the ease of meeting these requirements, organizations like the National Science Foundation and the Department of Education itself, make teaching/learning materials easily accessible. School-districts and states have the power to mandate or advise the use of these aids, but there is no additional financial funding for those that choose to and no punishment for those that do not (“The Roles of Federal and State Governments in