Income Inequality and its Impact on Adolescents by Anonymous

            Money is managed different ways by each family. Adolescents in a high-income family have more access and better opportunity to more education and outside sources to learn and gain knowledge. Adolescents in low-income family do not have as many outside sources to learn more and gain knowledge. Money is used in a variety of ways and in lower-income families- education is not usually the number one priority.  According to Duncan and Murnane from Education Week, over 16 million U.S. children, more than 20%, were livings in poor families in 2012. Those children of low-income families test scores lagged behind those of higher income families by four-fifths of a standard deviation.  At such a young age, adolescents depend on their parents for their educational needs, health need, and etc. Those adolescents who are growing-up with families of higher-income will be more ready to enter into kindergarten and have knowledge that is ahead of others. I think that adolescents should be able to go into kindergarten at the same level of all in kindergarten, regardless of the family income status. I understand there are families who cannot afford education because of the family income status, but I also understand there are families that can afford education but chose to spend their money on other things. I think

            There are programs that help low income families afford schooling and pay back the school at later dates, such as loans and financial aid.  These loads and aid will allow these adolescents who cannot afford schooling to attend a school and pay back the school little by little. If you cannot afford to pay back the loads because of low-income families, you can join a non-profit organization or service to the government. According to Low Income assistant program, volunteering loan forgiveness, medical loan forgiveness, occupational, or education loan forgiveness can occur if one provides service to the government and society.  This is a way adolescents could attend schooling without having to worry about the income status of their parents. Since education is such a large role in adolescents lives today. Sometimes low income families result because of parents losing their jobs and their parents are not able to get another job to help pay of education. Most of the money low-income parents receive go to rent and food for the family. According to Nancy Folbre from the New York Times in March 2014, states that more money is being spent on child enrichment expenditures than ever before. But low-income families just cannot keep up anymore. A direct line from the New York Times “…parents who aren’t very good at earning income are also not very good at helping their children learn.” Low-income adolescents have the right to learn just as much as higher-income adolescents. It is not the adolescents’ fault the adults in their life cannot provide for them enough to get a good education. Professors Duncan and Murnane have studies and found that providing poor families with significant income supplement showed positive effects on academic achievement. This means there is a way for adolescents from low-income families to be successful in education. Public education is more accessible to those of low-income, but sometimes the public school is not safe or up to date with technology, educational needs, and/or teacher certification. In 2004, the Boston Public Schools began a concerted effort to expand and enhance preschool education for 4-year-olds, applying additional resources, improved curriculums and new forms of accountability for teachers and schools (Folbre, 2014).  

            Money does not just affect low-income adolescents on getting an education; interaction with adolescent and parents is another factor. Higher income parents have more time to interact with literacy activities with their children. Between birth and age six, children from high-income families spend an average of 1,300 more hours in novel contexts than children from low-income families (Duncan and Murnane, 2014).  It has been proven from studies that adolescents from low income had lower attendance in school and less academic achievement than those low-income families who were given money to help them supply schooling for their adolescent. The United States Earned Income Tax Credit became a positive result in achievement for low-income families. “The strongest research evidence appears to indicate that money matters in a variety of ways for children’s long-term success in school.” (Duncan and Murnane, 2014). I see this as a powerful statement about those who do not always have access to money like most people in today’s society and school systems. I am a firm believer on everyone deserves some type of education regardless of their income status. Not everyone can be high in income, not everyone can maintain a job and have the ability to provide for their family on unnecessary things that are wants not needs. There is also a book called Restoring Opportunity by Greg J. Duncan and Richard J. Murnane. This book provides a view of the educational growing gap between the haves and not haves in America. This book shares the best way to improve education for adolescents from low-income families. I read a short summary of this book; I think it allows those who believe low-income families should not get the opportunity to have the education of a normal income adolescent change their minds.

“This thorough examination of our public school system provides a clear picture of some of the toughest challenges—particularly those facing low-income students—and the directions in which we need to go to fix them. This book should be on the desk of every educator and policy maker in America so we can begin to change the odds for all of America’s children.” These are words from Geoffrey Canada, president and CEO, Harlem Children’s Zone.  This right hear shows there are people out there who care just as much about education for all adolescents as much as others but have took a farther step and done something about it. Just because low-income families cannot support education all the time doesn’t mean that those should not get an education. Education is such a larger role in one’s life today and missing education can affect ones ability to get a job and make the right decisions. In conclusion, low-income adolescents should not have to miss out on schooling because their parents cannot afford it. Just like Duncan and Murnane talked about, education is very important and there are supplements that can done and loans can be barrowed in order for adolescents to attend school.

Works Cited

Duncan, Greg J., and Richard J. Murnane. "Growing Income Inequality Threatens American Education." Education Week. Phi Delta Kappan, 28 Mar. 2014. Web. 17 Nov. 2014.

Duncan, Greg J., and Richard J. Murnane. Restoring Opportunity: The Crisis of Inequality and the Challenge for American Education. New York: Harvard Education:The Russell Sage Foundation, 2024. Print.

"Find Ways to Get Help with Paying Your Student Loans and Debt." Find Help with Paying Student Loans. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2014.

Folbre, Nancy. "Helping Low-Income Children Succeed." Economix Helping LowIncome Children Succeed Comments. New York Times, 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 17 Nov. 2014.