3. It has not yet been proven that education alone can remedy the problems faced by disadvantaged kids.
No, education alone can't overcome the problems they face at home. It can't overcome the addiction, dysfunction, gangs, and in the case of blacks, slave mentality that these kids face outside of school. That's why I have said it will be a slow process that will take generations. However, it can't give some kids a way out of poverty by providing an alternative.
I think a child, given the right conditions, can thrive in its own lifetime---assuming it was born biologically intact. The reason I think this is that some years ago they took children from the depths of the Amazon jungle from so called "stone age" tribes and put them with modern day Brazilian families. these kids had no problem growing to be normal modern day Brazilians.
I often think the rationale you give here is used an excuse to justify failure or why economically disadvantaged kids can't compete. I think they can compete given a level playing field from an early age.
So the argument should be about, IMHO, the shape, size, and cost of that playing field and/or how to bring that playing field into existence---If it doesn't exist now. If we find we can't bring into existence then I would be for ending welfare going forward. |
