Reflection 20

Public high school was first founded in Boston in the year 1821. During this time, boys were the ones who virtually dominated these schools. After awhile other schools were established and boys and girls attended in separate schools. At this time, school was based more on religion and made for the more wealthy families.

The children of the less fortunate families did not have access to good schooling. Even during these times however there were reformers (people that wanted a change in the educational system) that believed education should be made accessible to all regardless of their social status and income.

Public high schools were created with democracy in mind. Being that democracy is the majority making decisions that binds the whole group. The values of education were based on the values and ideas of a free society. The Public high school was based on the American people and taught some ways of the American culture as part of the required curriculum.

The public high school was established with the idea that in order to have a successful democratic society, everyone needed to be educated. So, everyone regardless of race, background, ethnicity, and status was given the right to have a free public education. With this notion being the goal, many public high schools (secondary schools) were created in order to prepare its students for a higher education (college or University).

The public high schools of that time weren't able to compare to the public high schools of Europe. The public high schools of Europe always remembered that the school was established not only for the progression of the nation but to educate.

Today, the ideas of the American public high school still falls short because they have forgotten that goal is to educate. Take the FCAT, from August to March students basically learn nothing but FCAT skills that's supposed to help them pass that test. The curriculum is basically shoved to the side and forced to embrace the FCAT.

By the time these students make it to colleges, they aren't able to write an analytic, or argumentative essay, they aren't familiar with any literary devices, and they have never heard of any of the founding philosophers. American education has become so enraptured in passing tests and having high scores that have forgotten what it was established for; to educate the students and prepare them for higher learning.