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Pranali Patel Mr. Glenning English 102 April 11th, 2012 Americas poverty problem The problem that exists in American society stems from many problems you cant pinpoint it to a particular, reason or demographic. You have two sides that debate the current state of poverty as considerable lower than what many believe and that for the most part poverty is contributed to based on the U.S Bureau of the Census 30 to 40 million Americans are considered poor in the United States. What makes it worst is the actual expectation of who qualifies as being poor. Liberals take into account the total amount of people living in poverty, assistance that is being provided, regions where poverty is likely to occur, and wants vice the needs (Rector). From a conservative standpoint their view on poverty relies on what the government has provided to aid in the relief process not what was inherited or attained through some other means. One reason for poverty in American is the obsession to attain wealth at all cost including overspending. The recent housing market is a perfect example of many Americans living beyond their means purchasing homes with sub-prime loans and really could not afford to purchase the home. This cost states millions of dollars in tax revenue and it caused many families to lose everything in order to recover.

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Poverty also varies by states, in California the cost of living is higher and has more of a strain of people making the minimum than in Oklahoma which would be significant difference in life style under the same yearly income. The general assistance program designed to help out those in need has become a clutch for many Americans because of its availability. Until the welfare reform was passed, generations of Americans had lived on general assistance which in the end cost tax payers money for providing services for those who can provide a means for themselves (DeNavas-Walt). America also thrives on education as a means of success which puts many on the back burner. We have been taught from an early age the higher you succeed in education the better your chances youre at landing a successful job. Higher education is a big business which many cannot afford unless scholarships are provided. Our public school system is a complete failure which for the most part is not providing a successful foundation towards a college education compared to competitive countries such as China and Japan. This leaves a lot of people out who cannot afford to continue their educational quest towards having a better life. There are programs available to those who are receiving general assistance to receive educational benefits to put them in a competitive market but many are still not taking advantage of the opportunity. The minimum wage for the average job was at a standstill for decades. The gradual increases in wages since 2000 has still have not been enough to aid many Americans in providing means for families. The wage increase does not only means more assistance from the government but it also means more money for small business owners who have to sacrifice their own profits to pay higher wages to their employees which also means more support from the government to keep those businesses afloat. Although there are programs in place to help those

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in need to a hand out is always better.

Education policy brings about changes to provide better educational advancements to those who qualify. Parents, educators, taxpayers, school boards, and racial and religious groups all play a part in the American educational system. Many of the conflicts involves partial development such as social skills, etiquette, respect, and self esteem which are considerate not a factor as covering subjects that are beneficial to state and college test scores. Some parents dont understand that many of the skills and morals learned from an early age carrying a child into adulthood. The decline of SAT scores in the 80s led to educational reform that has bought scores up but not enough to compete with other countries such as China and Japan who excel in academics (Zajonc). Bias of educational standards based on race is another issue which tears our educational system apart. The problem stems from the curriculum that is being taught between black and white schools. Thats a teachers issue and it is the principals responsibility to ensure teachers working at the school provide the best lesson plans to enhance students productivity. Other factors remain such as class size, funding, family, and resources (books, computers, supplies) that are barriers to ensure students have a chance at succeeding in their studies. Programs like No child left behind presented by President George W. Bush in 2001 was one of the major measures the federal government took towards the advancement of education in the United States relying on mainly test scores which is still considered by some to be racially bias. The program requires all states to take a standardized test in order to graduate high school which has been up for debate between ethnic groups over the effectiveness of the test and incentives for teachers whose school maintains high test scores. The Obama Administration has

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added to the No Child Left Behind policy to springboard our educational system as maintaining a national standard (Klein). Is education a great opportunity to separate those who are willing the next step towards a successful future? I dont know we as a society have been taught this since elementary school. The emphasis of having being successful has made my generation strive to educate themselves at all cost. The MTV generation however has changed our perception of educational value. Its hard to tell a student to work hard in school when he/she see how Mark Zuckerfield became a billionaire by creating one of the largest social networks in the world or the how their iPods, iPads, and iPhones were created by a company whose CEO Steve Jobs also dropped out of college and started one of the most innovative computer companies in his garage. These are examples of free enterprise the next generation is so far advance when it comes to concepts and ideas that instead of working towards making someone else rich they would rather fund, market, and support their own products for profit.

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Work Cited Alyson Klein. Obama Administration sets rules for NCLB Waivers, 8 Apr. 12. <http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaignk12/2011/09/obama_administration_sets_ru le.html> Carmen DeNavas-Walt. Income poverty and health insurance coverage in the United States, September 2010. Web. Apr. 2012. <http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p60-239.pdf> R. B Zajonc. Birth Order, Family size, and Decline of SAT scores, University of Michigan 1980. Web. Apr. 2012. < http://www.yale.edu/acmelab/articles/Zajonc_Bargh_1980b.pdf> Robert Rector. Understanding poverty in America, January 5th, 2004. Web. Apr. 2012. <http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2004/01/understanding-poverty-in-america>