Castellanos 1

Enrique Castellanos

Professor Tubbs

Engl 1301-190

November 10, 2019

Shorting Education

"The U.S. government's total revenue is estimated to be $3.643 trillion for the fiscal year

2020" (Amadeo). That means that every time you buy something at a store or get money

deducted from your check for taxes, the government gets a small percentage of that revenue that

adds up to this enormous sum. According to Christopher Chantrill from the USFederalDebt

website, only three percent of the 2019 U.S. Federal budget devoted to education. Education

molds the success of the future by informing fellow inhabitants how to live life more

productively, happier, and more comfortable. A mediocre three percent will not allow us to

succeed as a country. Raising the budget for education is like investing in the future. By

informing the community about laws and regulations, the governing bodies make to build a

stronger relationship between the government and the everyday person. Significantly increasing

the budget for education would lower crime rates, improve the quality of living, and can even

help us to preserve our earth. The more money we spend on education now, the easier it will be

later.

As time has passed, we have been able to see the tragic side effects of a lack of education.

These side effects look like unplanned pregnancies, accumulating overwhelming debt, or even
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people not knowing how to take care of themselves properly. Education budgeting was even

worse at one point in time. During the 1960s, there was a specific group of people in the

Southern United States that were heavily discriminated against and robbed of proper education.

According to Josh and Clack of the Stuff, you Should Know Podcast, primarily Caucasian

schools in Mississippi at this time received three percent more funding than their "equals"

African American schools (Stuff You Should Know, What Were The Freedom Schools, Stuff

Media, October 3, 2019). Fear lead racism pushed poverty onto the African American

community and ensured future crimes and reduced quality of life. Time and time again, we heard

that higher education provides a better quality of life. Poor learning initiatives implemented in

the sixties, we are now dealing with the after-effects of an unfair distribution of power. Most

minorities were rejected a proper education in that time era unless, of course, they could afford

it.

Furthermore, higher levels of education can provide you with information to indefinitely

increase the quality of life. Education does, however, require an abundance of time and money if

you want to be educated the right way. Our hard-earned time and money deserve to be spent on

education so that we can secure our future success. "Improving education would impact health

widely, by resulting in healthier behaviors, higher incomes, stronger cognitive development, and

more vibrant social connects and psychosocial resources" (Goodwin). It is so critically important

to obtain a higher level of educations because everyone deserves a good quality of life. No one

can ever educate you. You have to want to learn, and you must want better for your life. That

being said, it is only fair that the pool of money we have collected as a country is appropriately

distributed and invested in the future well-being of our citizens.

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It has been disputed for years that it is significantly more critical for the military's financial

budget to succeed its counterparts copiously. Security and protection sure are important to

everybody, but not educating everyone about why we take the actions we do is even more

destructive to the security of our country. The more budgeting that is dedicated to the education

of our citizens, the safer we are as a nation. We, as citizens, need to understand why our country

makes the decisions it does. By understanding why and how our society functions, we are more

likely to enjoy and succeed in life. A higher education budget could even eliminate the need for

strong military backing because educated individuals make safe decisions. All in all, the more

information that everyone possesses, the smoother this country will function financially and

systematically.

As stated before, increasing the budget for education is practically an investment in the

future of our great nation. None of this is possible without clean air, clean water, and a pleasant

clean environment — Earth preservation and education. "Education encourages individuals to

protect the environment" (GEM Report, 2015). However, educating and learning more does not

guarantee the preservation of the earth, but it does significantly teach individuals about the

impact and the possible outcomes of their actions. "People with more education tend not only to

be more concerned about the environment, but also to engage in actions that promote and support

political decisions that protect the environment" (GEM Report, 2015). This means that before

creating more problems, individuals are more likely to contemplate all possible consequences

before acting. This mentality promotes healthier decision making for oneself and our planet. If

you are not yet convivence of the importance of education check out any of the Global Education

Monitoring Report's research findings and see for yourself how pivotal a well-funded education

is.
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Now more than ever, education has secured its place on the list of inalienable rights. It has

shown not only that it is profitable but it’s also extremely beneficial for the success and

happiness of our species and country. By informing the masses of how critical education is,

everybody will experience the side effect that is easy living. From safer environments to the

protection of our planet education has proven to positively impact everybody on earth. This all

sounds nice, but with a meniscal percentage of our Federal Budget goings towards education our

nation will never see our full potential. Fortunately, most people can break the trend of being

deprived of a thorough education. It’s as easy as pulling out your phone and searching for the

answers to any curious inquiry you might have.

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Works Cited
Amadeo, Kimberly. US Federal Government Tax Revenue . 18 March 2019. 10 November 2019.
www.thebalance.com/current-u-s-federal-government-tax-revenue-3305762

"What were the Freedom Schools?" Stuff You Should Know, from Stuff Media LLC, 3 October 2019,

www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts/what-were-the-freedom-schools.

Goodwin, Sarah. “Higher Education May Lead to a Longer Life.”CSU Online ValuED Blog, 15
October. 2019, https://blog.online.colostate.edu/blog/value-of-higher-education-may-lead-to-a-
longer-life/

“Education Increases Awareness and Concern for the Environment.” World Education Blog, 13 Dec.
2017, https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2015/12/08/education-increases-awareness-and-
concern-for-the-environment/.