How Neglecting Education Harms Students and Teachers

By Sarah Chavez

From elementary through high school, a future in higher education was presented as an unachievable goal throughout my time in the California public school system. In a high school with a growing population of 2,000 students, resources were sparse as were the teachers, counselors, and administration. Due to inadequate resources and a low rate of faculty retention, the school disregarded its students, prioritizing alternative paths over attending college and even discouraging them from considering a four-year university, implying that we wouldn't succeed anyway and shouldn't bother trying.

This situation presented a profound internal conflict for me since education had consistently been depicted as the ultimate remedy for overcoming all my obstacles. Nevertheless, it was gradually transforming into the very source of my problems. As the child of immigrant parents who deeply valued the transformative potential of education and considered it essential for achieving the "American Dream" and finding my place in the world, I felt disoriented when I encountered a system intended to facilitate our success that, instead, discouraged students from attaining it.

In return, I felt alone in my education journey. It was rare when I encountered teachers who were willing to do their job under the poor circumstance of overcrowded classrooms, inadequate materials, and little pay. I didn’t notice there was a problem until I found myself realizing there were teachers going above and beyond their regular duties to take on the role of a counselor, career advisor, and parent. The demanding nature of simply being students and teachers became evident as we juggled multiple responsibilities and strive to overcome an unfair system that fails to acknowledge students' diverse needs and backgrounds. Limited funding prevents teachers from accessing necessary resources such as updated textbooks, hindering students' academic development. These experiences are widespread and affect numerous students across the state, regardless of whether they attended public, trade, or charter schools, leaving them to navigate their educational journeys and beyond independently.