Alba Sanchez

 Learning English, Learning to Survive When I first arrived in the United States, I didn’t speak a single word of English. I was thrown into a classroom where I couldn’t understand the teacher, my classmates, or the lessons. I remember feeling frustrated, confused, and isolated. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to learn—I did. I just didn’t have the language or the support I needed to succeed. Over time, I began to understand more, but the feeling of being left behind never really went away. It’s only now, after reading about the history of the U.S. education system, that I understand my experience was not just personal—it was shaped by a system influenced by much bigger forces. One of the major changes brought on by business-led reforms was the push for standardization and accountability. This meant more testing, stricter curriculum requirements, and higher academic standards for all students. On paper, this sounds like a good idea—who wouldn’t want high standards? But in practice,...

      Why Do Some Schools Get More Than Others? We’re back again to talk about the ongoing issue of education inequality in the U.S. It’s frustrating how, no matter how much time passes, the same problems keep coming up—some schools have everything, while others barely have the basics. If you’ve been following my blogs, you already know this isn’t the first time I’ve criticized the way schools are funded and how unfair the system is.                                                                                                         People say education is the key to success, but what if where you live determines whether you even get a fair chance? After reading Part III of the book and discussing it in clas...