fefttier oAiscetitianay Since 1884
Wilmington Friends Schoolts
ighting for Combat
Soci,a[Justi,ce Issue wilmington, DE
Youth Organization Promotes Opportunity cation system remains dysfunctional; too often, strug-
Charlotte Donoho '16 News Writer
Cecilia Ergueta '18
2.5 million soldiers who have foughi in haq and Aft
behind school.
gling African-American students who come from difNews Writer ficult situations perform badly in mediocre schools. On Thursday, December 3rd, 2015, the Ur American culture offers education as the key to As a result, they get low-income jobs, and the cycle States Secretary of Defense, Ashton 8. Carter, economic success. Education is supposed to provide then repeats itself for their children. nounced that the Pentagon would open all col everyone with the same opportunity for social moEnter The Harlem Children's Zone, a revolutionto women. This action allows women to bility through hard work and leaning. Study hard in ary project created in 1997, taking over a 97-block up certain roles in the army that they were not ab school, and you'll graduate and get a good job. Howarea and fighting the cycle of generational poverty for to occupy before. For exanpl8, women in combat ever, as lovely as this ideal may seem, it is simply the thousands of children and families it serves." The may now drive tanks, fire mortars, serve as Army not social reality, and our society's failure to address HCZ is committed to the idea of working on the comRangers and Green Berets, work as Navy SEALs, the problems within the system perpetuates societal munity as a whole, notjust children's schooling. This Air Force parajumpers, and occupy many racial divides. "The education system in the USA as initiative begins with the "cradle through college" sitions that were previously only open to men. This a meritocracy is a beautiful dream echoed across the pipeline, which supports disadvantaged children change is a result of a deadline set three years ago by world. The problem is, we forget that we haven't fully through their entire school career, from preschool to the Obama administration to introduce women into realized that dream and then act as if we have," states college. Community centers in the zone provide acaall combat in the military. So far, the Navy and Alr Gustavo Silveira ' 17. demic help, enrichment activities, and health services. Force have opened all roles to women in combat an Inequality is surging in the current education sysHousing and community programs help families stay the Army is working on the increased integration c tem, and some of the primary victims are low income stable and often avoid foster care, and all parents rewomen. While many are overioyed by this African American children . According to a 2013 study, ceive free tax prep and financial counseling. wards equality in the military, some are black children are four times more likely to be living All these initiatives attempt to create a stable, ento support the integrafron of women into these miliin poverty. Poverty creates a toxic stress that results riching environment for disadvantaged children who tap roles. in serious mental health problems such as depression would most likely not do very well in public schools. Over the last eleven years~, roughly 200,000 and anxiety, which explains why black students are Hannah Kushner ' 17 states, "I like the idea of the Harwomen have gone to war in Iraq and Afghanistan. AL- much more lem Children's Zone though this only makes up a small peroentage of the likely to be because it aims not
8hanistan, it shows the significant role some women have played in fighting for the United States. Many students at Wilmington Friends support the decisi6n to open more roles to women in combat, because Of the significant roles that women have played in the military already. When asked her opinion about this change in policy, Victoria Schroeder ' 18 responded; "It's awesome; It means that warfare is no longer
based on the gender stereotype that men are better fighters because they're manley. Now it's about being strong and perceptive." Some are against women occupying some roles in the military because they do not believe women are as strong as men; however, viomen still need to complete the same training and tests as their male countaparts in order to join the military. Integrating women into more combat roles also allows the US military to o+ercome certain obstacles. For example, male serviee members are not allowed to look at or speck to Afghan women on pat trol or touch them to search for explosives or weapi
in "I
just to boost students' test scores, but to
have taught
provide forgotten students lacking a sup-
students in WFS
portive community a stable and encouraging life, which is what they need to succeed." Although the cost and organization of the
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Harlem Children's Zone Chief Executive Officer
scalable model for the country as a whole, the HCZ shows the
possibility of solving the problems within the US's education system. ty to thrive and be distracted from problems at home, Fixing the country's issues within the education many can't. Either way, these students are at a sigsystem are a critical priority in our nation's future, nificant disadvantage to students with a supportive because by hurting the African American community, network," states Sarah Stock Patterson, Math Departthey not only afliont the ideals of America, but add ment Chair. heat to a pressure cooker of racial tension. "Stifling y allowing women to occupy more roles, more Parents raising a child in poverty have much less diversity and creating a biased and skewed education opportunities are open to the U.S. military. time and money for their child's academic advancesystem where you have one class moving forward The decision to open all combat roles to womment; from birth, upper class parents can give their without considering others just accentuates the divide en, however, was not arrived at without resistance child stimulating experiences like daily reading time, in our country, and denies the possibility of education or criticisms, For example, Marine General Joseph high quality child care, and a stable family home enbeing the doorway for equality," believes Kushner Dunford, who is also the chairman of the Joint Chiefs vironment. All these advantages allow these children '17. of Staff, stated that some roles should be limited to to develop abilities surpassing those of low income The importance of leveling the education playmen. The internal Marine Studies found evidence children before school even begins. "The people that ing field is vital for a successful America. The path to that all-male units perfomed better in combat than surround your children, how they view education -all strengthening the United States economy begins with mixed groups. For instance, all male squads were these factors play an important role in your child's deeducating the nation's youths. The Harlem Children's found to be faster on hikes, gorge crossings, and cli velopment, not necessarily through providing `extraZone gives disadvantaged students an equal chance in ascents than groups of men and women. Similarly, curricular activities', but simply having someone who everyday life by providing an enriching environment there is evidence that male Marines have higher hit can bring those opportunities to your child. These and education. Initiatives like this not only address a percentages than women. Thirdly, the Marine corps simple advantages play a large part in developing huge problem within the education system, but they stated that women are also more likely to be injured someone with a love of leaming and respect for edaddress the wider issue of equal access to prosperity in training than men. In recruitment training, won ucation," states Stock Patterson. Home environment in a nation that claims to lead the rest of the world in were almost t`wice as...(contirmed on page 12) is key to student success... or lack thereof. The edujustice and equal opportunity.
some struggling students take school as an opportuni-