Reflection on Access to Education

In my paper I focused on something both Edmundson and Dewey touched on in our readings, that in order to recieve an education that matters one must have some sort of self-doubt or curiosity.  Even though Edmudson relates this to all his students, I chose to focus on how the lower class has even less access to an education that matters than those who are from the upperclass.  

While writing my paper it really struck me how much class mentality molds a persons education. For instance, when Luttrell goes to interview one of her students, their two children are playing together and the interviwee writes off her childs intelligence as "just common sense".  Already from a young age her son's intelligence isn't as valued as Luttrell's daughter, something that will follow them later in life.  And when Dorothy Allison is assigned to make her family tree, her mother demands she doesn't pursue exploration of her uncertinty about her heritage.  

It occured to me that if the lower class what to receive an education that matters, class mentality has to be changed rather than providing greater opportunities for the lower class. Like Viniece Walker explained to Earl Shorris, the lower class have to learn the "morals of down town".