American Education and Religion: Key Debates Examined

The State of American Education

The educational system in America is facing heavy criticism (Reich, 2010). This criticism centers on the effectiveness of the system and its capacity to educate the nation's children. Critics argue that America's children continue to record poor scores on standardized testing and that graduation rates continue to decline. On one side are those who argue that drastic changes are needed, while the opposing side contends that the American education system is performing adequately (Strauss, 2006).

Bureaucracy and Government Funding in Schools

One of the major criticisms of the American system of education is that it is too bureaucratic in structure (Douglas, 1991). One cause of this excessive bureaucracy is the system's heavy reliance on funding from governmental agencies. This reliance results in schools being required to conform to layers of regulation and compliance rules that divert attention from the primary goal: educating students. Teachers and administrators spend an inordinate amount of time addressing issues unrelated to education, placing control of the educational agenda outside the province of local administrators.

The current theory is that decentralization and a decreased reliance on government funding would ease the bureaucratic burden that has plagued the educational system in recent years. However, this movement has met with resistance from the educational establishment, which maintains that the current system is working.

Standardized Testing and Accountability

Standardized testing has become the focal point of those who argue that the educational system is ineffective. Critics cite the poor performance of students on these tests as proof that the system is failing to educate students even at minimal levels, and they contend that the education system must be held accountable until students begin performing at higher levels. Opponents of this view argue that standardized tests do not measure educational achievement; rather, they measure objective standards that have little or nothing to do with the actual process of education.

Religious Affiliation Trends in America

Where the situation stands is subject to considerable debate and is not likely to be resolved to everyone's satisfaction. The issue of educational effectiveness is highly subjective and difficult to measure. The only way that a consensus can ever be reached is through an organized effort by all concerned parties to develop a policy that addresses everyone's concerns. Given the history of educational reform in the United States, the development of such a policy may prove impossible.

Religion in America is in a state of flux (Newport, 2009). Not only are America's religions becoming more diversified in terms of the number of denominations and sects, but the country is also witnessing unusual shifts in membership. Even as the number of sects increases, fewer and fewer individuals find themselves practicing the religion of their parents.

One of the more notable findings is that Americans are increasingly leaving the faith of their upbringing for either another religion or no religion at all. The "no religious affiliation" category is one that concerns religious leaders, as the largest number of adults claiming this status are between the ages of 18 and 29. These findings, among others, indicate that religious belief in America is experiencing a period of decline.