The Declaration of the Right to High-Quality Education For All

The Statement of Human Rights in the Declaration of Independence claims that all citizens of the United States deserve equal human rights and treatment.  It states that humans are “endowed by their creator with….unalienable rights….[such as] life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The ideal that the United States was established upon was a nation where all citizens had equal human rights that would allow them to accomplish their goals and live happily.   

Despite these values that our government is supposed so support, I strongly believe that citizens’ rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are violated daily, as many student are denied access to high-quality education. In other words, individuals who do not have access to a good education are put at a disadvantage in terms of their opportunities later in life to pursue happiness.  

In our country, it is common that the least strong schools are located in the lowest-income neighborhoods, despite the particular need for a good education when people require a way to overcome poverty. Many families often times do not have the ability to send their children to good quality schools.  Why is this? Does our society discriminate against those without wealth? Does our country not believe that children from all socio-economic backgrounds should be able to capitalize on a great education if they have access to one?

I am not attempting to make the generalization that without a great education, no one can make money or be happy. Instead, I am making the point that the lack of a good quality education can make it more difficult for one to find a job, earn a living, dwell in a safe environment, and stay healthy. The benefits of a first-rate education are not by any means the only ways to acquire happiness. But I believe that they have the ability to make life a lot more enjoyable.

So what can be done? I believe that our country should ratify a “Declaration of the Right to High-Quality Education For All.” This declaration of rights would ensure that rigorous and well-funded schools would be established in all neighborhoods and give families access to good teachers, adequate educational materials, and a safe environment to learn in. This declaration would ensure that all kids in America would have the opportunity to attend a school that could supply them with the tools they need to graduate and succeed in college and later in life.  This declaration would give Americans from all socio-economic backgrounds an opportunity to get better jobs and earn higher salaries. Ideally, this declaration would give more Americans the ability to take advantage of their natural right to pursue happiness.