30th Annual Student Research Conference
Compulsory Education Laws in the United States:
The Undemocratic Method of Developing a Well Educated Populous
Adrian K. Wheeler
Dr. Anton Daughters, Faculty Mentor
National compulsory education laws require all students under the age of 18 (or 16, in some states) to attend high school. Do these laws, which take away the freedom of choice from students, have a place in today’s society and in our democracy? Some argue yes; students need to attend school because an educated populous is needed to ensure our government runs as smoothly as possible. Others argue no; if a student knows they are not going to further their education after high school, or are disinterested in formal education, they can create problems that teachers and administration must deal with. This paper will give a brief history of compulsory education laws in the United States, while also examining both sides of the issue, and justify how encroaching on a student’s freedom of choice actually benefits society as a whole.
Keywords: education, school , compulsory , democracy , freedom, attendance, populous , society
Topic(s):Education
Sociology
Political Science
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 402-2
Location: MG 1090
Time: 2:45