The circumstances of one’s birth should not play a heavy hand in determining their future
By SAGE KAMOCSAY— skamocsay@ucdavis.edu
Equality of opportunity encapsulates the idea that all members of a particular society are given an equal chance to succeed in work and politics and live a prosperous life — a meritocracy. It’s a concept that was enshrined in the most famous words of the United States Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
In other words, equal opportunity has been deeply ingrained in American ideals since the dawn of the U.S. It looks nice next to the similarly sanctified notions of equality, freedom and democracy — though it has never existed in reality.
Basic human resources aren’t distributed equally throughout America. Poorer states and cities have less access to many of the resources and educational opportunities that children need to get a strong start in life than wealthier areas, and extracurricular activities that teach students leadership skills and provide experience in their fields of interest are often sparse or completely unavailable in more disadvantaged districts. Even if they are available, kids in poorer households often have to take on jobs to support their families that limit the time they can spend on education or hobbies.
Access to adequate housing is also very limited for poor families. Affordable housing is often far away from schools, hospitals, doctors’ offices and grocery stores, and transportation times to and from essential places are long and grueling.
Nutritious food is also often difficult or impossible for poorer families to attain. Sometimes, the meals a child has at school are the healthiest (or only) food they get all day — a shocking and saddening fact given the poor quality of most cafeteria food in public schools. When a child is distracted by hunger pains, fatigue and anxiety about their next meal, they are less able to learn from their classes and perform worse on their assignments.
All of these factors inhibit a young person’s development; poorer students are put at a significant disadvantage before they’re even old enough to drive a car. These kids don’t determine where they were born, they have no choice but to play with the hand they were dealt — one that was rigged from the start. Black and Hispanic Americans are also the most likely to have grown up in poor environments, pointing to the presence of systemic racism that also plays a part in preventing their success.
Ultimately, equality of opportunity does not exist in modern-day America. This is a huge problem; truly equal opportunity would give employers a wider pool of talent to draw from, resulting in greater innovation and technological progress. Standards of living would be better for everyone due to the benefits of having a more skilled workforce, which would especially improve the lives of marginalized groups due to their current prevalence in the lower class. It is essential we make greater strides in implementing a truly equal society.
To achieve this goal, we need stronger safety nets for struggling Americans. Welfare, which is used to provide support to poor families without the money to raise their children, should be increased and broadened in scope. Free and reduced-cost healthcare, including drug rehabilitation and mental healthcare, should be supplied to poor households who can’t otherwise afford medical costs. There should be greater access to state-subsidised housing and food to help physically support struggling families and more efforts to build new infrastructure in poorer areas.
These policies, if implemented, will help to put economically disadvantaged kids on the same playing field as more affluent children. Ultimately, every single person deserves a chance to achieve their dreams, and we, as Americans, should rally behind them.
Written by: Sage Kamocsay— skamocsay@ucdavis.edu
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.
