The Talented Tenth by W.E.B. DuBois

Paper instructions:
Comment on the below article. Your response can include but need not be limited to the following:

1- Explain whether and why you agree or disagree with the colleague’s position and his/her arguments for his/her position.

2- In order to facilitate a more in-depth inquiry into the issues/topic under discussion, share your personal thoughts or personal experiences regarding the issues/topic under consideration.

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After watching the videos and reading the article by W.E.B. DuBois titled The Talented Tenth, I think that it is possible that corporations have huge impacts on educational policies and

practices. In the article, DuBois gives his insights on what education should look like. He believed ideas such as “education must not simply teach work–it must teach life (para. 44).” The article

also explains how education should produce well-rounded individuals who are prepared to be productive citizens and family members. However, it would seem that education today is way more

focused on getting students ready for the corporate world. Plus, companies like Pearson seem to hold the monopoly on schools as far as curriculum and high-stakes tests, both for K-12 and

higher education.

One argument for corporation involvement in educational policies and practices is that they can provide insight on job skills and help prepare students for the job market. Who knows better

than big businesses what students should know and be prepared to do when they are ready to enter the workforce. Plus, some companies are willing to donate time, money, and materials that

schools would not be able to offer otherwise. For example, Lockheed Martin donates generously and regularly to my particular school district every year.

On the other hand, corporations should not be allowed to have as much power over school districts as they do. As mentioned earlier, it seems that Pearson is taking over the education world.

Sometimes it feels as though they own every textbook, test, worksheet, and website that we use. This results in more of a profit-making concern than offering a well-rounded education. If this

company is able to be in charge of what we teach, when we teach it, and how we teach it, the ideas of DuBois and other advocates of education go out the window.