Education and Prison Funding

            "Good morning students, class is now in session" sounds better than, "05678 get up and move it." Education is important for providing knowledge, skills, and pathways for brighter futures. Prisons on the other hand are needed for the separation, security, and safety of the people. Prison shouldn't be priority over education. Students should have a quality education, schools shouldn't be overpopulated, and resources should be available.
             Our education system is being cheated of funding, meanwhile prisons are receiving increased amounts of money in their budget. According to the article "Schools v. prisons: Education's the way to cut prison population," "California spends more on prisons because it fails to provide the quality of education you need to succeed in school" (Hanson/Stipek 2). Spending money on prisons cost a magnitude more than providing an education, but officials are not paying attention to statistics. Education is not being treated as if it is not a necessity that will take you places throughout life. In the article "Education vs. Incarceration" by Stephen Hawkins, the author states, "What we learn from Los Angeles, Houston, and Philadelphia is that our national priorities are misplaced, and with devastating consequences. In a few select neighborhoods, the heavy investment in incarceration over education correlates with the lowest-performing schools. These neighborhoods send more individuals to prison than to college -- reflecting the pattern of dollars invested." If our priorities are not fixed soon, the future is not going to look very bright, and more students will suffer. Students from low performing schools are not even given a chance, and are left to fend for themselves. Hawkins also states, "Only when we make meaningful investments in schools -- not prisons -- will our nation reap the benefits through increased earnings for families, reduced unemployment, increased tax revenues from more vibrant local economies, reduced reliance on public assistance, increased civic engagement, and improved public -- safety outcomes for neighborhoods at risk of violence and victimization" (4).