Describe the educational system in the United States.

The educational system has frequently been asked to resolve and alleviate social problems. The school setting is one of the places where real integration of the races is likely to occur. It is expected to provide students of low-income families with the education and job-training skills that will enable them to escape from a life of poverty, even though children living in poverty often come with fewer enriching life experiences and less motivation for academic achievement than more affluent children. It must identify and refer for treatment those children who have emotional or learning problems and those who abuse alcohol and other drugs. The school system is a mechanism for conveying a sense of citizenship responsibility and for countering antisocial and delinquent attitudes. In addition, it is required to refer to protective services any children who are suspected of being physically abused, neglected, or sexually abused.
The educational system in a democratic society is the great equalizer that should create a common bond and give equal opportunity to all. Sometimes the educational system is perceived as a social problem itself because it is not meeting the expectations of society. Education is in a crisis of controversy, indecision, and decreasing public vocal and financial support. The self-confidence, morale, and motivation of teachers are often low. Some schools have been accused of perpetuating, rather than alleviating, social inequality for the poor and for minorities. Although recent improvements have occurred, student scores on achievement tests are lower than they were 50 years ago. Some schools are so victimized by vandalism and violence that students and teachers are as concerned with survival as with education. In some schools, alienated students have shot their classmates and teachers; fear of victimization is now the culture of some of our schools. The educational system in the United States faces a number of crises such as the question of the quality of education, the issue of equal access to a quality education, confusion about the goals of education, and intolerable working conditions in some school settings.