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Education is "the purpose of education is to develop not only vocational capacities, but also civic agency" (Allen 8).

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Education in America, is required for minors with public school being offered in almost every county in the United States. Although public education is not the only form there is, the option of public schools ensures that every child "has" the opportunity and means to learn, create, engage, and excel in a classroom setting.

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There has been a shift of focus of ensuring students leave elementary, middle, and high school with adequate and capable learning skills, to a want of students to just be able to be members of the working class.

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Participatory Readiness vs. Workforce Readiness 

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Participatory Readiness vs. Workforce Readiness 

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Allen discuses the idea of civic readiness being integrated into the public school system, wanting to maintain the role it has played for years in education. Participatory readiness means to make certain that students are able to live life as a citizen living in democracy. Education should not solely focus on preparing students for the workforce but should also equip them with the knowledge and necessary skills to actively participate in civic life.

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Why a Concentration of the Workforce in Education? 

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Why a Concentration of the Workforce in Education? 

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The launch of Sputnik by the Soviet Union in 1957 created a sense of urgency in the United States about its global competitiveness, particularly in science and technology. This led to the passage of he National Defense Education Act (NDEA) in 1958, which emphasized funding for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, alongside vocational training. The 1983 “A Nation at Risk” report further reinforced concerns about the nation’s academic standing, pushing for reforms that prioritized workforce readiness over a broader civic education.

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By the late 20th century, economic-driven concerns dominated educational reforms, leading to an emphasis on vocational skills that would align with he job market. The rise of globalization and technological advancements reinforced the idea that education should primarily serve economic needs by producing highly skilled workers. However, this vocational emphasis came at the expense of a more holistic approach to education as Allen has explained.

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Education's purpose is to serve the youth, ensuring they are able to become leading and prominent members of their society. Education is supposed to encourage students to become outstanding in their society.

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Allen argues "Thus an education focused not merely on technical skills, but also what I call participatory readiness, provides a distinct and better way to promote equality through schooling" (Allen 9).

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The state of New York has undergone multiple lawsuits due to the inadequate education students in the city have been receiving. With a lesser focus on hoping students gain essential life skills that come from the act of educating, policy makers have been deterring from the importance of actually educating.

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Danielle Allen's "What is Education For?"

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Danielle Allen's "What is Education For?"

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Workforce readiness pertains to the idea that students attending public school, should receive an education based on vocational learning. Vocational learning means to teach students to with the intent to shape individuals who can contribute to society by integrating themselves into the working class. This prioritizes the need to work over the need to learn.

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The dominant policy paradigm attends almost exclusively to education’s vocational purpose: the goal is to ensure that young
people, and society generally, can
compete in a global economy (Allen 9).

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The philosopher Hannah Arendt is mentioned in the reading, highlighting the concept of civic agency, which refers to individuals actively shaping their communities and participating in decision-making. Without participatory readiness, people, especially students, are less likely to inhabit the critical thinking skills that foster civic agency.

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"Education is a casual force behind democracy -- reading, writing, and collaboration are the basic instruments of political action" (Allen 12).

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Allen argues the idea that subjects including literature, history, film, music, and philosophy are not just academic disciplines but essential tools for civic engagement.

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The two topics discussing the importance of the Liberal Arts versus STEM usage in education is delved into on multiple levels throughout the article. By fostering literacy, debate, and an understanding of historical and social contexts, the liberal arts create well-rounded individuals capable of contributing to democracy

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"Preparing ourselves to exercise these arts takes us again to literature and to the visual arts, film, and music. In other words, we need the liberal arts. They were called the free person’s arts for a reason" (Allen 13).

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The importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) has been prioritized to a great extent over the years. This increase is due to the high job demand that is rewarded to people who partake in STEM.

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"President Obama, in his 2013 State of the Union address, announced a competition to “redesign America's high schools." Rewards would go, he said, to schools that develop more classes “that focus on science, technology, engineering, and math—the skills today's employers are looking for to fill jobs right now and in the future" (Allen 10).

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"Today, these technologically oriented, vocational approaches to education and the problem of inequality leave almost no room for the civic alternative. It is not that civic education is incompatible with professional training, but policymakers, education specialists, and many parents—including low-income parents, whose children are most likely to see their civic education shortchanged—have narrowed their focus exclusively to the economic field. In the process, they have lost sight of the full range of inequalities from which our society suffers and which well-rounded education could alleviate" (Allen 10).

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While vocational training is important, it shouldn't come at the cost of neglecting the development of well-rounded citizens who can engage with the full spectrum of societal issues., which is emphasized by Allen. The focus on economic outcomes has narrowed educational goals, leaving scarce room for the promotion of values like democracy, social justice, and active citizenship, which could help address inequalities in society. The key point is that a more comprehensive education that includes both vocational and civic elements, could reduce societal inequalities.