Education: A Privilege or a Human Right? by Arianna

Education: A Privilege or a Human Right? by Arianna - April 2020 Scholarship Essay

A college education opens most vocational doors, and yet receiving a higher education and a college degree has proven globally to be somewhat of an exclusive privilege, sought out by many and underrated by those who receive it. Western cultures, such as the United States, where education is more accessible than most, market the completion of schooling as the key to a successful life, but I believe that having the opportunity to attend college is in itself an indication of prosperity and a certain level of advantage, and of equal importance to the content that one learns. Those who have access to and the means to obtain a college education are therefore morally encouraged to pursue it. Furthermore, the importance of higher education is not only the information learned, but how one applies it to some greater purpose. My academic drive has always stemmed from remembering the young people who would sacrifice so much to be in the position I am to have access to such a profound and prodigious educational experience, and also from the importance of education and experience in the realm of policy and government. I feel it my duty to continue pursuing the knowledge imperative to my field of study and future pursuit of a political career. To be a properly educated policy maker is to both understand the significance of an education itself and also to be aware of how the door to a world of awareness and access is inherently shut on many communities. My current political position, as a Mayoral Commissioner for the city of San Francisco, would not have been possible without the schooling I’ve received thus far, and advancement in this workforce will not be possible without a college education.

I have worked in City Hall for half a decade, and in this time I have encountered many instances that remind me of the importance of pursuing a higher political education, but there is one that affects me most to this day. One day towards the end of my first internship in City Hall I received a letter from the daughter of a resident at a senior home in the City. She was concerned about the impact that a lack of accessible transportation was having on her mother’s ability to navigate independently. The rolling hills of San Francisco prove unaccommodating to the disabilities of many seniors, and this woman’s mother, in particular, used a walking device that made the two-block downhill journey to her nearest bus stop virtually impossible. I spoke to the MTA and the District 5 office, who took off with the initiative. Given that I did not have the adequate political experience or education necessary for this sort of feat, I was not kept in the loop regarding developments, but months later, I received a letter from the daughter thanking us for the work we did to expand transportation accessibility. The city had added an additional bus stop directly in front of the senior home. I keep the letter on my desk now in my role as a Commissioner for the City to remind myself as to why I’ve been appointed. I work in government to represent and amplify the voices of San Franciscans. As a policymaker, I must remember people like the mother and daughter in order to bring a level of equitable representation to the table when legislation is being penned. Their voices are underrepresented on a legislative level. Realizing the gravity of change catalyzed by opening that letter revealed the virtue of politics and it’s extraordinary ability to enact change. The policy I write, no matter how mundane it seems to some, has direct and profound implications on many lives, but just one day improved is a product of time well spent.

Observing the legislative process from afar ignited a fire in me; I understood very little of the lexicon being used by the staffers, but watching the process itself transform from an ask/demand into a resolving action was inspiring and enlightening. It was almost artistic, in a very metaphorical and yet beautiful way. The final product of their work brought joy to everyone involved. I knew that in order to bring about joy in the way that my office had in the lives of this family, I had to continue forward with my path towards government and politics, as my colleagues had. Working alongside these highly educated and effective politicians helped me to understand my personal reason for pursuing a college degree; I want to use my privilege to obtain a higher level of education to help me advance a political career that can help me achieve a position of political power. In this position as a future politician, I hope to bring back a level of equity and humanity into government. I will work to bring the joy I saw brought into the lives of the family from San Francisco into as many lives as I can. I will also work to one day make receiving a college degree less of a privilege and more of a basic human right.