By: Leone Seidel
Social issues may refer to a group of common problems in present day society that some may strive to solve and are most likely beyond a single individual’s control. For example, social issues may include homelessness and poverty. They can be extremely problematic for certain groups of people. Some are helping with social issues, but not many, which may be due to the fact that not many people are educated about social issues. This could change by having schools teach about social issues to students. It would likely be beneficial if U.S. schools taught students more about social issues because they would learn and most likely come to understand social issues and possibly try to mitigate those problems in the future. The students may also begin to understand the people who have to overcome social issues, and will exercise their decision-making capabilities, thus allowing them to make their own informed decisions.
Students who learn about social issues in school may try to mitigate these social issues in the future. Some options students have to solve these issues is by either setting up charity organizations, or finding a way to have a say in the causes of these social issues. For example, this may be possible by growing up to be a lawmaker, to help diminish the social issue of not having adequate healthcare. Another way that students may mitigate social issues is by passing this information down to their children, or becoming a teacher and educating future generations about these social problems. Some students may not attempt to mitigate these social issues, but at least they will probably understand those who have had to persevere through them.
Students who learn about social issues in class may gradually begin to build cognition of the social issues that some people face. They will probably understand how the people who are facing these social issues feel, and what they had to go through. Moreover, if one of the students in the class is affected by any of these social issues, it may feel better for them if the people around them understand what they have been through. Their classmates will most likely admire the people who have had to overcome social issues for their perseverance. Students will not only learn about social issues, but will also most likely learn more about how to make more informed decisions.
There are two situations in which the students’ decision-making ability is tested. One of them is due to the fact that this teaching will most likely not be standardized, and the students will most likely be caught in between different teachers’ opinions. The other possible scenario is if a conflict of opinions between the beliefs of teachers, and the students’ parents arises. Both of these situations will lead to the same result, which is that the students will have to decide on their own. They could also make up an entirely new opinion on social issues. All of these situations will exercise students’ decision-making abilities.
Overall, the students may try to help diminish these problems, they may begin to recognize the challenges that people who face social issues have to overcome, and the students may also learn to make more informed decisions when given several options. The students may diminish these social issues by setting up charity organizations, or having a say in some social issues whether they do that by becoming a lawmaker, activist, etc. . They may slowly recognize that people who face social issues should be admired for their perseverance and hardships. Finally, the students will exercise their decision-making ability by having to decide between opinions of different people that they learn from such as parents or teachers. Social issues can be combated better if schools, parents, and teachers were to properly educate their students and children about these ongoing issues.