tentious and degrading process. And even though educationists believe that “schools oppress students by trying to mold them, stifling native characteristics,” the student chooses to become a student anyway. He does this by “concentrating on the benefits education will bestow upon him,” (49). He follows an ends-justify-the-means mentality. They rather suffer a little now in order to be well off in the future. Some people may bring up the point that things have changed since Rodriguez wrote his essay. Since 1985, school enrollment has increased, school attainment has increased, dropout rates have decreased, and educational funding has also increased (“Dept. of Ed.”). So, his belief that “schools change most students barely at all,” may have been more valid in 1985, but it’s only been fifteen years. Even considering that things have changed, his statement is still invalid. Many students in the 1980’s also went through the process of learning for the sole reason of job placement. People realize that they are changing when they are being educated; Rodriguez is not a special case, but people are looking at the end product. Then don’t mind changing in order to get somewhere in life. Most know that they need to change. We can’t be educated without changing. The mere word education means change or development. Obviously, students are still learning for the sake of economic utility. Rodriguez may have done his learning for the sake of being an educated man, but it was the end result he craved. Whether someone’s aim is to get a good job or to elevate themselves to a higher level of education, the product of their efforts is what counts. ...
