UNCC300 Assessment 2: Inequity in Educational Resource Distribution

This essay delves into the critical issue of inequity in the distribution of educational resources, examining how it undermines the concept of the common good. The author, a Bachelor of Commerce student, explores various facets of this inequality, including ethical discrimination, gender disparities, racism, and the impact of family background and male disadvantage. The essay highlights how historical oppression, societal biases, and economic disparities create significant barriers to accessing quality education. The author analyzes the challenges faced by marginalized communities, the girl child, and racial groups, emphasizing the need for collective action to overcome these systemic issues. The essay also reflects on the author's personal experiences and future aspirations to combat discrimination within the corporate world. The conclusion stresses the importance of community involvement and policy changes to ensure equal opportunities in education, ultimately striving for the realization of the common good.

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Inequity in the Distribution of educational resources
Author’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course
Professor
City and State
Date

INEQUITY IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES 2
Inequity in the Distribution of educational resources
Most philosophers would accept that the concept of common good can be grouped into a
procedural concept and substantive concept. The substantive concept refers to common good as
what is shared and is of benefit to the majority of the population or the whole population
(Raskin, 2019, p.4). On the other hand, the procedural concept states that common good is the
results of collective action in the form of shared interest. The Roman Catholic refers to the
common good as the social conditions which allow a person to fulfill their goals efficiently either
individually or as a group.
In the education sector, we find that there is an unequal distribution of educational
resources such as qualified teachers, books, modern equipment, and technology. This is contrary
to the concept of common good because all people should be given equal opportunity. As a result
of the inequality distribution of resources, the social and economic conditions of the people
discriminated against is also affected. Below are the challenges that hinder attainment of the
concept of common good.
Locally
Ethical discrimination
Some communities are historically oppressed and discriminated against. People who
come from these communities are in most cases denied the pleasure to enjoy quality and
affordable education (Gillborn, 2015, p.288). Thus, it is difficult to achieve the common good
while discriminating against people from the marginalized communities. This is an institutional
and political problem that I think calls for everyone to solve. With the demographic changes in
society and in politics, this problem is likely to be overcome as policy-making is no longer
confined to silo-oriented communities. As a student pursuing Bachelor of Commerce, I think that

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I have a role in future to shape the corporate world and make it non-discriminatory, but
supportive of historically oppressed communities through the corporate social responsibility.
Gender
The girl child in most cases is seen as being discriminated and facing tough challenges in
pursuit of education. Gender roles, early marriages, pregnancies, female circumcision,
geographical location are some of the challenges that hinder the girl child from accessing
education. Research shows that there are 7million more girls than boys that do not access
education. In countries such as Togo, Somalia, Afghanistan and DRC, the ratio of girls who go to
school to that of boys is 2:1 (Bloome, Dyer, and Zhou, 2018, p.1217). In some communities
especially in Africa, it is considered a waste of time and resources to educate a woman. The
place of women in these communities is to take care of the children and their husbands. Early
pregnancies and forced marriage have also forced a lot of girls out of school.
Globally
Racism
Racism is an issue that affects equal distribution of resources globally. In America for
example, the African American and the Mexican American were barred from going to school
that belonged to the white. Public schools with modern equipment are considered to be for the
white where the people of color should not attend (Gillborn, 2015, p.277). Although there have
been a lot of programs to reduce racism in the educational sector, still the issue of color remains
a major concern as it hinders the concept of common good (Bloome, Dyer, and Zhou, 2018,
p.1215). As a bachelor of commerce student, in future I desire to work in any country with

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diverse people. However, I think racism will in future put me in the way of racial discrimination
in my unreserved pursuit for common good.
Family background
In the education sector, the people who are economically able are favored over the have
nots. Children who come from wealthy backgrounds are able to afford private schools which in
most cases are way better equipped compared to public schools (Wright, 2018, p.428). The rich
are able to get all the necessary tools required in school while the poor are in some cases unable
to afford even the cheapest schools. The rich can also move to international schools in search of
better schools while the poor are left behind. Most of the children from political families get their
education in countries where there is peace and security and in schools where they get everything
that they want to (McGue, Rustichini, and Iacono, 2017, p.77). This is against the principles of
common good. My family has a relatively well-off economic head start, which has helped me
overcome the challenge of being denied an opportunity to pursue education due to a humble
family background. Also, being a Bachelor of Commerce student, I am appreciative that today I
am in class studying with people whose family background is not wealthy. This is a
demonstration that the inequality in education on the basis of family background is being
overcome as of today.
Male disadvantage
The issue of gang violence and drugs has pulled a lot of male youth’s from school. Males,
who drop out of school, join these gangs and thus reducing the number of males in the schools.
(Evans, Garthwaite, and Moore, 2016, p.833) These gangs also affect the grades of the males and
thus more ladies are reported to graduate with degrees compared to men. In Asia, men are
supposed to go to work after school as they are the main contributors to the family. Men are also

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likely to be punished than girls are for committing the same sin. Therefore women perform better
in school compared to men and also the number of women who attain their masters and
doctorates is large compared to men.
With the above-given challenges, it is not easy to fully attain the concept of common
good. Unless the community comes in together and fights these problems that bring forth
inequality in the education system, the minority with power and means will always have an
upper hand. Thus it will be difficult to realize the aspirations of the common good.

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References
Bloome, D., Dyer, S. and Zhou, X., 2018. Educational inequality, educational expansion, and
intergenerational income persistence in the United States. American Sociological Review, 83(6),
pp.1215-1253.
Evans, W.N., Garthwaite, C. and Moore, T.J., 2016. The White/Black educational gap, stalled
progress, and the long-term consequences of the emergence of crack cocaine markets. Review of
Economics and Statistics, 98(5), pp.832-847.
Gillborn, D., 2015. Intersectionality, critical race theory, and the primacy of racism: Race, class,
gender, and disability in education. Qualitative Inquiry, 21(3), pp.277-287.
McGue, M., Rustichini, A. and Iacono, W.G., 2017. Cognitive, noncognitive, and family
background contributions to college attainment: A behavioral genetic perspective. Journal of
personality, 85(1), pp.65-78.
Raskin, M.G., 2019. The common good: Its politics, policies and philosophy. Routledge.
Wright, C., 2018. Family Background and University Success: Differences in Higher Education
Access and Outcomes in England. Journal of Social Policy, 47(2), p.428.

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