Do Americans Truly Value Children?

While it may be true that there are many programs, resources, and policies in place that protect and strive for the betterment of American children, it is difficult to say that Americans love children as much as we claim to. "Disrespecting Childhood" shows several policies or practices in America that demonstrate ways in which we are not respecting our children. I do not believe that we totally devalue and disrespect children as a society.  However, we often prioritize other areas of our own lives over the well-being of our children. This idea explains how we can allocate billions of dollars yearly to bolster education, yet still allocate hundreds of billions more to the Department of Defense. It also explains why we install metal detectors on the doors of schools, as opposed to implementing national restrictions on firearms. The American people do care about their youth, but they also care about their taxes and their right to bear arms. In what proportion they care determines how policies are written.

 When conflicting interests arrive between the well-being of children and well established American values, legislation must cater to one side more than the other. One specific example of this notion is displayed in the 2018 United States federal budget. The 2018 budget allocates 68.2 billion dollars to the Department of Education. With a budget that large we must be setting our children up for success, right? In all actuality, the 2018 federal budget allocated 9.2 billion dollars less than the 2017 federal budget for education.  The 2018 budget also allocates 574 billion dollars to the Department of Defense; A raise of 52 billion dollars from 2017. It is easy to see what we value more as a society.

Another great example of a policy that favors Americans today is the new reforms in the EPA (environmental protection agency). These reforms push towards the use of oil and coal in industry, and away from renewable energy sources and natural gas. Essentially, we are trading the wealth of our nation right now for the well-being of our future generations. These reforms were not passed in spite of our nation’s youth, but they will have a major impact.

Overall, we do care about our children in America. However, we often pass legislation that undermines our attempts at providing the best possible future for said children. It is in this way that we care deeply for our kids, but not as deeply as we claim to.