In Education, what Support Systems are Enough?

The expectation is that the education world will be a soft landing for students. It strives to provide structure and a positive atmosphere. More than that, schools give a gateway to improvement, whether by behavior modification, tutoring or standardized test preparation courses. Essentially, schools do tons more than teach classes. In doing so, schools place many support systems for its students because if the systems are not in place, problems fall onto those in education and learning cannot take place. Like so many areas in education, the question is what systems are enough.

At one end, schools could simply be learning environments-classes and scheduling. This would logically never work, as students are humans and will need help from time to time. Small support systems are the first added, such as a medical staff and speech therapists. Schools continue to add support systems, dealing with attendance, proper hygiene, appropriate clothing, and food for home. Schools hire psychologists and social workers. Other professionals comprise an education system to run these support systems. But how many and which ones are enough?

The education system creates support systems in an effort to help all students. School personnel, (teachers, guidance counselors, aids, administrators) are mandate reporters. Students are taught young to confide in school personnel, as they are rightfully to be confidants in cases of abuse and other serious matters. Once learning of a problem, the typical role is for the adult to notify the proper outside or school authority, who then connects the student and parents with outside help. What happens too often is that parents are ashamed, cannot afford, or disregard professional services. The problem then falls back upon the school, either with counselors (with a full student load) or teachers (with no professional counseling training). School employees may lack the training and licensing so they cannot diagnose or counsel, but in many ways, the expectation is that they will help, because students and parents see them as pseudo-therapists, as caring people willing to help.

Educators are caring and helpful people, so to prevent or counteract this nasty cycle, schools create more support systems: high schools have daycares for their students who are parents; students leave class to meet with a peer group discussing cutting, bereavement, or eating disorders; schools have systems to identify at-risk students, in an effort to reach parents before grave destruction. These support systems may sound like too much for schools that often struggle with funds. They are, however, generally necessary, as education personnel created them because there was a need. To continue the trend of education creating support systems to reach all students, schools either need more funds, outside factors to address the problems (Healthcare), or a self-imposed cap on their support systems. Which do you think it will be?

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