During the first day of my Composition of Literature and Psychoanalysis class, my professor handed out both a painting and political cartoon of two female beings that have shaped and are still shaping America. Upon seeing the first work, a painting of young African American girl Ruby Bridges, exercising her right to being educated in unsegregated schools, and being escorted by the National Guard, I was caught in both a mix of sympathy, admiration and disparagement.

All of these emotions are often evoked by portrayals of the 1960’s political movements set forth by African Americans. Juxtaposed next to this painting, however, was a political cartoon of a tall, white lady being escorted by into a public school surrounded by peaceful protesting parents. Immediately, I felt anger unravelling in my chest and spilling out of my mouth. How could one possibly think to compare these two female’s situations together? A 6 year old with rocks and tomatoes being thrown at her, let alone the unsurpassed harassment she must have gotten in school only because of her desire to pursue an education, is not to be put to shame by being compared to a billionaire grown woman trying to turn education into a capitalistic scheme.

Upon an initial glance, it is easy to see basic similarities in the two pieces of media. Both illuminate two females not being allowed to enter a public school. However, with a closer look, it is easy for the audience to understand the two situations, eras, ages, and races. Ruby Bridges was a young child whereas Betsy DeVos is a grown, middle-aged woman. Ruby Bridges was a poor, African American female who lived in a time that those two characteristics pushed people like her to the bottom of the social scale. Betsy DeVos is a white billionaire, who lives in a time where women in white collar careers are respected and who hasn’t received any sort of racism in pursuing it. These two factors need to be taken into account when comparing the two works. The bigger picture is understanding the purpose of both females in their settings. Bridges was fighting for her right to get an education; DeVos was facing opposition at her appointment of being Secretary of Education (and in my opinion, rightfully so). Trying to equate these two situations is not only irrational, but unjust. It is a crime trying to evoke the same feelings the American mind has for the civil rights movement for conservative and wealthy Americans. It puts what we’ve learned from our mistakes as a nation to disrespect.

It isn’t oftentime that I stumble upon political cartoons of or current time that have evoked such critical thoughts out of me. Usually, I like seeing how we’ve progressed as a nation because we definitely have. However, the question of “Have we really progressed?” definitely crossed my mind as I saw the portrayal of a selfish, affluent young woman, who is effectively trying to break down the American education system by introducing more charter schools and destroying unions that protect teachers and their rights, being compared to a young African American girl trying to exercise her rights. It is absolutely ludicrous to compare these two scenarios and almost makes me question the integrity Americans seem to portray so often. I felt guilty in questioning our progress as a nation, but the truth of the matter is, there is no comparison in these two women’s lives. Something as small as juxtaposing these ideas in most people’s minds sets us back as a nation.

As the daughter of a teacher who works in inner city Harlem, I hear more and more about what people with ideals like Betsy DeVos are doing to our education system. I come home to hear new stories on how charter schools parasite themselves within a public school, take the most achieving students into their care, and kick them out if they’re misbehaving after they’ve received funding for them within two months. I hear about cases of how principals mold Danielson’s code of teaching to serve their own benefit. I hear about cases where the hardest working teachers have their tenures withheld and other cases of injustice where they reach out to their union for guidance and aid-something that people like Devos are trying to tear away from teachers. Those who fund charter schools, in reality, know very little on the injustice that dwells in their schooling system. I believe that instead of creating a whole new system, the wealthy should fund the system we already have. Educating parents and reducing class size for more teacher and student interaction is only one step in the right direction. People like DeVos don’t have the wellbeing of our youth in mind; they only search for their own benefit and plead for sympathy when their selfish values are attacked.

As the child of two immigrants, I try to empathize with those who were brought to this land. Although I cannot fully do so, I give my utmost respect to those generations who survived the decades of slavery and racism in this country. I admire those who stand for their rights and execute them for their and their family’s well being. Those who strive to make themselves better everyday and carry the weight of their history with them that drives them to be strong. To compare Ruby Bridges to Betsy DeVos throws that slab of history to the ground in humiliation.

After numerous class discussions, I’ve heard many points of view on what these pieces of media mean to varying types of people. These discussions helped show me the purpose set up by both illustrators, how the painting of Bridges was meant to depict and educate Americans on their current status of race in the country, whereas the cartoon of DeVos was to almost entertain by satire. It reminded me of “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou and of “Chains” by Laurie Halse Anderson in the way where I’ll think about the progress we’ve made from segregation. The cartoon of DeVos has taught me that oftentime I will find works of media that were not intended for people like me in their audience, and often have conflicting beliefs with me. Its taught me to analyze the purpose of the artist more carefully.