“House Rules” talks about the problems that people encounter in public institutions and housing depending on the location. The first episode is an interview with Jada who discusses her experience in two different schools. One was very discriminatory towards her, the learning environment was not very effective, and the teachers were not eager to make sure that students received proper education. The other school was completely opposite.
People there were friendly and helpful. It had a computer lab, a large library and an outside area where students could learn sciences or have a walk between classes. The second episode talks about people who work as testers in New York. Individuals of different races go to buildings and look for apartments. It has been observed that African-Americans were refused an apartment more than white individuals. The refusals were not openly discriminatory; people were simply told that there are no apartments available.
These cases resulted in lawsuits, and people started to become aware of the problem. The third episode talks about the beginning of the integration of proper housing. There were laws that were set up to make sure that everyone got a fair right to receive housing, but the laws were never enforced. The Fair Housing Act was implemented under the cover of Nixon, so that it would first be implemented and then, the results would be provided.
In my personal experience I have noted the difference between schools in different locations. The podcast is very truthful because one school that I have attended was very thorough in the studies, and all the resources were allocated to students and individuals who wanted to learn extra.
The teachers were very attentive to the student’s needs, and in case there was a scheduling conflict they would look for a compromise, so that a student would not miss out on the learning opportunity. It is a disturbing fact that so much depends on the location and local organization. The standards of education and housing must be fair and equal for all people and locations.
The episode has a great impact on the society because it presents a problem that is still present. People thought that the modern days are free of discrimination, especially in such instances as housing.
This type of knowledge has made people aware about discriminatory practices in some areas of the nation, thus leading to a change. It is extremely beneficial that people have gained knowledge because the society can now demand changes in the social make up of the nation, policies and administrations that are put forward by the government.
In order to resolve this issue the laws and regulations must be changed. It is clear that a lot depends on the individuals in charge of housing. Superintendants must be instructed that engagement in discriminatory or selective practices is not permitted. Of course, there might be some difficulties in enforcing such regulations because it is difficult to monitor such cases.
As a solution, the amount of apartments or houses available to the market could be presented publicly, either in the direct location of a residence or in social networks or community centers. The local governments and law enforcing authorities could be monitoring available apartments or houses. Social programs and community leaders could also participate in the enforcement of policies and regulations.