Readings(Education): the Single Most Important Domestic Policy Issue
Over the last two weeks there have been a bunch of interesting stories and announcements on major new findings and recommendations in the Education arena. Unfortunately Education hasn't recieved the attention it deserves in this election - which is, in turn, a fair and accurate reflection of the voter's interests. But not of their INTERESTS, using the word in the older sense of being "what's in your best interest". In our humble opinion Education is the single most important domestic policy issue facing us in this election and for the next several decades. Why ? Because it is the secret sauce without which we cannot continue to grow our economy - not the only one of course, there are several. But Education is the sine qua non - that without which there is no other. Without an educated work force our businesses cannot continue to grow and innovate because the supply of people qualified for new and more demanding jobs won't be sufficient.
Americans have always known this just as we've also always sneered at intellectuals - odd paradox that. In the early rise of civilization writing was the technology that allowed for the coordination and management of complex societies and was as important as agriculture, the wheel or fire. Scribes who spent decades learning complex, difficult and arcane scripts and languages were a special, priveleged class in all early societies because without them the whole thing tumbled down. Well these days without a huge increase in the skill levels and a broadening that base we'll face similar challenges.
When the British Parliament sent special delegations to learn the secrets of Am. manufacturing in the early 19thC they found an emerging set of capabilities that exceeded those of England and would revolutionize the world. But what they found even more astounding was free public education i New England and the independence of thought, educational levels and skills and inventiveness of the workers. So unlike their own class bound societies. When the US transitioned from an agricultural society to an industrial one a key enabler was the widespread growth of good Am. high-schools.
In those days we took education seriously and knew that standards, efforts, innovation and inventiveness were to all our benefits. It's time to take Education as seriously again. And that means you not some vauge they. We need to get it as a central issue in this election, we need to make a concerted national effort, of the right kind of course, but most importantly good education follows from good and local community support.
Continue reading "Readings(Education): the Single Most Important Domestic Policy Issue" »
