2 comments

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  CarlM

  2 years ago

  OK, I'll bite. :)
  
  Let me begin by pointing out that facts can be presented in a misleading way (even when the facts are true). Some examples: The population of China is almost 4.5 times the population of the US. So, the fact that they graduate more engineers is not surprising (though they do graduate engineers at roughly TWICE the per capita rate as we do -- that's the more honest number -- which is of course still plenty alarming). In any population there is variation. It is NEVER fair to compare a poor example from one group to good examples from another group (which is what seems to be done in "Washington D.C. has a higher infant mortality rate than many cities in India"). I believe that it takes away from the honesty of an argument when facts are told in misleadign ways like this. Let the numbers speak for themselves .. they have PLENTY to say.
  
  I'm off to class, but I'll have more to say on this topic later (raise your hand if you're surprised at that). ANYONE? No? Ah ... well ... good. See you soon.
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  CarlM

  2 years ago

  "we’re going to start seeing a massive migration of the the country’s educated and wealthy to other, more fertile environments. It’s going to be the opposite of what happened when this nation began to thrive — rather than people coming here full of ambition, those who have it will be moving as fast as they can to Canada, Europe, and other forward-thinking places."
  
  I think that you're partially right here. I'm not convinced that many Americans will leave the US for more fertile environments (though that will happen some). The larger issue (and I think that this will be a LARGE issue) is that we will no longer attract the best and the brightest from other countries. The educational crisis in this country has been disguised for many years by the fact that we have an enormous number of VERY TALENTED people coming here to work. They have a huge positive impact on the economy. When they no longer feel the need to come here (or when we simply cut way down on the number we LET come here -- since 9/11 we have cut down on the number of foreigners we allow into the country to go to school and to work), we will notice. It is when we must rely on our own home-grown talent that we will find it lacking. If we do not wake up to this fact SOON, it will be too late.
  
  Once again, I put a large value on education (disclaimer for those who don't already know this .. I am a university mathematics professor). Some may argue that basic education is the responsibility of the parents. While I agree that it is VERY important (for the children) that parents take a strong role in their education, it is even MORE important (for society) that the children get a strong education. Is it reasonable to put the full burden of this basic education on parents who themselves dropped out of school? I don't think it is fair to those children to do so .. and .. I don't think it is fair to society to do so. We MUST take an interest in the education of all children.
  
  Some think that vouchers are an answer ... pay extra money so families are more able to pay for private schools (which are presumed to be better). I STRONGLY disagree and have two main reasons for doing so. First: It isn't clear that the private schools are better. It is tough to compare a private school filled with children of parents who are relatively well educated and well off financially with a public school filled with children of parents who are (as a group) less well educated and less well off financially. Even if the quality of instruction is EXACTLY the same in the two places, the private school will have higher test scores based on the background of the students. But, my second reason is (in my opinion) even more important. When parents flee a public school based on a (possibly mistaken) perception that the private school give better instruction, they tend to cease to care about the public schools. THIS IS A TRAGEDY. Children that are better educated are much more likely to contribute in a positive way to society when they are adults. They are much less likely to partake in criminal activity. They are much less likely to have children as teenagers. They are much more likely to .. well I hope you get the idea. You don't have to be concerned about the children (though I would hope that you would be). It is better for SOCIETY for ALL children to have the best possible education. Should parents play a large role in this? Yes, of course. Should we RELY on all parents having the capacity to play a large role in this? No, of course not. It is too important to all of our society that ALL children have the opportunity for a strong education.
  
  ... OK .. I'll take a breath. ... someone else's turn now.
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