Education saved the day

Well man built a boat and he learned how to sail

And he traveled far and wide

Then he looked up above saw the stars in the sky

So he learned how to fly

And the inventors with their high I.Q.s

And the professors in their colleges

Trying to feed me knowledge

That I know I'll never use

Thank you sir for the millions of words

That you've handed me down and you've told me to learn

~~ “Education” by The Kinks

I read something the other day that really dismayed me. NBC conducted a poll asking whether people thought a four-year degree was worth the cost and it turns out that there has been a sharp drop-off in those who feel that it is worth it.

You’ll get no argument from me that college is quickly becoming out-of-reach for far too many. This is certainly something we need to address and I wish that every person, no matter their age, would have access to affordable college classes. It is also hard to argue with the idea that many who graduate aren’t well-equipped with skills that will result in an immediate, good-paying job.

But what really bothers me here is that there seems to be a deepening notion that an education isn’t really needed. I’m not saying that college is for everyone and I am totally on board with vocational schools that teach much-needed skills. In fact, there are a lot of high-skilled jobs out there going unfilled and that is bothersome.

I also know that college is a lot more expensive than when I went to school. A lot more expensive. I don’t remember the exact amount, but I was able to get a Bachelor’s degree for under thirty grand at one of our state schools (Ball State...go Cardinals!). I am also really fortunate in that my folks saved for my education and with the help of some small scholarships, some loans, and some strategic T-bill investing (and high interest rates at the time), my college was paid for. Believe me, I know just how fortunate I am and I am grateful every day.

Ball State isn’t an Ivy League school, but I got a degree that helped me get a job (Medical Technologist/Microbiologist) that I found very rewarding and interesting. Because it was a four-year degree, I also got to take electives that didn’t relate to my major and I enjoyed those very much. Psychology, Sociology, Archaeology, things like that. In retrospect, I wish I had taken some literature or art history courses, but that’s where online classes come in now. I still love to learn and enjoy taking the occasional course (I’m about due for another one!).

The experience of getting a four-year degree and living on campus taught me more than information. I grew up in a small town and getting away to meet new people and experience new ideas was a gamechanger for me. It exposed me to so many different concepts and ways of looking at things and taught me to see other viewpoints. Not everyone gets to go live on campus but taking different courses in a community college or local university can still give you insight into the experiences of others. This was invaluable to me and I wouldn’t be the person I am today without it. I’m certainly not a perfect person but the education continues. There is always more to learn!

It makes me sad that the value of education has dropped so low. Maybe a lot of these people still want to learn and just think that a four-year degree isn’t the way to go about it. I’m okay with that. But I think this survey shows a little more than that...it seems to show that knowledge is no longer a valued commodity.

This is dangerous. The successful operation of our society and our republic depends upon an educated citizenry. When education is not treated as a top priority, and is sometimes even ridiculed, we have a problem.

This can’t end well.

Teacher teacher

Ken heard from his Cousin Ros today, and it was great to hear that she's doing well. She lives in California, and she is that woman you think about when you think "California Blonde." Tall and beautiful! But the best thing about Ros is that she has an incredibly good heart. I'm so happy to call her family now, because she is a real peach.

Ros is a teacher in the San Bernardino area, and I was saddened to hear that she has decided to stop teaching. This year she had 32 kids, 20 of them with discipline problems, and with the continued lack of support from administration, she just couldn't take it anymore. When we've been out to visit in the past, she's told us stories about some of the problems she encounters, and the uphill battle that she faces every day. Like every other teacher I've known or spoken to, she spends plenty of her own money on school supplies, and often spends long hours working on projects after she gets home. (I'm sure this is sounding all too familiar, Miss A.) In hearing her speak of her kids, I could always tell that she loved them and wanted to help them, and wanted to teach them. But it got to the point where the stress was affecting her health, raising her blood pressure and causing a 20-pound weight loss (and she didn't need to lose any weight at all). I'm happy for her that she has decided to get out of it, purely for her own health, but it dismays me to see that dedicated, wonderful teachers like Ros are getting out because of what they have to deal with in our school systems.

You all know that I'm a big fan of education, and not just the School of Rock! I'm grateful for the wonderful teachers that I had in grade school, high school, and college. I was fortunate in that I had teachers who encouraged and challenged me. In grade school, they saw that I was a reader, and pushed me to read more, read "up," and to continue to develop that aptitude. In high school, there were some who recognized that I liked to write, and tried to teach me to let it flow, increase my vocabulary, and think about things beyond my comfort zone, as well as the science teachers who set me on the path to my eventual career in Microbiology. In college, it was a lot more science (Including Dr. Young, my Immunology professor, who was doing amazing things with cancer research--she taught me the relationship between the immune system, cancer, and potential cancer treatments. It's still fascinating to me.), with plenty of electives to round me out.

I'm willing to bet that each and every teacher I ever had would thank my parents for instilling a love of learning in me. My parents still have that love themselves, and even 25 years after college, that enjoyment of learning just for the sake of learning has never left me. So I find it upsetting and disheartening to see our schools lagging behind, and to see amazing teachers like Ros have to get out because of the horrible stress and lack of support. The situation seems especially dire in public schools, although it depends on the area. In areas like Ros's in San Bernardino, or like Miss A's in Detroit (although she doesn't teach in the DPS), it is not good. Not good at all. I got a great education in public schools, but in a rural area, we didn't have many of the problems that plague inner city schools. I got a great education from a state university, too. Public schools can work and can provide a quality education, but what are we doing wrong?

[pause]

Oh...were you waiting for me to answer that question? Sorry, 'cause I got nothin'. I really don't know what the answers are.

I do have a thought, though. It seems to me that the underlying problem is a mindset among so many that discourages education rather than encouraging it. It's the "don't get above your place, kid" attitude. Neither of my parents went to college, but it was pretty much an expectation that I would go. They wouldn't have been mad at me if I didn't, but it was just a given that I would go. I never thought of doing anything else. Even among those who on the surface seem to encourage education, I've seen an ugly attitude of "anti-elitism." (I'm not sure when getting an education meant that you were a member of the "elite.") Call it the Uppity Argument. Writing about various and varied interests is uppity. Using big words is uppity. Having a grasp of issues and wanting to learn more about them is uppity. When did it become acceptable for people to look down on others for having a degree or continuing to learn? When did writing above grade-school level mean that someone is a "know-it-all?"

It's a pervasive attitude among many, whether it's a parent discouraging their child from being "too smart for their own good," or those who would ridicule others because of their education. I believe it's a fundamental problem, and if we can get past that and get people to respect education and realize the importance of it, maybe teachers like Ros will find the support they need to continue with the good work that they do.

Here's Rockpile singing "Teacher Teacher." (Isn't Nick Lowe cute?) This one goes out to all the great teachers that I've had over the years, and all those who continue to do good things for students everywhere, including people like me who never get tired of learning.

A silver lining

Rabbit rabbit rabbit! Evil spirits begone! Happy March, everyone!

I'm in a very quiet mood today. I wonder if it's the calm before the storm? I think I might be catching Ken's cold from last week. Bummer.

Like many of you in cooler climes have mentioned lately, it's time for winter to be over. I'm with ya. I commented elsewhere today that what really irritates me is when the high temperature doesn't even get up to the average high. I'm not asking for excellence, just for average, okay? [sigh]

Ken is putting together some DVD cabinets, and it will be nice to corral all the DVDs instead of stacking them up. We also got some more wine racks, so we're getting a nice little wine cellar going! I'm getting caught up on blogs, and then I'll read a bit on my book club book. I'm so behind, but it feels good to get back into books. I have to say, though, that the one I'm reading, Loving by Henry Green, has got to be one of the most God-awful boring books I've ever read. And yes, I used the word boring! About the only thing exciting that has happened so far has been one of the servants catching the young daughter-in-law in bed with the Captain (not her husband). It seems to be all about life during wartime (Talking Heads, anyone?) of an English family in Ireland, and the everyday lives of the servants of the house. Maybe things will pick up eventually, but so far...yawwwwwn.

Since I'm the eternal optimist, this morning I focused on one particular story in our local newspaper. I read about the bad economy, the ambitious budget of our President, watched the pompous arrogance of that asshat Limbaugh, and saw Rahm on "Face the Nation." (Thanks for the heads-up, Dan!) But it was a nice surprise to see an article about the local increase in the demand for GED classes and diplomas. In Elkhart, they added three additional classes, and there is still a waiting list. Elkhart apparently has a great program that includes vocational training along with classes, including teaching computer skills.

The article quoted one 50-year-old woman who recently lost her job at an RV manufacturing company. After a fruitless job search, she decided to get her GED. "It's time I got out of a trailer factory. It's time I do something that I want to do. I'm doing something for myself. I have to, I have to." A recent letter to the editor chastised those who refuse to learn new trades, citing their excuses that they are too old to learn, or that they've never done anything but [insert job here]. I have to say that I think the letter writer was correct. John McCain was also correct when he stated in Michigan that a lot of lost auto jobs just aren't coming back. The paradigm has changed, and people might have to rethink their positions and life pathways. I applaud the woman in the article who decided, even though she was scared, to go back to school.

I also applaud the President's position that dropping out of high school is no longer an option. The higher goal is that everyone get a college education if they choose, but the minimum has got to be that high school diploma. For too long we've watched the dumbing down of America, an attitude that it was okay to not focus on education, and I've even witnessed some ridicule of anyone who had a bunch of that fancy book-learnin'. Please. An education is something to be cherished and pursued and fostered, and even continued beyond the day the diploma or degree is granted. Unfortunately, it's becoming increasingly out of reach for too many, and the attitude that it's really not that big of a deal anyway has prevailed for far too long.

The attitude change begins at home, with parents who set a good example by reading, intellectual curiosity, and fostering a love of learning. It continues in the schools, with teachers who understand how important their jobs are and who are appreciated and compensated for the vital service that they provide. It involves a collective belief of the populace that an education is a very good thing to have when it comes to global competition, a feeling that learning is more than necessary...it's actually a lot of fun. And it is reinforced by a President who believes strongly in the value of an education and wants to help more people get one.

It's time to set the bar higher. Circumstances dictate it, and if I can find a silver lining in this Incredible Shrinking Economy, it's that we'll be dragged kicking and screaming into a more highly educated state.

Edumacation in jebbardy!

Last night on NBC Nightly News, they aired a very disturbing report. It's basically a story and statistics about how the credit crunch and the economy is adversely affecting higher education.

This is happening to colleges across the country. Oral Roberts University will lay off about 100 employees, roughly 10% of their workforce (although part of their problem apparently stems from misuse of funds, and corruption). Harvard announced last week that a research service is projecting a 30% decline in university endowments in the current fiscal year, and that Harvard needs to prepare to absorb that loss and plan for a time of financial restrictions. As stated in the video, Frostburg State in Maryland is experiencing difficulty in paying student financial aid, and California State may not be able to accommodate 10,000 students due to layoffs and increased costs of maintenance and operation.

It is affecting community colleges as well. CC's have always been a great option as a stepping stone to a Bachelor degree, for those students who need to get their grades up a bit, or those who can't afford to go to a university right away. Community college enrollment is up 8%, with many students seeing it as a way to cut costs for a Bachelor degree, and with many members of the workforce entering for retraining. It's only a matter of time before requirements tighten as more and more people try to get into community colleges.

I had never really thought about how the credit crunch might affect higher education, but it makes sense. It becomes pervasive, spreading throughout not just the business sector, but all aspects of our economy. I find this particular incarnation of our troubles disturbing on many levels. At a time when we need to grow more competitive and educated rather than less, it's becoming harder and harder for people to obtain that education. Community college has been a great way to cut the cost of a degree, whether Associate or Bachelor or higher, and it bothers me that it's becoming harder and harder to receive those degrees.

Everything indicates that it's likely that we'll lose even more jobs in the coming year...it's getting harder and harder to find other employment as more jobs are eliminated, and for those who want to retrain and find a new profession, they could have a hard time doing even that. I try not to be bleak or pessimistic, but as someone who believes strongly in higher education, I find it very bothersome that it's becoming farther out of reach rather than more attainable. We need to be going in exactly the opposite direction, and how awful that the current situation might delay or even prevent someone from achieving their goal.

It's bad enough that there is a certain element in our country these days that sees no use for further education, or thinks that anyone who pursues such a goal is "getting above their place." It's vital that we get away from that sort of backwards elitism and understand that a degree is desirable and worthwhile (and becoming increasingly essential). Now add to that the possibility that many more people may not be able to attend college because of staffing cutbacks and credit contraints, and you've got a recipe for disaster.

I hope we see a turnaround soon for many reasons, including people being able to find good employment at a decent wage, but one of the most important reasons (at least to me) is so that anyone who has the desire to further their education can do so. The alternative makes me very sad.