Fix the US Educational System – Imperative for National Security

image

You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that our public educational system is failing to prepare our children to be the leaders of tomorrow.  I would argue that we are failing to prepare our children to deal with life’s challenges in general.

The national dropout rate is nearly 30 percent.  That to me is incredible and inexcusable. 

Even more inexcusable is that the dropout rates among African-Americans and Hispanics is nearly 50 percent.

Candidate Obama made education a key issue during the campaign, however with the current economic situation, it is easy to understand why the Administration and lawmakers are more focused on reviving the economy than education.  But if policy makers continue to ignore the simple fixes that could improve education, we could be headed to an even more perilous economic future in the decades to come.

The impact to the economy will be a direct result of our failure to produce enough scientists, engineers and mathematicians.  A Heritage Foundation report  titled "Improving U.S. Competitiveness" expounds:

"For years, the U.S.-dominated science and technology fields filed record numbers of patents, which in turn empowered its military and fueled its economy. But times are changing. China has gained ground in electrical engineering and computing."

Thus our educational shortcomings will ultimately threaten our national security.

So, what’s the answer?  How do we repair our broken educational system?  Well, unfortunately, the answer for many is to simply increase federal spending on education. This has been tried again and again, including last year when the so-called "stimulus" package doubled the Department of Education's budget, to no avail.

I believe the real problem is the opposition to reform and competition from so many entrenched special interests in the education sector. Teacher labor unions furiously oppose meaningful reforms that could increase competition.   These special interests have gained such power that meaningful change has become nearly impossible.

The key to restoring American competitiveness will be in not capitulating when these special interests oppose needed changes.  It is an imperative that we restore our educational system.

Our failure to prepare tomorrow's leaders in math and science is a threat to our country's global economic standing. For far too long, policy makers have turned a blind eye to our crumbling public education system. This is no longer exclusively an education issue -- this is now also a national security issue.  We owe it to our children to give them the tools they need to secure their future.  The past half decade has seen us fail, we cannot continue to let our children down.

5 comments:

Darrell B. Nelson on January 26, 2010 at 5:28 AM said...

To make the problem worse of that 30% drop out rate most of them are in the top end of intelligence.
The standardized testing had the effect of teaching for the center which raised the scores of the bottom at the expense of the brighter students.

Sandee on January 26, 2010 at 9:22 AM said...

What Project Savior said. We are always doing for the bottom end at the expense of the top end. Oh wait, we are all equal aren't we. No, we aren't.

Have a terrific day. :)

Anonymous said...

You should know how ignorant you appear to all the people outside of your bubble of ignorance. Know you are pitied.

Unknown on January 31, 2010 at 7:41 AM said...

Fix it Hell Yes! Vouchers, as a start. End the Dept. of NOED. Return Education back to the States, where it belongs.

After-All I am a product of the Government screwerl!

Peace.

Forgotten Liberty on January 31, 2010 at 1:18 PM said...

As the Federal Government has increased it role in education, the quality of our education has gone down dramatically. We need less national involvement and more local involvement. Who is better fit to run your local school? Someone in your own town and state, or some over-payed bureaucrat in DC who can't lose his job no matter what he does?

Blogging Stuff

 

Blog Catalog Visitors

Where Visitors Live

free counters

Follow the Punditcy

The Punditcy Copyright © 2010 Blogger Template Designed by Bie Blogger Template