Disenchantment

Since my conversation with Mickity last night I've been thinking...

Many years ago I was watching a program about the deficiencies of American schools. It focused mostly on the disparity of achievement among Asians and Americans. What it boiled down to was expectations. In the Asian culture it was the child's "job" to be a student. They didn't spend an hour after dinner doing dishes, they spent the time studying. Their job was to study, not to help out with household chores. The father's job was to earn a living, the mother took care of the home and the children studied. School was their priority. I thought that was interesting and find myself telling Sam that his job is to do well in school.

I look around now and am worried and perplexed about our future as a nation. Kids finish high school and can't add unlike fractions. Nobody can spell worth a damn anymore because it's not important. There's spell check for papers and most writing now is informal, IM and email.

For the vast majority of the population, education is the only way to increase your net worth over a lifetime. The higher your education the more money you make, it's that simple. However, schools are more and more unequal. It's always been that way but it's getting worse. There is a distinct difference among the classes. (and the classes)

In the meantime, our government is moving to cut aid and student loans making it even more difficult for a kid from an average income household to go to college. Legislators are also well on their way to approve an extension of a tax break for investors. That's great for all those people making money off investments but what about the Americans that live paycheck to paycheck? So the parents of a 6 yr old in the suburbs (whose mother is schlepping her to French lessons, gymnastics and swimming class) just got an extension on their tax break. Meanwhile, the family of the 6 yr old living in the city whose is going to a rotten school district isn't any better off. He's not going to learn trig in his public high school and he's not going to be able to afford college.

This is all especially groovy when you take into account crumbling pension plans and global outsourcing.