Fix our Schools

Congresswoman Shakowsky is trying to create more jobs by introducing a $227 billion jobs bill. On one of the cable talk shows, she commented that we (the US) needs to fix our schools.

It was a through a comment much like saying, we need to eat more fiber. It is just a sound byte comment that gets head nodding without thinking through the real problem. If schools were to only reason we have unemployed workers, then the money already injected into schools would have produced more qualified workers.

The problem with getting more people into the workplace is more complicated. Our secondary education system does not produce qualified workers except for service industry (unless the student attended a vocational or career center). Students with diplomas have to go one for further academic training in order to get a job.

The curriculum at high schools is more about appeasing the state education controlling authority than producing a workforce. If the curriculum fails to meet state requirements, the school district does not qualify for state subsidies. The curriculum is controlled by teachers without regard to the requirements of the workplace. If it were, we would see high school diplomas as the entry point into the workforce. At least in the Buckeye State, you will need a minimum of an associate's degree or certification (such as fire, EMT, police, welder, etc).

The other problem is fewer and fewer students get the support for academic studies at home. There a many reasons for this but it comes down to the student receiving little support or encouragement for their studies. Students aren't held back because this would cause the district to lose funding. Graduates then have to go for additional training and education to qualify for jobs.

I hope the Congresswoman's plan works but remain skeptical to injecting money into schools without regard to changing the curriculums will result in much a change.