I could be just talking out my ass here, but I think the American education system is pretty broken.
I attend classes at Columbus State. I'm surrounded by people who graduated high school with 3.5+ GPAs...who are completely unable to handle a simple English 101 essay, or comprehend both sides of an equation must balance. I hear stories regularly from friends who are teaching college courses as instructors and graduate assistants...and am amazed their students have high school diplomas.
For whatever reason, high school has become a little safe bubble where nothing bad ever happens, not even a failing grade. I think it boils down to a "survival mode" mentality in schools. Too many teachers are worried about being the target of the next layoff and don't want to stand out. Too many administrators are worrying about their budgets instead of education. Too many politicians sticking their ill-informed noses into the education system and making changes to something they don't understand.
We need to figure out a way to improve education, to graduate people who are prepared with the knowledge--but more importantly the thought-processes--to move on, into business or high education or public service. This is not going to happen in the current environment. Too many people who would make excellent teachers, who want to teach, go into other fields because people like John Kasich make life too difficult.
School districts aren't hiring teachers. So what's the point in getting an education degree? An ENTIRE GENERATION of teachers are either passing up the chance to pursue their calling, or aren't being allowed to do more than substitute teach a couple times a week. The new blood, the innovation, the passion that could save our country from mediocrity is being rejected.
But don't worry. John Kasich is gonna save us. He's going to break the teachers union. He's going to cut so much funding all school districts will have no choice but to go bare-bones, stick to basics, not risk any changes. And rest assured he's NEVER going to attempt education reform...that would be EXPENSIVE, right? And besides, he'll use the old GOP cop out; "That's a local issue."
Too bad the local authorities don't have the money to solve the problems.
Ohio, nice work back in November. Unless something drastic happens, you've helped usher in the fall of American supremacy within the next generation.
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