What to do About Education in the United States?

Education is one of those issues which is occasionally controversial, but basically should not be. I think I can safely assume that pretty much all Americans are in favor of an improved educational system. We've all seen the stories about statistics showing that more Americans recognize a photo of Paris Hilton over Joe Biden, or the alarming number of people who don't know that Washington DC is the nation's capital. But, more importantly, in a country which offers free public education for all of it's citizens, there is an alarming number of children who never graduate from high school. In fact, according the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (http://www.higheredinfo.org/), only 68.6% of 9th graders ultimately finish high school. In Detroit (my hometown) that number is actually about 25%. So, if high school is free (which it is), then why do so many students drop out?

Well, of course, a certain percentage of them don't have a choice. Some kids actually have to work and help support the family. In farming communities, there are kids who are expected by their parents to start working full-time on the farm as soon as they're able. Of course, there are some kids who simply fail academically or have discipline problems which lead them to be expelled. And then, there are some who get pregnant and/or married and start families early in life. Finally, there are those who simply think that school is a waste of time, and their time can be better spent doing other things. While some will argue that this is a failure of the country's educational system, I argue that it's more a failure of parental and family role models. Of course, the teachers and schools need to emphasize the importance of school, but it's really the family that provides the role models and examples.

I have a daughter who is turning two next month. At this age, it's amazing to see how hard she tries to imitate my wife and myself. She mimics almost everything we say or do, whether she understands it or not. Obviously, we are the most visible adult role models she has. If we curse, then she will curse. If we fight, then she will fight. But if we try our hardest to be kind, caring, hard-working and respectful of others, then...well, you get the point. So, the question is, if the socioeconomic conditions, education and culture of the parents is a large contributor to what motivates the children, then how, as a society, do we make a positive change?

Some believe the answer is to give these people enough money to get them OUT of the socioeconomic state they're in. Obviously, that would reduce some of the stress on the children (assuming, and this is a big assumption, that the parents spend that money wisely). However, it doesn't correct the fact that the parents are still not educated and it doesn't change their background or culture. In a nightmarish, totalitarian state, the answer would be to take away the children at birth and raise them in state-controlled orphanages where they would all be provided the same upbringing and thereby equal opportunities. Obviously, that should NEVER be an answer. My question is very simple: in a society which offers freedom and liberty to its citizens, is there an answer at all? It seems to me that the best we can do as a society is to continue to offer free education to our citizens through high school, and hope that families and children make the right choices in life.

Furthermore, I believe the biggest favor we can do for children who are raised with the socioeconomic disadvantages is to give them the opportunity to get educated outside of that environment. The concept of giving families vouchers for education is one solution which would achieve this goal. Instead of imprisoning children to a failing public school district, why not at least allow them the opportunity to go to private school as an alternative? In the current system, if you're poor (or even middle class), you simply can't afford to go to private school. Only wealthy families who still have enough money after paying all of their taxes can afford private schools. This includes the likes of Caroline Kennedy, who is a strong proponent of the New York public schools, but would certainly never send one of her own children to such a school. Furthermore, she doesn't want you to be able to afford to send your child to a private school, hence her opposition to school vouchers. The hypocrisy of the Liberal, yet once again.

The people who would benefit MOST from a voucher system would be the people who could not afford to get out of the public school prison system. If Democrats and Liberals cared about opportunities for education as much as they claim, then why would they oppose school vouchers? I honestly don't understand this rationale at all. As a general internist, my family is a perfect example of one for whom such a system would be beneficial. If I could allocate a portion of my tax burden to pay for my daughter to attend private school, then I would. As it stands, I simply can't afford it...certainly not pre-school through 12th grade. Thank goodness I live in a district which still has a decent public school system. But what if I didn't? The likes of Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, John Edwards, Barbara Streisand, Keith Olbermann, etc. will never need a voucher to get their kid to a private school. But why do they insist on denying that opportunity to everyone else? Are they really so elitist that they don't want their kids to mix with the "riff raff" out there?