by Larry Wadsworth

Created on: February 12, 2009

Education is a commodity. It is not tangible but can be bought and sold on the open market. The higher the level of achievement to more value is attached to that level of education. It is a commodity that can be used in the acquiring of wealth through financial institutions with some seeing it as a guarantee of collatoral. Education assists in acquiring positions of power and prestiege, individual wealth and recognition. It has also been very useful in getting reservations in restuarants, hotels and making contact with individuals than can assist in achieving goals. The things that you say and do are given more weight and individuals will defer to you because of some perceived superior knowledge that you might pocess.

The problem with education today is that the commodity that is being produced is the wrong shape to best meet the needs of society. The schools are turning out round widgets and then we try to force them into square holes in society. There has been an emphasis on liberal arts education in schools. What is needed is science and math graduates. So we have been trying to force round pegs into square holes and it has not worked.

We have also moved away from stressing values and ethics in our schools. The competitive, every man for himself attitude has dominated the culture. Executives are not concerned with the public good but are only concerned with how large a dividend they can get to their share holders and how big a bonus they can cut for themselves. We instill the less desirable traits in our young by putting an emphasis on competing in sports, by rewarding those that gain position and wealth at any cost and by making heroes of individuals that do not deserve that designation.

Athletes are not heroes but a man that can calmly land a plane in the middle of a busy river and get all of the passengers off in one piece is a hero. Individuals who labor day after day with a handicapped child and finally achieve one small goal is a hero. A person who gives of themselves to others when they could be working for individual gain is a hero.

If education wishes to regain its prestiege in the society then it needs to be led by individuals who are capable of seeing what will be needed. Educational institutions are notorious for resisting change and living in the past. Our school at all levels need to be producing a product that will fit into the needs of society. Too many of our young people leave higher levels of education only find that the skills and knowledge they have spent time and fortune obtaining are no longer needed.

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