Education: The Future Depends on It

Townhall.com ^ | April 1, 2015 | Dr Ben Carson

[Kaslin]

Over the past few months in cities throughout the country, we have seen harsh moments that have been characterized as "racial incidents." Whether it be Ferguson, Mo., New York City or Los Angeles, these events continue to occur in states regardless of which party dominates the political landscape.

The three cities previously mentioned are considered Democratic strongholds, which shows us that this is a problem regardless of who is in charge. But what exactly is the problem? What are we missing, or is there something that we are not talking about enough? Can we say it is just one thing that can be summed up as police brutality?

I think it would be ignorant to say there is just one thing that leads to situations like these. There are many things that we need to improve on as a nation. Better training for law enforcement is undoubtedly one of them. Police body cameras to record incidents would be a step in the right direction.

There is also a dire need to devote substantial energy to what is going on in cities like Chicago, Detroit, New Orleans and Washington, D.C., where we witness a plethora of violence, shootings and murder all the time. Teenage pregnancy is all too prevalent in these areas, as well. As women give birth at a young age, it hinders their ability to continue their education due to the significant responsibility of caring for a child. Without the education required for jobs with reasonable wages, the children are eventually forced into poverty, and the cycle of dependence continues. I have said it before: We should focus on child-care facilities that would allow unwed mothers to get their general education development or higher degree and become self-supporting.

Yes, education is the great divide in our country. A well-educated individual in America can usually write their own ticket in today's world, regardless of ethnicity, race, gender or financial status at birth. My whole medical career as a pediatric neurosurgeon was focused on young people and enhancing their lives. We would do everything we possibly could to not only give children longevity, but also quality of life.

Now that I've retired from medicine, I am just as interested in the quality of their future. That is why it is so important to emphasize education. It also is very important for us to emphasize fiscal responsibility. Those of us who are adults today are in charge of the finances of tomorrow. Running up huge bills for our children to pay is being fiscally irresponsible.

Common Core has been a hot topic regarding education, and while I think it is important to have standards, putting such a task in the hands of the federal government is naive, as opposed to the sound idea of placing the onus on local municipalities, schools, teachers and parents. The ability to maintain high academic expectations of our students is dependent upon the curriculum and lessons presented in the classroom. While proponents of Common Core may see benefits to such a system, how can the initiative be effective if it imposes confusing experimental teaching methods that our teachers cannot adequately adopt and our parents cannot actively support? Children thrive on confidence and encouragement, neither of which exists in an environment where the education purveyors are uncomfortable with the standards by which they and their pupils are judged.

America, like the rest of the world, is in the process of changing. It can be a good change, or it can be a bad change. I think the way to ensure it is a really good change is to have a lot of our incredibly bright, talented young people involved in the political process early on -- and this can only happen through a great education.

This nation's founders were extremely well educated, and they acknowledged that our system of governance relies upon an informed populace. We need the intellect, savvy and innovative spirit of our children. They should not be outsiders looking in. They should be participants in all aspects of shaping the future of our country, because they are, indeed, the future of our country.

[C. Edmund Wright]

But what is Dr. Ben’s prescription for a “great education.” Many people who campaign on supporting education simply mean more money for the failed leftist system we have now.

[alloysteel]

There is something called education, which is training in critical thinking, and there is something else that masquerades as “education”, but in truth is indoctrination.

Indoctrination exists only in support of the dominant regime, or one that seeks to become dominant, and is the diametric opposite of development of critical thinking.

[C. Edmund Wright]

You and I totally agree on what education is....I”m not so sure about Carson.

[Carry_Okie]

If Carson doesn't have a plan to fix education, I do.

[BitWielder1]

Of course it is, that's why the Libs are so determined to destroy it.

[A_perfect_lady]

We should focus on child-care facilities that would allow unwed mothers to get their general education development or higher degree and become self-supporting.

This is not the answer. No matter how much you give, give, give people like this, they do not seem to help themselves. Indeed, making sure they know that bearing children at 15 will be easier than ever, what with welfare, foodstamps, and now childcare provided, will just worsen the problem.

A young girl who has a child in this day and age has pretty much done it deliberately. She has passed by all opportunities for self control, birth control, abortion or adoption, and has eagerly decided to "be a mommy!" School was already not her priority: getting laid and getting pregnant was her priority. She is, generally speaking, not the type who has much interest in benefiting from education.

We need to abandon this delusion that teen pregnancy is simply an unfortunate event that prevents bright young things from the golden future that awaits them. It's usually not. Teen pregnancy is the result of a mindset that thinks babies are cute, an identity as a mommy is an improvement, the child will keep the father in her life, the birth will guarantee a flow of available cash and benefits, meaning she will not be expected to complete her education and work for a living, and of course, she gains the attention of all her friends. In many cases, these young girls are choosing motherhood over school because frankly, if your IQ is around 90, diapers are easier to manipulate than diagrams. They think they are choosing the easier way out.

Of course, later many of them decide that this is not easy at all, and perhaps having a decent job would be better after all, and then they begin to put forth some effort... but for many of them, no.

Now before anyone has a fit, I know this doesn't explain all of them. But it explains a larger percentage than people want to admit.

[Jim Noble]

Most politicians, reflecting no doubt the dopes who elect them, regard “education” as something that can be weighed, measured, and administered to students with predictably positive results, as if it were a consumer product or a medicine.

How likely a student is to benefit from attending school depends much, MUCH more on the student (and his family, to a degree) than it depends on the dimensions, weight, and rate of administration of the “education”.

The problems that Dr. Carson is writing about would not be resolved if each and every misbehaving miscreant were assigned a personal PhD teacher who administered daily lessons in a palace from 8-5 daily.

[Altura Ct.]

I sure wouldn’t advocate government sponsored education.

[geologist]

Are we on a runaway train headed for a crash?

Very likely! Can we avert this? Doubtful.
The powers of information, medias, teaching and Common Core are in CONTROL, America is sleeping at the wheel.!!!

God help America return to our former faith and values, in Jesus name, thank Thee LORD for hearing our cries, and prayers, forgive us LORD we know not what we are doing. Amen.

We are into dangerous times, indeed!

[leopardseal]

The US public ed system is based on a Prussian model which Prussians adopted after Napoleon wiped them at Jena in 1806. That model was never intended to produce self-reliant people; it was meant to produce cannon-fodder and bricks in the wall and, the more money you throw at it, the worse it gets.

http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=11375

[Kaslin]

I was born and raised in Germany and I was taught in the 6th grade what many high school students are taught in the 10th, or 11th grade

[mulligan]

Too late. Our nation has crossed the Rubicon. We will soon be another 3rd rate country.

[upchuck]

BUMP! My experience as a triage interviewer at a local food/clothing/etc. bank perfectly mirrors your thoughts.

There are already several Federal programs that pay for child care. We do not need another one.

As I interview a 30 year old Mom and her pregnant, 16 year old daughter I would love to ask, “What were you thinking,” but can’t.

[Carry_Okie]

That’s a good article. Okie. I want to print it out and distribute among some friends who also want to change our system, just as the author of the link you connected us to.

Why thank you! Go ahead, you don't need permission beyond me, cuz I rote it. :-)

Your link prints the site’s header on all pages I wish to print. This obscures part of the article.

I'd never thought of that as a problem. Looks like I'll need to create "print versions" of the articles. If you send me an email address, I'll put together a print version and send it to you, as it's quite a job to do that to all of the others on that site.

I do (obviously) recommend that you take a look around on the articles page, as you will find quite an extensive array of similar depth on a great many issues. As an overview, the interview I did with the Future of Freedom Foundation may give you a feel for the total picture.

Enjoy!