Cyndi's Two Cents

Education found lacking

Commentary.

“I don’t know how to read a tape measure.”

I thought when one of our 20-something friends made that statement, he was joking in an effort to lighten the mood because the topic of discussion was serious and emotional.  The despair in his eyes quickly confirmed this was no jest, but a true and painful confession for this young man to make.

The conversation began when I asked him casually how work was going.  He works nights at a factory that manufactures parts for construction equipment.  A quick learner with a solid work ethic, our young friend (let’s call him Joe) has found favor among managers who appreciate his skill and dedication.  But Joe wants more and knows that his is a dead-end job because he is lacking some basics needed to move up the career ladder.

A high school senior who works part-time at the factory was catching up on some homework during a break.  Joe asked him what he was working on and the high schooler told him it was just some of the basics. Joe told me he had never seen anything that resembled in any way the “basics” apparently being taught at a school just 20 miles from his own alma mater.

Joe feels like he got a bad rap.  He’s frustrated and admittedly more than a little angry that his high school diploma means less than it should.  He was not destined to be a doctor or a lawyer or a rocket scientist, but Joe wanted to learn the basics of a trade in high school so he could get an apprenticeship with a pipefitter or another similar vocation.

Joe graduated with 6 boys and 3 girls in his senior class.  His, like many other small schools, closed the departments that prepared students for trades.  The final casualty of the school’s financial struggles came early in Joe’s high school education when the Industrial Arts department was closed.  The rising costs of insurance along with equipment upgrades and maintenance necessary to meet safety regulations were just too much for the school’s bank account.

Joe’s was a small school struggling to meet payroll and pay utility bills.  It is a small school in a small town located 13 miles from another small school in a small town, which is 7 miles from another small school in a small town.  All 3 of these schools graduate fewer than 10 students each year, and have for years.

These students are the hope of their local communities.  They are stars on the basketball court and baseball field.  They represent the beloved mascot and the green, green grass of home.  But sadly, in some cases, too many of them are left behind.  Sure, they know how to pass a test, but they are too often unprepared, lacking the proficiency in math and science that they need to not only survive, but to thrive in the world today.

I’m not suggesting that all small schools in small towns aren’t cutting the mustard.  I’m not even suggesting that all graduates of Joe’s school are ill prepared for life after high school.  Parental involvement can make all the difference.

I understand that the school is quite often the heart of a community, but at some point, instead of placing an enormous tax burden on those living within your school district, some serious thought should be given to what is really best for the 8 eighteen-year olds that will graduate in May.

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