Children even in poverty-stricken areas go to bed at night dreaming about what they want to be. They dream of being firefighters, police officers, doctors, presidents and even super heroes. The hunger and poverty they have known all their short lives cannot stop them from having those dreams. It is when they grow a bit older and see the reality of their situation through the eyes of the adults in their lives, that they begin to accept the limitations that are put upon them, because of their poverty.
In America, part of our infrastructure is our schools. As a nation, we have always held that education is important to us. We know that a good education is what will give our young people a chance to compete and a chance at success they would not have otherwise. We as parents want our children to have opportunities that we did not have ourselves; this has been a tradition for a long time in America. Wisdom tells us that our children are the future.
Because of the Great Recession, federal and state budgets have been tightened, and in some cases affecting budgets for education. Our nation already stands at only 14th for reading skills, 17th for science and even below average for math at 25th, compared to the other countries in the world. Those standings are an embarrassment for the United States, at our level of GDP.
We as a country need to take our education system seriously if we are going to have a future of being the most prosperous nation on the planet. No matter what our economic situation is, we need to prepare and provide a good education system for our children or this nation's future becomes bleak. In addition, we cannot limit it to only those who can afford it or we will lose the very values as a nation that we strive so diligently to obtain.
Productivity, especially in a highly technical modern economy, depends on an educated workforce. The less educated a workforce is altogether, the less productive it is also. Our taxes go to fund a K-12 education system and to some extent, we provide grants for qualified applicants for a college education.
When politicians of any stripe cut education funding, they cut opportunity for young people to succeed. It is understandable that federal and state governments need to cut back on many things but education should be close to the bottom of the pile when it comes to cuts. Our children are the future.
Surely, anyone can agree, if anything causes poverty more, it is the lack of education. Education opportunity to our young, especially to the underprivileged, not only is the right thing to do as a nation but it is the most beneficial thing we can do for the country as a whole.
If we are to fulfill our own collective dream that this nation go on to great prosperity, for all Americans who apply themselves, then we must lay the groundwork and lay a foundation, strong beneath the feet of those who can help fulfill that dream, our children.
Instead of cutting funds for education, let us instead find ways to better educate our youth and see that all children have equal opportunity to a good education.
Build more trade schools and provide more grants to encourage children toward high-tech educations, which is a field that is only in its beginning stage. We also need more doctors and medical personnel, especially general medicine with more Americans on the health insurance roles. Perhaps more grants toward the medical field will help us reach a level of a competent health system.
The naysayers will say, "We cannot afford it." but I am saying we cannot afford -- not to afford it. If we continue to cut funding, instead of add and improve our education system, eventually we will see the results of our handiwork and that handiwork will be a less prepared workforce. Therefore, we will also need to learn to live at a lower level of a lifestyle than the typical American does now because that is what comes with a lower education, though it is for an individual or for a country.
Let us put forth a commitment to the future of this nation by improving our education system so that all our children have an opportunity to reach out, take life by the horns, and fulfill their dreams and build this nation's future. Let it be known that in America, children can reach their dreams with determination and the wisdom of this nation's people.
This is a republish from my website:Fidlerten Place