Every time I check the blog I see a pro-Tea Party or anti-Obama ad. Aside from the irony, this does remind me of an article by Paul Krugman which I read recently. Krugman was arguing that technology is killing high paying jobs, actually making it harder for well educated people to find work. He was arguing that too much of an emphasis on education doesn't really achieve that much. It's the same point made by a friend of mine recently in an email - how does an ever-growing population of college graduates make life any better in a country - currently suffering through a recession anyhow - in which machines can and do perform an increasingly large volume of the work?
I disagree, but I acknowledge it's a valid point. My first year teaching high school one of my best students wanted to become a mechanic. I tried to talk to him about college and he politely but firmly informed me that he wanted to be a mechanic. I realized that was actually great. Who am I to tell him he should get a college degree instead of becoming a mechanic? He loved cars and that's what he wanted to do. I'm sure he'll make a good living as a mechanic too. College isn't for everyone.
However it's still important to remember that the American economy is driven by innovation. We don't create innovators by encouraging people to get less education. Furthermore, technology (currently) has its limits. In one of the articles I read, the author pointed out that Google technology alone can determine which ads to put on a webpage faster than a Yahoo employee (using technology). That may be so, but Google Ads have now placed a pro-Rand Paul ad, an anti-Obama ad, and an ad for the Tea Party Patriots (ewwwww) on my blog. Apparently, word recognition technology is still a work in progress.
Either education deserves it's own post(s). There is a lot more to say about the state of American education than just the tangent of the wacky ads on my blog. Nevertheless, I'd like to make a quick plug for the importance of education. Technology may be able to carry an increasing share of the workload, but only educated people can use the technology. Only educated people can innovate. Only educated people can adapt to the changing world economy. There is always a need for education. The Tea Party Patriots ad on my blog is certainly proof of that.
Totally understand the experience you had with the student who wanted to be a mechanic. I taught a student who wanted to be a carpenter. He was darn good at it, too! I have no doubt that he'll make a fine carpenter and that he'll be able to support a family if he works hard and remains diligent about his craft.
ReplyDeleteCollege may not be "for everyone" - and we all know we need tradespeople (Uh, can I fix my own air conditioner? No! And I'll gladly paid a trained technician for his savvy!). But, even those who choose not to go to college should have the opportunity to make that choice - to consciously, willfully decline the college route... not because it is too difficult, too expensive, too alien. Rather, decline college because they've been rigorously educated, well-prepared, and afforded as many options as anyone else, and ONLY then do they willfully opt to become a carpenter, mechanic, HVAC technician instead.
By the way, led to your blog through your Facebook exhorting! Three cheers for social media!!