Sunday, October 21, 2007

More dumbing down

The Commissioner of Education in Maine wants to make graduation from high school dependent on students filing at least one college application, college being defined as a two or four year school or - get this - a career school.

How in the Lord's name will this improve Maine's educational system? Perhaps, Maine will get more money based on some arcane bit of the No Child Left Behind Act. Otherwise, this is just a strange reading of what education, the Constitution and reality are all about.

Shouldn't a high school graduate be able to complete an application? It does involve, reading, writing and thinking. This country tries to provide equal opportunity, not equality. People are different. Some are smart, some stupid, most are average. Some can build anything, some can't hold a hammer. Some can sing, some can't.


This idea that everyone should go to college is not new. Perhaps, 15% of my graduating class in 1958 should not have gone to college. Now, I suspect the number is closer to 50%. It says something about America in the 21st century.

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