School

Blog post # 103 of 365

My oldest son went to school to become an EMT and is beginning nursing school. My second son earned an associates in aviation sciences. My third son is finishing his last semester for an associates in aviation sciences as well. My oldest daughter is considering her options for an online education possibly in early childhood education. My youngest is in her second semester, is so far undeclared but I think she is leaning toward a degree in nutrition. I have a bachelors of science in special education.

I believe in getting educated. Learning is important but I also have lost faith in the system.

How can the government sanction people on welfare into certificate programs they can pursue a career in? Like people going to school to become a pharmacy tech who have been arrested for drugs? Or those allowed to enroll dental technician school in an area flooded with graduates from two schools in the same city?  Talk about a waste of money and time. Welfare has limits. Free money until you have been getting it for X number of years then go to school or look for a job. Then we help you with daycare and whatnot until you hit just over what you're getting on welfare then they cut off the food stamps and daycare. These people can't afford to pay daycare but they are out of luck and off the dole. Really how do normal people expect them not to find a loophole or two and abuse the system? I'm not saying pay them forever just be realistic.

How is it nothing is uniform? Schools across the nation are not equal in any way. Graduation requirements are different. The level of education is so varied that people at the top of their class in some states can't come close to those in the bottom of other states. States are unified but vastly independent. But when it comes to education I believe there should be some kind of basic minimums.

How is it that institutions can call themselves a school or a college but only offer a certificate that is pretty much useless? How is it that an education from one state isn't good enough in another? There should be some national accreditation for all schools. From elementary to post graduate school. No school should be able to use government funding (read Federal Pell Grants and student loans) for a certificate program that will not translate to a real job/career.

There was a time when colleges and universities had professors. Full time teachers of higher education. Now there are mostly adjuncts and part time retirees from other professions. Why? Because schools are trying to cut overhead. Full time teachers earn benefits and retirement.

There was a time when students could enroll in school and get into classes. Today students are lucky to get any classes. Student's today usually have to waste time (anywhere from a semester to a year) and money in classes they don't need so they can move up in enrollment priority. Classes don't transfer from university to university. There just isn't any consistency anywhere.

I'd just like to see the system fixed. I'd like to see it make sense. I'd like to see less waste and more productivity.

And now for the final blow of this post, this week my son starts classes. My computer broken so I'll be without a laptop. School is a mixed bag for me.