Article to Appear in the EP News Week of October 12th

We can and must do better. The idea of going to school, earning a degree, working at one employer for 40+ years, and retiring comfortably on a pension or social security is unfortunately a luxury of past generations. Most businesses have already rationalized benefits. Younger workers believe they are paying into a Social Security system that will be there for others but not for them. Manufacturing jobs in many sectors have already been moved overseas and MBA’s in India making far less than their US counterparts are eager to take what used to be ‘information age’ jobs. In the future, employers are going to find ways to further reduce fixed costs which will likely create a much more ‘fluid’ workforce. Make no mistake, the demand for talented workers will be there – it is the way workers will engage the workforce that will change.

Our children will need specific skills to face these challenges. Our elementary and middle schools need to redouble their efforts towards building core ‘thinking’ and ‘communication’ skills – mathematics, the sciences (natural, formal, social, and applied), and English/vocab/reading. We need to build even stronger foundational skills at these levels so we can effectively accelerate learning at the High School level. Let’s also recommit ourselves to focus more on what brings us together versus separates us. Enough of the multicultural experimentation that is deflecting our attention from a much more urgent and important agenda. The younger generation is more apt to expect a level playing field and reject social injustice than the preceding generations. This is the generation that listens to Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl”. They do not need “The Bill Cosby Show” to show them that everyone can achieve the American Dream.

They do, however, need to be taught more about the ‘greatest experiment the world has ever seen’ – our nation’s history. We have to start with a common understanding the values and noble struggles of our nations past. I want my child to understand what a novel idea it was that a group of rich land owners decided to give the average farmer an equal vote and voice in shaping our country. How we later found our soul as a nation during the Civil War. How we stand for liberty and freedom throughout the world and the sacrifices we have made to promote those causes.

We can do it! Let’s start by recognizing that education primarily takes place at the teacher-child and parent-child level. Robert Frost the poet is credited with saying “I am not a teacher, but an awakener”. The Board, and Administration, and our teacher-parents’ mission should be to create an environment that ‘awakens’ each children by instilling a love and thirst of learning.

We need the best from our best teachers. They know what works and doesn’t. They know the best way to implement new policies. We spend roughly $10,000 per child in our public schools. According to State records, the ratios of education spending have not changed in 20 years. I would like to see a higher percentage of spending go towards enhancing the teacher-child experience versus support or administration or infrastructure costs.

We have great teachers, but this is not a system that aggressively moves out underperformers. We cannot sit idly and watch classrooms of children fall behind because they drew the ‘short stick’. We also cannot lose entire generations of students to ‘experiments’ or the ‘book of the week’. Finally, we need to accelerate learnings at all levels – not just at the lower performing levels.

I am Rob Willey and I hope to earn your vote this November 3^rd