ANOTHER SPUTNIK

That may be the only way to change American education. I know our Prez has ideas on change (what the heck does he like about our country?) and it's extended into the education arena. Nothing new about that. Except that it keeps going down the tubes. So do I have an answer? Long time readers fully expect me to say no here, because that's what I always do. But this time, yes, I may just have some plausible answers.

Money. Pour it in to the schools. Hear me out. We're so much in debt now. Stimulus and job programs produced relatively little if anything. Now it's education's turn. No naysaying about how we've tried that before with no improvement in test scores. Wrong. The last time any real money was put into education was after Russia launched Sputnick in the late '50's and we panicked. Thank goodness.

Was it successful? Well, less than a decade and a half later, the US landed on the moon and zoomed ahead in the space program. Do it again.

Pour money in the schools. The only mandate is that the money be spent on teacher salaries, teacher education scholarships, and building. No Child Left Behind, no socialist programs supported by the teacher unions, and no grant monies. If you're doing something worthwhile then why do you need to get approval for it and pad another non-teaching educator who oversees grant applications? If you're going to cut anywhere in the ed. budget, get rid of those educators who don't teach students.

If parents aren't going to help in the process, then the schools should and would discipline. And when the courts support the student instead of the schools, then the media or some watchdog group should report the decision. Letters of protests should flood the local and state newspapers, but now I know I'm being too idealistic.

The NDEA (National Defense Education Act) I believe was the title, supported education back in the Russian scare years and provided audio-visual equipment to schools, lots of it, that was still being used when I retired in 2001. Just one example of schools that need equipment and how they do take care of it.

This is one area where I have some expertise. First hand. I've felt the needs, I've felt the pain. I've seen a once outstanding school drop significantly. And it all comes down to what a school board member's husband once used as an argument "You don't get much of a show for a nickel."