September 15, 2009
Education Shapes Our Children’s American Dream
In his speech to the youth of America on Tuesday, September 8th,
President Obama overlooked a critical point. He rightfully told students
that “we need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills
and intellect so you can help us old folks solve our most difficult
problems,” and that if they quit on school, “you’re not just quitting on
yourself, you’re quitting on your country.” Where he fell short was in
explaining to them how the history and mechanics of education has been
instrumental in transforming our nation.
Over two hundred and thirty years ago, our nation was conceived by a
handful of men who had been classically educated. Public speaking,
language, and writing were core programs of study. Many of them were
well-versed in Latin and Ancient Greek. For example, in their exchange
of letters, Presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Adams quarreled over
the correct pronunciation of an Ancient Greek word. They were required
to study great orators of the past because the intention of their
education was how best to present themselves. In writing the Declaration
of Independence and later the Constitution, our Founding Fathers
borrowed and built upon major political ideas of their time, but it was
their education that gave them the soundness of their convictions and
the persuasive force of their proposals.
By the turn of the 20th century, only the privileged could afford higher
education. Seeing themselves as fortunate, the graduates of our
prestigious universities helped further educational opportunities by
giving endowments to thousands of schools, colleges, academies,
hospitals, museums, opera houses, public libraries, symphony orchestras,
and charities. After World War II, the G.I. Bill changed everything.
Veterans from working class backgrounds were for the first time able to
attend the better colleges and universities, and they were the ones who
shifted the academic discourse and unleashed a fresh perspective in
historical and social studies. Similarly, as the country became more
affluent in the post-war years, the middle class came to see education
as the key to a good occupation or profession. That thinking continues
to prevail today. /Education is the gateway for our children to excel,
so that they, too, may participate in the Ameri can Dream.
In today’s global economy, the world has shrunk, information is
paramount, and the need for a quality education is not only necessary,
it is vital. In his speech, President Obama said that “every single one
of you has something that you’re good at. Every single one of you has
something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to
discover what that is.” To achieve that, we should borrow from the past.
In educating our children to read and write, we need to instill in them
the value of presenting themselves well in articulating what they
believe they have to offer. And as they become more aware of the world
around them, they should begin to formulate what kinds of contributions
they want to make to improve their communities and their cities which in
turn will contribute to the well-being of the nation.
To encourage that sense of responsibility in our youth, we must
reasonably strengthen academic standards while maximizing the influence
and involvement of parents in the education process and promote school
choice initiatives. We must also defend the option for home schooling
and enforcement of laws designed to protect family rights and privacy in
education.
In providing our children with a quality education, we need to instill
the values that made our nation great. As they become more aware of the
world around them and the opportunities awaiting them, they should
reflect upon those values. Finally, by taking on the responsibility of
discovering what they are good at, our students will very soon come to
appreciate how their individual gifts and talents will help influence
and shape the future through hard work and achievement.
