Cynthia Tucker: Why Our Next President Must Be the One to Fix America’s Schools
Presidential candidates are eager to address the issue of income inequality, but their efforts are not enough unless they also confront the struggling state of American schools.
Let’s give credit to Occupy Wall Street for at least one thing: Most politicians now recognize the existence of income inequality. From Bernie Sanders to Rick Santorum, presidential contenders are eager to discuss the gap between the rich and the rest of society. However, there is an important aspect missing from this focus on income disparity: the role of public education. Very few campaign speeches recognize the significant role that education can play in revitalizing America’s dwindling middle class.
This needs to change. The upcoming presidential election year should provide an opportunity to showcase specific plans to reform public education and meet the demands of the 21st century. We should avoid the divisive rhetoric about abolishing the Department of Education or getting rid of Common Core standards. These proposals do not constitute serious reform.
There are various factors contributing to the decline in middle-class wages, and this economic disparity is increasing across developed countries. Economist Thomas Piketty has shown that the income share of the top 1% has risen sharply in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States since 1980.
Nevertheless, it is evident that individuals without post-secondary training fare the worst in a globalized economy. In the past, high school graduates could easily find well-paying manufacturing jobs with good benefits. However, these jobs have mostly disappeared from our shores, now performed by workers in countries like Bangladesh or China.
Moreover, technology has eradicated whole industries, despite making our lives more convenient and efficient. Bank tellers and grocery store cashiers, for example, are becoming obsolete. They are following the same path as Ma Bell.
While it is true that very few of us can avoid the impact of globalization and technology on our jobs – even radiologists face outsourcing – it remains that individuals with post-secondary training have an easier time achieving economic security. Data from the Great Recession demonstrates that college graduates had lower unemployment rates compared to those without degrees. In November 2010, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an unemployment rate of 5.1% for individuals with at least a bachelor’s degree. By contrast, the unemployment rate doubled to 10% for workers with only a high school diploma, and tripled to 15.7% for individuals who never graduated high school.
However, getting through college (or even technical school) is difficult if one lacks basic reading skills, cannot solve basic algebra problems, or struggles to write a coherent paragraph. In other words, students must first master the foundational skills taught in elementary and high school in order to secure well-paying jobs in the future. Unfortunately, a significant number of our schools fail to provide this essential education.
If we choose to do so, the United States is fully capable of educating its children for the 21st century.
Before dismissing this issue, it is important to note that this is not just about impoverished children in dysfunctional neighborhoods. Comparisons between American children and their international counterparts reveal that even our middle-class children are falling behind. The 2012 results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), administered every three years, found that only 9% of American children were considered top performers in math, while 55% of Chinese students were.
Approximately 22% of American children live in poverty, accounting for less than a quarter of the population. They cannot be solely blamed for the overall poor performance of American children in math. Moreover, even though the Chinese government may selectively choose their best students for the international test, this offers little solace to us. A relative of mine who is a high school principal in Florida visited some Chinese schools a few years ago to understand our economic competition. When she returned, she told me, "If Americans knew how demanding those schools are, they would be terrified."
There is no reason to panic, though. If we choose to do so, the United States is fully capable of educating its children for the 21st century. However, we must first acknowledge the need to reinvent public education. This involves reevaluating outdated practices such as the 180-day school calendar that originated from agricultural needs, implementing teacher evaluations, and ensuring high-quality, universal preschool education.
The significance of this matter surpasses the jurisdiction of school boards and state legislatures. It holds such immense importance that it deserves attention during the campaign trail and coverage in the daily news cycle. The urgency of addressing this matter is significant enough for the current president, as well as the ensuing president, to utilize their influential platforms to advocate for change.
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