How do we slay the dragon?

[Ravenshire]

Lay people become more and more estranged from the technical expertise of its experts.

You can see this with the direction Apple has taken and Microsoft is starting to take. "Everything is so seamless, I don't even have to think to hook my computer to my fridge so it'll put a message on my TV and my phone that I need to buy milk." It was but a short time ago that you had to have actual knowledge of how a computer worked to be able to use one. Even more recently, you had to have some knowledge to be able to set up a computer network. With the technology available today, the below average intellects of the world can now set up a multi-computer home network and use their technology to get on-line and proclaim to the world how dumb they are.

"Slaying the dragon" under these circumstances would seem impossible. Like Jenny A, I think the only hope is in education. Along with her suggestions I would suggest that we raise the bar for education. Both at the primary and secondary levels. The "No Child Left Behind" act has become the "Every Child Will Be Dragged Through the System Whether They Deserve to Graduate or Not" act. Kids are routinely passed to the next level with failing grades but high self esteem. George Carlin spoke great wisdom when he said our children are being deprived of a great motivational and character building tool when we quit telling them "Ya lost, Johnny!"

I think there are four things that have to happen in our schools.

First: As I said previously raise the bar. Increase the minimums for passing to the next level. Also, require anyone who wants to teach to earn a teaching degree. If you want to home school, you better think ahead!

Second: Quit teaching that it's ok to be ignorant. Self esteem should be taught at home. It's not the school's job.

Third: Quit teaching to the lowest common denominator. Some kids just won't get it no matter what you do for them. Move these kids into classes where their constant lack of understanding isn't dragging the rest down with them. Yes, I understand that many kids wind up in a bad situation because of a lack of opportunity, not a lack of understanding or intelligence and that leads to my fourth point.

Fourth: Fully and properly fund education at the primary and secondary level. Teachers should never be using science books 10-20 years out of date yet it's a common occurrence in our public schools. An associates degree should be there for anyone who wants to, and is intellectually able to continue their education. A Bachelor's, Masters or even a Doctoral degree should not be out of financial reach of anyone capable of achieving one, nor should they create an untenable financial burden for the new graduate.