We have not only stopped the process of becoming more educated from generation to generation, but we are slipping in the overall rankings too. At least we're still better than Brasil.
Sorry that it's difficult to read; it's a little clearer in Bernstein's blog, but not a lot more.
5 comments:
The one that amazed me was Canada. Wonder what the influences are there? Korea is not surprising knowing the people that I do from there. And, since the country was poorer than N Korea until the 1970's, and the war, the gap is not surprising.
I am also not surprised about the closing of that "gap" and that the younger groups are not pursuing education. There is a growing group of young people whose culture is not like that of the generation that came of age during WWII, for instance.
There is no place to comment on your cartoon, but I can identify with "only saying this a million times."
Education in the US is way too expensive to be as inclusive as it used to be. I recently read a piece by Robert Reich in which he said that the student loan bubble (he probably didn't use that word) is likely to be the next big crisis, as we are graduating people with an average of about $45K in debt and very poor job prospects.
While the elite in the US are beginning to debate if a college education is useful, Canada is probably still operating on the old-fashioned notion that an education is its own justification, and that an educated populace is desirable.
Not to be partisan, but it would seem from watching the Republican primary fight that the more ignorant the voter, the more desirable they are to the GOP.
Wouldn't have entered my mind to think that such a comment would be partisan. Referring to those who are sort of like the genius in 2008who supported Obama's running mate, Sarah Palin, in a TV interview.
Who are the "elite" that are debating whether a college education is useful? I can't join the discussion, not being "elite" (maybe in Woodville?) or highly educated, but I know a lot of really smart, educated, useful people who do not have a college education. One in particular, our head programmer who has been working professionally for 10 years and just celebrated his 25th birthday. Very talented, smart, well-informed...and, I have to admit, would agree with you (not me) on so many political matters.
As I said, I can't speak to the Canadian situation, but in Korea, as explained by our acquaintances, the parents don't prize an education for its own sake or justification, they value it as the way their children will attain a better life. Much like the waves of immigrants who came to the US and went from working in the packing plant to having children attend an Ivy League school.
Is there a movement afoot to eliminate Pell grants? That doesn't seem to be good policy. Sort of like when managers in business eliminate a privilege for everyone rather than deal with the abuse by one employee. Has there been abuse or misuse? Not following it, so just don't know.
Fortunately, job prospects are improving, and from Texas to the northern border, that middle part of the country seems to be doing pretty well.
While it is just an average, I would have guessed higher than $45k.
The Paul Ryan "budget" that Mitt Romney has said he supports calls for the elimination of $200 billion in Pell Grants over the next decade.
I don't recall where I read the $45K debt of the average college grad. I believe now that is wrong. I haven't verified this, but I just read an article in the NY Times from last November that said it is $25+K.
There has been a lot of back and forth recently about the value of college in general, and specifically about the wisdom of making it more accessible.
Yes, a college education was always associated with a "better life," but in a much vaguer sense than just a bigger income. Education was presumed to make one a more complete person, not just a wealthier one.
Here are two sites with differing numbers for the average grad's debt load.
$25K
http://money.cnn.com/2011/11/03/pf/student_loan_debt/index.htm
$45K
http://studentloan-forgiveness.com/student-loans-student-loans-could-be-the-next-housing-bubble-robert-reich/
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