Albert Moyer, Jr.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/09/business/economy/stubborn-skills-gap-in-americas-work-force.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fbusiness%2Feconomy%2Findex.jsonp

Being a teacher, I am consistently worried about the quality of future workers. It is quite amusing to me that we have a society that does everything to encourage failure. We no longer hold students accountable for their actions, or their work. Students have learned that they can “CHILL” in class and still be passed. Hundreds of thousands of students across America are allowed to disrupt classroom instruction, turn in no work, and they can still earn a passing grade. It is an epidemic!

It is not the teachers fault either. Teachers are told what to do on most occasions, rule followers with less thinking outside of the box, and are often asked to pass students along.  If they fail them, they are threatened with repercussions, or loss of employment.  Administrators enjoy six figure salaries while knowingly lying about the very quality of their schools. All of this decline is implemented by our government through policy. Does it make sense? I do not think so. It is alarming! Our financial system is also built on fuzzy math, debt, and much dishonesty.

The sad part of it all is that we keep telling ourselves we are #1. The best in the world. The best in the world cannot operate on dishonesty without it catching up. The alarm bells are ringing all around, but I am afraid nobody is listening. The attitude of the average American is,”If it’s not affecting me, then I am not worried about it.” Unfortunately, fire spreads, and eventually those who do not care will get burned too.  We are so worried with other countries and terrorism, but the reality is we are our own worst enemy, because we our not taking care of our own backyard.