Tonight I went back to college (so now my kids could actually say, "Your mom goes to college" )and not just be quoting a great movie.
It was an English writing course and we had to read this article posted at www.getliberty.org about whether higher quality education is a right. It was so much fun. I really could have taken either side on this but here's what I came up with;
I recently read an article posted at getliberty.org by Paul Jacobs. In this article Paul is debating over a recent measure called the DC Education Rights Charter Amendment. The amendment would provide higher quality education for free. He disagrees with this proposed amendment because he feels education is not a right, and I disagree with him.
Let me tell you why. If you were to take a group of people and never offer them the oppurtunity to learn for free then that society as a whole would suffer for it. As human beings he says "we have the right to speak, worship, trade, to associate, and to move throughout the country unimpended." I also disagree with this statement because this is not a "right" given to all human beings but mostly, only to those who live in America. So, really his arguement should be "this is not a right for us in this country or that we should have in America". I believe that it is.
America is a country(patriotic music playing here in the backround) that has been founded upon higher standards than the world at large. The rights that we have as citizens of this great country far exceed the rights that most human beings have in other countries. That's why alot of people want to live here. I think the more oppurtunity that is given to learn in this society the better. It will only benefit our nations quality of life and the world as well.
(Spoken like a true oblivious american) So go ahead give opinions and Jeni feel free to proof but remember be nice it is my first day back in a very , very long time.
3 comments:
I don't think this was spoken like an oblivious American at all....Its totally true. Many freedoms and rights that we take for granted others have never known. In Hungary and in Poland I'm learning that under communism, everyone had to work. So you were guaranteed a job - even if it was in the factory doing nothing, you "went to work". there was no room for movement. You did what was told. Now that communism is gone - atleast in Hungary, there are still trying to figure out how to operate in a "free market" economy. Its completely amazing to hear one of our Hungarian teachers say "atleast under the mild form of communism, no one went hungry..."
Interestingly, education operates somewhat in a similar way. Some poeple go to college, some don't. It all depends on what you're told you can do...They are even having to redo the entire college system here in Hungary, according to Hajni, our teaching contract, becuase it used to be you either could only study literature or math/science. Now they are opening it up to specific tracks and poeple have more freedom to study....OK, long comment, but really great discussion.
My only question is how is it going to be paid for, since you don't want a socialist government running the schools - how would you propose to pay for it? Just curious.
Oh and by the way! Bravvvoooo!! On two counts! I'm so excited you're in school and if I was your teacher, I'd give you an A....I meet the teaching staff and adminsitrators today...so pray for me in your sleep....
ahhh shucks jen- thanks for the A. thankfully this was just for her to see where everyone's writing abilities were at so we won't be graded on it and like i said i really could have taken either side because a big part of his argument was that it would mean higher taxes which answers your question.
IF, the goverenment would use our tax money more wisely and spend on things that really matter to human life and the quality of life then that this would be no problemo but often times the billions of dollars are spent on things like "string theories"(see mo's blog) and silly stuff like that.
it was a fun topic and the teacher seems really great cause she's from boston mass. how could she not be great!!!!
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