tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198390912401056862.post7949478682821736093..comments2023-10-14T06:19:18.000-05:00Comments on Rocket Scientist: Sunday Soapbox: Educational IniquityStephanie Barrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17772217449161603561noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198390912401056862.post-61162322274245725892010-04-12T21:28:37.185-05:002010-04-12T21:28:37.185-05:00A good example is worth a thousand words. Let'...A good example is worth a thousand words. Let's hope you're right.The Motherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15157821003454766570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198390912401056862.post-78755112712747576422010-04-12T20:07:57.705-05:002010-04-12T20:07:57.705-05:00Agreed, the Mother. Unfortunately, that has to be ...Agreed, the Mother. Unfortunately, that has to be done at home. Only rarely can one manage to do it from the outside. <br /><br />My family was poor growing up, but they took education very seriously, were willing to sacrifice for it. If your mom is raising her by yourself and wants you to get a job to help put food on the table instead of college, what are you going to do?<br /><br />I think Obama, as black, educated and in a position of power, can do a great deal as an example for many minorities. If they can take that lesson to heart, that will definitely be a step in the right direction. But it's still a long hard road.Stephanie Barrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17772217449161603561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198390912401056862.post-48590925218922040262010-04-12T19:07:54.100-05:002010-04-12T19:07:54.100-05:00I need to add that the culture of a given individu...I need to add that the culture of a given individual may value education more or less. Often less. <br /><br />When a kid grows up in a family that never finishes high school and really doesn't see anything wrong with that, it's not opportunities that are missing in his life--it's motivation. <br /><br />Studies routinely show that Asian kids are highly educated, and highly pressured to be educated, while American blacks fall ruefully short of both goals. <br /><br />In other words, creating opportunities is only a part of the solution. Changing attitudes may be the bigger problem.The Motherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15157821003454766570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198390912401056862.post-56367064269804890342010-04-12T17:04:47.380-05:002010-04-12T17:04:47.380-05:00There is a place for poor people and workers that ...There is a place for poor people and workers that need to do a job that doesn't pay well... or if you will--their willing to do jobs regular people wouldn't.<br /><br />Not everyone can be a chief--in fact, it works better the fewer chiefs there are, and it helps to have a lot more Indians. If someone really wants an education, there is nothing stopping them. Just handing it out won't solve a thing... it would be wasting money and letting those that don't deserve it a way to float on by.<br /><br />I have had many, many college grads come and work for me, because they wasted their money and a degree in a field that wasn't in demand or in a field that people seldom move up, so the limited slots stay filled for their life time...<br /><br />ThxJeff Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00667419764890599092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198390912401056862.post-69036674694408202682010-04-12T08:27:40.100-05:002010-04-12T08:27:40.100-05:00Let me be clear. I'm not equating intelligence...Let me be clear. I'm not equating intelligence or capability necessarily with a degree. Or assigning actual value to a degree - just marketability. Several of the smartest people I've ever known (including the two best engineers) never got a technical degree (one didn't even graduate high school) - but they were and are brilliant.<br /><br />I'm not saying an English or History degree makes you less capable of doing any number of jobs - I'm saying that the degree is less likely to readily lead to a job.<br /><br />There are plenty of educated folks that have no common sense or practicality or who are poorly suited for the jobs they obtained based on the fact they had a degree in something (including a technical degree - doing the coursework does not a brilliant engineer make). However, in a world where one's record on paper is more important (and more easily discerned) than one's character and inherent skill, they get the jobs anyway.<br /><br />And that's not necessarily equitable either.Stephanie Barrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17772217449161603561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198390912401056862.post-9398151577494838272010-04-12T07:09:21.043-05:002010-04-12T07:09:21.043-05:00I mostly agree with you, but I wouldn't discou...I mostly agree with you, but I wouldn't discount the humanities degrees as much. Their is a lot value in being able to logically think out a plan argue logically for it and have a good feel for the consequences. And that's what you learn with a strong grounding in English, History, Economics, Business Management and the General Sciences.<br />Some people have learned this without degrees and some notable people (our last President) let it bounce off their heads without taking it in. But I do know some bright people who maybe great in their field like electrical engineers that believe the silliest things outside that field, like vaccines cause autism. They just haven't learned the critical thinking needed to analyze claims outside their narrow field.Darrell B. Nelsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02851443183217238218noreply@blogger.com