CHAPTER SIX

EDUCATION

The good news about education today is that nations are coming together to design curriculum and systems that will provide all students with equal opportunities for access to equal education. This is exactly what is needed to develop a planetary/ continental system to achieve equity in education in the 21st century.
A hopeful sign for successful change is the progress nations made in 1996 and 1997, in attempting sweeping changes. The National Association of World Council of Comparative Educational Societies, included Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Columbia, Egypt, Hungary, India, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Russia and Spain. Others who met were England, Wales, the U.S. and middle-eastern and Asian nations. They discussed issues and exchanged comparative studies regarding various practices in order to reach a consensus of what educational systems should be like to meet global challenges. Japan had produced one of the most successful educational systems after WW II, which others nations were trying to emulate.
The dialogue that took place on this global level should have been headline news. The lack of media coverage of educational activity is astonishing in view of the one goal that all the people in the world have in common, that is to educate their children.
Most of the countries in the world are working towards entering and becoming a major part of the global economy To reach this goal they must prepare their children for the future.
Governments should be embracing the emerging conditions of global economies which are successfully connecting to each other’s diverse societies. Equality of educational opportunities must be achieved or there will be no end to civil unrest, terrorism and war.
The global economy and interconnected societies must cooperate to solve problems in education around the world. The problems are the same; administration, financing massive education, equality of educational opportunities and outcomes for different social groups, especially women, minorities, rural, low income and impoverished.
All nations are seeking superiority in math and science to develop and advance technology, which can only be achieved through the best possible educational experience.
Multi-national corporations are moving away from loyalty to their countries, and focusing on becoming global citizens. They will be providing good jobs for people with education all over the globe. Some old isolationist Americans especially, are reluctant to even think globally, in fear of losing their super-power status. Conservatives are fearful of dealing with people who are not exactly like them.
Tremendous leaps in technology and communication leave no choice but to go with the trend or be left behind. Major cities around the world urge their people to learn English as the best way to find a job that leads to participation in the global economy. It is inevitable that developing nations will not tolerate a few countries dominating world economy, leaving them outside looking in. The potential for increased violence should not be ignored.
Africa is the poorest continent of all despite its vast oil resources. Some 44 nations exist there, with only a few privileged classes having enormous wealth. Constant civil unrest and war, along with indescribable poverty. There are no schools in many areas so that illiteracy is rampant. Schools, where they exist, have dirt floors, no chairs or desks, no textbooks, no pencils or writing paper. Teachers have not been adequately educated, but do the best they can under the worst of conditions. Equal educational opportunities for all of Africa would without doubt conquer poverty, and the world would benefit by adding a healthy new trade partner.
“Shadow participation” is the term used to describe tutoring, extra courses and home-schooling. Three fourths of students in forty nations are involved to improve math skills. Denmark, England, Norway, Germany, Sweden and France have the lowest number of student attending non-traditional schools at about 20 percent, compared to 40 percent in the U.S.
Home-schooling of more than a million students has encouraged parents to speak out for a better public educational system. They are joining together to establish private schools, with innovative educators, who are dedicated to their calling They are fearful, too, of the violence at schools in both wealthy and poor neighborhoods, as well as the influence of drugs and unacceptable social behavior.
The history of education clarifies the current disparity in access to education world-wide. The first formalized system was influenced by religion with the purpose of learning to read scriptures. The earliest was 3000 BC when the children from upper-class families in Egypt and Sumeria (Turkey) were taught by temple priests.
Formal schools were established in China in the Han period 202 B.C.E. 220 A.D under the Confucian influence. Buddhists produced the first books in 868. Athens and Rome also provided education for the children of wealthy citizens.
Christian missionary schools were established for children of the British who ruled India, and in America almost all education was in the hands of the clergy. Harvard and Yale were founded as centers for the education of ministers. In 1833 a few women were permitted to attend Oberlin College in Ohio. Parents would gather funds to pay those who had received higher education to teach their children.
The U.S Constitution makes no reference to education, despite the fact that the founders were highly educated men. The establishment of education was left to the several states. Massachusetts had compulsory education in 1852 and some states set aside acreage in each township to be used for schools.
State funding is derived largely from property taxes which causes the disparity in students receiving a good or bad education. Recently, state lotteries were initiated with mandatory use of receipts for education. Some say instead of augmenting state budgets, allocations have been reduced so that lottery receipts pay much of the school budget. A disproportionate share is allocated to administration and for pensions.
Post-war U.S. enactment of the G.I. Bill of Rights opened the door to thousands of veterans to tuition-free college enrollments. After they received their degrees they entered fruitful employment and were founders of successful family and corporate businesses, resulting in the biggest economic boom in American history.
Other nations were not as fortunate. In Europe entire cities were destroyed and the U.S. provided the Marshall Plan for restructuring which earned the respect of the free world. This motivated European nations to come together to form the European Union to function as one in global trade, even introducing new currency used by all member nations.
After World War II the most famous scientists in Europe emigrated to the U.S., some escaping Nazi Germany, Albert Einstein and Edward Teller among them. Von Braun the rocket scientist, came after the war. Who will take their places in generations to come?
The bad news is that the U.S. system is not working, despite huge amounts of money allocated to education. Irrespective of the fact that the Constitution does not leave education in the hands of the federal government, the current Bush administration initiated a concept of "no child left behind." It is a controversial method of memorization for repeated testing, instead of students being taught to think and analyze. There are no opportunities for questions and answers, or time to digest, consider and debate. Teachers don't like it, but if they fail to follow the government's guidelines, the school will not receive federal funding. It has had a devastating effect on a whole new generation.
It should awaken parents of students and activate educators to pay attention to poor ratings and the age-old tradition of better education for children of the wealthy. Much work is needed to reverse this paradigm if generations to come are to enjoy a quality of life that the generation who entered school in the 1930s experienced, many who did not even attend college, yet achieved financial goals.
Public education in the U.S costs a staggering $440 billion annually but does not produce the results that were accomplished in depression years. Then a schoolroom had a blackboard, a pull-down map and screen, a movie projector and a piano, with a dedicated teacher who was not paid by check or cash, but in scrip, in order to purchase necessities.
Schools in high income neighborhoods can afford additions and new buildings, better teacher pay, textbooks and supporting services, compared to minimum funding in low-income areas where school buildings are crumbling, some teachers are not qualified to teach some of the subjects they are assigned and there is an absence of special tutorial services.
Now, as a result of the September 11 attack, homeland security policies deny admission to foreign students whose higher tuition kept costs lower for local students. Unfortunately, they are going to other countries to study. Some 250,000 Chinese have returned home to their booming economy and to continue post-graduate studies at their highly advanced universities. This reversal in the population of scientists and technicians is reflected in the fact that ten years ago, the U.S. issued 10,000 patents, down to 4,000 in 2005.
Education is in crisis, but the same failed remedies continue. Education Secretary Margaret Spelling, at a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee for Education, requested an additional $380 million to strengthen math and science because students are not adequately prepared for college.
Thirteen governmental agencies handle 270 programs; grants from foundations try to solve some of the problems by providing teachers with additional training because many are teaching subjects they know nothing about. Thus the U.S. is woefully near the bottom of educational achievement. (Readers Digest, December 2005, p. 111)
In May 2006 when the budget which provided the big tax break for oil companies passed, the Bush administration removed the tuition tax credit for families of children enrolled in college. Announced on television’s C Span, not one Congressman voiced displeasure about this ominous return to privileges for rich corporations but not for working families. Moreover, tuition costs and interest on loans have increased so that financial aid for college attendance leaves graduates over $100,000 in debt. They either postpone marriage, or new families can be strapped for years of debt.
No nation has the best educational system; each has its strengths and weaknesses. Despite huge funding, the U.S. is not at the top of any of the ratings in achievement. China as a supplier of goods to all nations does not educate its peasant farmers’ children. If and when they receive education and have jobs and become consumers, China will be the wealthiest nation in the world.
The arrogance of the U.S. expressed by Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the House, June 7, 1995, “We’re the only country complicated enough, sophisticated enough, big enough to lead the human race” (New York Times, June 8, 1995) received the following reply from Adam Przeworski (Comparative Education, Edited by Robert F. Arnove and Carlos Alberto Torres. “The Neoliberal Fallacy, Journal of Democracy 3, no. 3, July 1942 p. 45-49. Joel Sanoff article).
“Neoliberal ideology,emanating from the U.S.and various multi-national agencies, claim the choice is obvious as to one path to development (of education). If Martians were asked to pick the most efficient, humane systems on earth, it would certainly not choose the countries that rely most on markets. The U.S. is a stagnant economy in which real wages have been constant for more than a decade, and the real income of the poorer 40 percent of the population has declined. It is an inhumane society in which 11.5 percent, 28 million people, including 20 percent of the children live in poverty. It is the oldest democracy on earth but has the lowest participation rates in their electoral process in the democratic world, and the highest per capita prison population in the world." Others comment that “since they believe they are right, they can tell everyone what to do, but do not learn.”
In the U.S. more efforts are placed in selecting the "best universities" when in fact all universities can be "best." If started in lower education, dedicated teachers, parents who demand that their children focus on daily attendance, and instill a love of learning they, too, can motivate high achievement.
Different ethnic groups can be identified by their dedication to learning. Jewish people have been educated in many lands as they were expelled and forced to be productive wherever they were able to go. Asian families have long been known for demanding excellence in studies from their children. The middle-eastern culture for thousands of years introduced education to the world.
Unfortunately, many American families do not make the same demands on their children regarding study. More often, they succumb to demands for material possessions, what they wear on their bodies rather than what they put in their minds. If they are accepted at college, many need remedial work in basic studies.
Too much emphasis is on money-making sports, especially football, social events, and vacations such as "spring-break." This practice alone every year results in some tragic event when inexperienced teen-agers venture into unknown areas and indulge in substance abuse and other unacceptable behavior.
If students focused more energy on the true reason they enrolled in higher education, there is no doubt that all of their intellectual challenges would become an expected part of the process of learning.
The veiled class war on many campuses caused lifetime resentment. Low-income students witness the luxury some of the privileged enjoy, while they were barely able to survive. Elite fraternities and sororities, a long-time tradition, were designed to achieve class superiority. It is one of the most divisive practices in global society. Graduates rely on alumni members of their league as contacts for better jobs than those who do not have access to sources of wealth.
Emotional damage can be done to the privileged as well when they enter the post-graduate world and find they cannot compete. More awards and recognition of scholarship could help level the academic playing field for both children of wealth, the middle class and lower-income families.
In the U.S. the new system established by the George W. Bush administration of “no child left behind,” has had a devastating effect on a whole new generation. Teachers abhor the method which is so standardized that it frowns on innovative approaches to encourage students to think. Much work is needed to reverse this paradigm if generations to come are to enjoy a quality of life obtained through education that current generations who did not even go to college, have experienced.
An age-old adage when it is impossible to repair damages is to “throw the baby out with the bath water” and start all over again. A continental system of education with the same curriculum, scheduling and equal achievement goals, adding content germane to their cultures and environment need not be difficult. As mentioned above, nations have already come together seeking to achieve this goal.
A whole new global system must be created to place emphasis on equal opportunities for all children to receive an equal education and it must begin with the planet’s most significant assets, its teachers. Their importance cannot be overstated. It is obvious that the most dedicated, well-trained teachers should be the highest paid professionals in the world. There can be no doubt that without teachers there would be no teachers, no scientists, no health care, no law, no industry, no trade, no transportation, no engineers, no housing, no communication, no research, no writers, no books, no films, no communication. We would still be cave dwellers, hunters and gatherers which might be the fate of any survivors if violence continues on this planet.
The first goal of education should be educating all people in the world to be able to acquire six basic needs: employment, food, shelter, clothing, education and a healthy environment. When those needs are met, self-respect rises so that incentives to maintain or improve status contribute benefits to the global economy. If the world continues to lack financial balance, there can be no motivation for cooperation between nations, which reduces market potential and stimulates causes for war.
We must change the educational system to prioritize teaching of skills to achieve acceptable social behavior, develop artistic talents, proclivity for business, agriculture, law, medicine, health, and restructuring cities and environs. Emphasis should be placed on learning nonviolence, and to abhor corruption, dishonesty and intolerance. THINK of how such awareness and knowledge can bring civility, beauty and convenience to the world.
A new educational system must focus on building the character of all students. From the first day in school, children should learn about honesty, compassion, acceptable behavior and manners, ethics. with emphasis on nonviolence.
Recruitment of high quality people into the profession of teaching, then giving them the support they need to become accomplished teachers is the first step to making the change, as mentioned above.
Stanford researcher H.M. Collins discovered that leaders who ignited transformations from good to great were not innovative geniuses, but good judges of talent who were able to assemble teams of people who could work together. He wrote, “Success had little to do with innovation of product or process. Finding begins with the ‘who’ rather than the ‘what.’ The process needs the right people to execute the vision. The right people don’t need to be managed or fired up; they will be well motivated by the inner drive to produce the best results and be part of creating something great. In addition to talented, intelligent, passionate people in the profession, great education needs engaged citizens, who must shape an agenda that takes seriously the reality that teaching is demanding emotional, spiritual and intellectual labor and that teachers need to be cared for by the institution of school in ways that keep them alive for their students, attentive to their colleagues and excited by the subject matter they teach,”
Compare the value of teachers to today’s highest paid “stars” in the entertainment field, as well as Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of multi- national corporations whose primary function is to make profits for stockholders, and manage a labor force. However, they are also responsible for the failures that have led to record-breaking corporate bankruptcies and federal investigations, some resulting in criminal charges of fraud and corruption. Not a single trade union or the media deplore the disparity in sacrifices of workers who take cuts and loss of benefits to save their jobs, while CEOs magnanimously cut their multi-million dollar salaries in half, (if that much) and then depart with rewards for their failure, with stock options and “golden parachutes.”
Compare this astonishing condition to the potential of 97 percent of all of the students on the planet, who upon completion of their formal education will contribute to the global economy. The remaining three percent must be saved from falling by the wayside by finding them early enough to change their direction. Is there any doubt that this concept of the highest pay for teachers whose results support all of the people in the world, is more valuable than any CEO, any world leader, any medical doctor, any entertainer, and all of the drug-dealers and weapons manufacturers who are destroying the world?
Just as the true value of teachers must be recognized, the entire educational system in the world must be completely reorganized. While steps were being taken by global programs with educators working together to plan and measure results of new thinking, the disparity in wealth increased, as the “rich get richer and the poor get poorer.” We must ask the wealthiest nations, how they expect to retain their wealth, if their marketplace does not grow as a result of failure to adequately educate their under-privileged children.
U.S. News and World Report, February 20, 2006,Two Guys and a Dream, Susan Headen’s story about Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin, who started teaching fifth graders in inner-city Houston 14 years ago. They founded Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) a national network of public schools that has posted stunning achievement gains and shattered all manner of myths about the academic capabilities of minority kids.”
They overcame institutional barriers to gain the freedom to teach the way they wanted, according to belief in high standards, hard work and a focus on results. Their premise is simple, do whatever it takes to learn. Students, parents and teachers sign contracts establishing school hours from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. plus Saturday morning. With an extra month in the summer, they receive over 60 percent more class time.
If two professionals are able to motivate students despite the rigorous requirements, there is no end to what global participation will be able to accomplish in time to prepare students for a new system of self- government.
To catch up with those who have had advantages since birth, such as homes with books, parents who have had college educations and insist on good study habits, educators recommend a “Downside Up” version in which the under-privileged should now receive the best teachers and facilities.
Dedicated teachers could turn this into a level playing field, but many students are lost before the change takes place. Drop-out rates show 2,500 student leave high school every day. About a million drop out every year, which is a tremendous loss in productivity and wages in the lifetime of one generation. Over four-thousand are arrested every day and 68 percent of the prison population do not have a high school diploma.
Decisions need to be made to establish priorities to correctly initiate and function in a whole new educational concept. The following matters need to be discussed, and implementation agreed upon:

How to apply global natural resources to fund equal access to a good education?
How will changing educational goals affect society and culture?
How will students be taught to resolve conflicts rising from diverse political systems and theological regimes while the planet is in transition to an awakening world of peace?
What will be the common emphasis?
How will local culture fit into the new system?
How will the new system start?
Will children continue to be taught according to their age level, or will classes be customized depending on individual focus and learning skills?
What if one is a late bloomer and another is ahead, and by what measurable degree?
How will we separate dedicated students from those who have not been motivated to love to learn?
Where will enjoyment of socializing be placed in the priority list?
How will nonviolence and conflict resolution be taught?
How do we motivate and engage parents and families in the education process?
Do we test or find another way of measuring comprehension and retention?
What can we do about adult education for those who have been outside of the world communities of literacy?
How do we prepare for the underprivileged to catch up?

Teachers and students need to have a role in deciding what goes on in school. Not only is it a good lesson in democracy, but having a voice assures involvement in the process. Every person needs to feel their viewpoints are respected. These viewpoints can be developed into enthusiasm and encouragement to formulate new ideas and procedures, exactly what are needed to succeed in any endeavor.
We do not know the terror our children are experiencing in this current culture of violence. World-wide distribution of computer games, television and films, influence children to commit murder and suicide. A good teacher can recognize these fears, and bring them out in the open which could prevent the terrible tragedies occurring on school premises, as well as actions of young gangs in their neighborhoods.
Americans have no reason to be complacent and confident that its educational system is the best. Records show otherwise. (Educating for Humanity, edited by Mike Seymour). Fifteen-year-old U.S. students were 24th out of 28 countries in math, and 24th out of 40 countries in science. Fourth-graders start out ahead but fall behind by the time they enter the 8th grade.
Regarding the amount of math homework teachers give per week in 39 nations, the. U.S. is 26th at slightly under 2.5 hours per week. Highest at over 3.2 hours are Israel, Cyprus, Singapore, the Russian Federation, Greece, and Thailand. Romania is highest at over 5.5 hours.
There are world-wide differences in number of days students attend school, from 280 days in Singapore, Japan 243, Germany 240 and down to the U.S. at 180. Two-month summer vacations leave many children with no supervision and boredom leading to trouble. Two weeks should be enough time, especially for children of working parents if they cannot afford expensive camps, travel and special activities.
Studies indicate that most children need more sleep. They can be seen boarding school buses at 7 a.m. and in northern climates barely able to stay awake in the daybreak darkness. They are caught up in rush-hour traffic, inhaling toxic fumes from standing vehicles and are not in a prepared state of mind for lessons. Hours should be changed to 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Buildings should remain open until 9 p.m. as a place of activity for the entire community. It would be an excellent opportunity for shared community responsibility between educators, social services and local businesses. Not only parents but leaders in all fields should be available to participate in counseling, helping troubled youths to solve problems. Businesses should provide personnel to counsel students as they pass from one level of learning to another, to help them determine the path to their life’s work.
Its multi-purpose use for after school tutoring, clubs and sports, music, art, community service projects, as well as adult education emphasizes the importance of education for its own sake, as a challenge to open minds to all cultures, customs, languages, and lifestyles when the community connects.
Another function would be a medical clinic on Saturdays for preventative medicine, inoculations, maintenance of healthy diets and exercise and mental health, especially in a community where under-privileged families do not have access to affordable medical care.
All children should have equal opportunity to enter pre-school, primary and secondary schools in their own regions, without charge. As mentioned in Chapter - Natural Resources, funding would be more than adequate if global profits were equitably divided among the six inhabited continents and for Antarctica which would be reserved for scientific research, especially needed in the current crisis of global warming.
One size does not fit all. Reality is that children learn in different ways, are interested in different things and need to be prepared for different lives. Parents should be asked what talent and interests they notice in their child. They all recognize some unique quality and disposition. This information provides the teacher with a custom-made approach to each child, so that the best of their capabilities are recognized and nurtured.
Each child’s needs and interests should determine what is taught. It is important to encourage developing continental regions to prioritize education now to begin to teach job skills that will make goods and services affordable. Otherwise, a global trade imbalance would become a problem.
After needs are determined and goals set, a specific plan must be agreed upon. This new system should be administered by seven agencies according to their continental environment, climate, population, available water, arable land, water, and natural resources. It would be part of the new system of no national borders, no elected or appointed leaders or officials, as described in Chapter - Failure of Governments.
Each continent would agree to teach in the language spoken by the majority of its population. Pre-schoolers should be taught in that language. If they already speak the majority language, they would learn the language of the nearest continent.
In the first year of primary school, every child would learn the language of one of the neighboring continents; in the second year, the second language would be taught, and so on through primary school, so that by the sixth year they would have six continental languages. In the 7th and 8th year, all students would learn the language which has been chosen to be used globally. English is already used by all nations in air traffic control and for global business meetings. By the time they enter high school and college, they would be prepared to function in any place in the world.
At the same time, language studies are taking place, the curriculum should include study of the culture, geography and history starting with elementary information, appropriate to the level of learning ability. No matter what the level is, all continents would follow the same amount of time allocated to each discipline. For example, kindergartners, if attending half-day, would have language in songs and film, as well as practice in language skills. On alternate days, they would be taught the importance of learning the cultures of their classmates with emphasis on appreciating differences as a way of learning to prepare for the study of ethics and law regarding ownership, (a toy, a pencil, a book), learning about their community and how people need to help each other to have a “good life.”
At all levels, every day, there should be reference to the importance of family responsibility, emphasizing ways to help their parents and teachers, how to welcome newcomers and share their friends. This pattern should continue through primary school, so that by the eighth year, students are actually involved in community service, or are aware of their responsibility to make some contribution for the benefit of others.
All primary school students should be receiving the basics in reading writing and arithmetic, gradually being introduced to higher mathematics. By the fifth year, science should become a regular part of the curriculum. Computer training should not begin until the 7th year, and should be prohibited from being used for homework.
Too many students today rely on equipment or tools to learn math, but have no understanding of the dynamics and analytical thought that provide the answers to mathematical problems. Learning how to analyze math has a multi-purpose goal. It is the foundation for problem solution in all disciplines and aspects of life. On September 12, 2006, it was announced that teaching basic math will replace calculators upon which elementary school children have come to rely.
The same should be applied to developing writing skills. Vocabulary and spelling ability must be ingrained through the use of extensive reading, writing and language skills. Computers for word processing should not be introduced until at least the seventh grade of elementary school.
The policy of testing during the school year should be thoroughly reviewed so that there can be global consensus as to a chosen method. In Downside Up: Getting Education Right, Ronald G. Veronda’s view of grading calls attention to the emphasis on the requirement of constant testing, major to the Bush concept of “no child left behind” which teachers deem detrimental:
“Grading is a part of current structure where children are judged by grades to emphasize success or failure. Grading actually stops motivation. The power of non-judgment is much more effective than the built-in judgment of the current educational system which stops learning. The educational design should put responsibility for learning not on the child alone, but on the educator and parents. Its view is focused on preparing students for the material measurable world only. Anything that begins with limitations can only hope for limited success.”
This view should apply to final exams as well. Parents and teachers should have discussions that would determine the best choices for individual students. Teachers should evaluate the student’s progress by monitoring all through the school year. If some students are falling behind, tutorials should be available immediately. They might not progress at the same speed in every class, perhaps passing to the next level in one subject, but not another. That is why consideration must be given to advancement based not on the tradition of age, but on ability.
High school should become the preparatory facility for higher education. If introduction to math and science have been successful in primary school, advanced math and science should begin. Language skills should be fairly advanced as well so that building on primary school experience "finishing touches" should complete the preparation for the next four years.
Within the next 10 years, scientists will be retiring. A college education is becoming even more difficult to attain. Only six percent of students are planning to study engineering in the U.S., down from 36 percent 10 years ago. Some 75,000 engineers graduate annually in the U.S. compared to China’s 500,000. This number is said to include auto mechanics and other technical skills. It is estimated that by 2010, ninety percent of the scientists in the world will be Asian. China’s goal is to turn 100 universities into world-class learning centers.
If college attendance is not planned, there should be technical schools offering courses in needed job skills from business to construction, to agriculture and food preparation, and public services. If students are uncertain as to what they want to do, they should be encouraged to go into the work force and try different career opportunities and return for training in their career preference.
Upon entering colleges and universities, students should be prepared to focus on a specific calling. Higher learning should focus entirely on studies pertaining to the profession they have chosen. It is likely that if separate facilities were provided to teach medicine, law, engineering, business, journalism, performing arts, focus on individual study would cut the time to earn a degree, saving costs to parents on limited income. Many universities have separate departments now but there are too many conflicting activities that cause some students to fail or drop-out.
All college students should have the opportunity to study at universities on other continents in exchange programs. In any event, courses should be the same so that everyone is on equal footing in their profession. The people who love learning should be encouraged to participate in any program that suits their ability.
The plan for a new system of education is perhaps the most vital to meet the planetary crisis head on. It is the opportunity to begin a whole new cycle of values, from the basic need for knowledge to live in a new planetary system of self-government, to the goal of a peaceful co-existence as an undeniable right.
It is important that the goal of all educational planning be the design of a program from pre-school through college that would provide equal hours of courses of study and preparation for career choices on all continents. How students apply themselves should be constantly evaluated and changes made as needed.
To develop a whole new system of life on the planet depends entirely on the educational process, starting with a new generation who have not been tainted by greed and violence. Children are compassionate in their care of pets, for their friends well-being as they tend to care for each other at unexpected times. They are loyal to their friends, and if treated with dignity, they respond in kind.
They are gifted in their creative ability and when they know their best efforts are expected for specific tasks, they exhibit pride in their accomplishment. They can be loving and gentle and they appreciate personal attention more than the latest toy.
We have a good start with the meeting of global minds to develop equal opportunities for a new generation to receive the best possible education. Innovative new courses of study, with the best teachers possible, a global community where everyone contributes to the success of each student, of parents interest and guidance, in facilities conducive to focusing attention on challenging ideas, can become reality.
An important element is how global thinking will be applied to students with special abilities, high I.Qs, and those on the opposite end who have learning and behavioral problems.
We should have learned from history that unequal educational opportunities have prevented what the world could have been. We have seen how ample funding was not available, but dedicated teachers provided the motivation and discipline for a better education than is now available despite more than current adequate funding.
The problem lies with taxpayers failing to demand accountability for expenditures of billions of dollars in the U.S. and throughout the world. The disproportionate share of administration, instead of high wages for teachers is so out of control, that it is no wonder that schools are crumbling, textbooks and minimal supplies are not available.
It is more likely that the cost of education will be greatly reduced if we adopt global curricula, methods, procedures, school hours, reasonable goals, opportunities for the best and the brightest, irrespective of status or income.
The greatest change should come with the participation of corporate leaders to become teachers periodically, to donate their services in giving lectures or workshops in their own school districts. The entire community can surely benefit if it comes together to motivate children to be the best possible students.
Every child on the planet from the first day they enter school until their highest educational experience, must be required to demonstrate acceptable social behavior, and be powerfully motivated to adhere to a creed of nonviolence. We should then expect a tremendous increase in responsibility for achievement by students encouraged by their parents and communities.