Tuesday, July 25, 2006
The Crisis in Education explodes
Every so often it’s a good idea to step back from the problems of the world and focus on the problems of Sui Lang Panoke. Ms. Panoke was kind enough to alert us to a pressing crisis; namely that we haven’t done enough to Put Grad School Within [Her] Grasp. Ms. Panoke is studying for a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) at American University (Washington, DC) and apparently it hasn’t been financially easy for her.
“I am a single mother who qualifies for the maximum amount in federal aid for graduate students. But this amount barely covers my tuition; paying for housing, books and living expenses is up to me.”
“Furthermore, I can work only part-time jobs while in school; otherwise I would not qualify for child-care assistance.”
Now some may be tempted to ridicule her for her life choices and subsequent whining for having to live with the results of those choices…but that would be too easy. Instead, I ask: what does it say about us as a nation when an adult is expected to have to handle housing, books and living expenses for herself…especially when she has a child and no husband to help out. This poor woman is voluntarily taking on the privilege of attending a very expensive graduate degree program at a private university so that she can then get a good–paying job, presumably with a government agency, where she’ll then be in a position to influence public policy.
…and I for one can’t wait to have her keen insights applied to society as a whole. For instance, how many of you were aware that:
“We are failing to redistribute the wealth in America, and the divide between the upper and lower classes is widening.”
Many of you may think that wealth is created and that when governments get into the business of redistribution of wealth they run the risk of ending up like Cuba but that’s probably only because you’ve never studied for an MPA at American University.
But it’s one thing to identify a problem; it’s another to propose a solution:
“It's clear that a federal need-based grant program for graduate students must be created.”
OK – now how many of you saw that one coming? A federal government spending solution to Ms. Panoke’s problem. Ms. Panoke goes on to explain why this is such a good idea.
“Money invested in graduate education will benefit the government by improving the quality of life for citizens.”
She doesn’t say exactly why using federal – vice private - funds improves the quality of life overall. But hey, what do I know – I’m not studying for an MPA at American University.
Ms. Panoke is selflessly attempting to address a crying need in our society – namely, the lack of over-educated public policy wonks with little real world work experience shaping the direction and spending priorities of our governments. Will we just stand by as a nation and let her dream of taking our wealth and redistributing it as she sees fit go unfulfilled?
“I am a single mother who qualifies for the maximum amount in federal aid for graduate students. But this amount barely covers my tuition; paying for housing, books and living expenses is up to me.”
“Furthermore, I can work only part-time jobs while in school; otherwise I would not qualify for child-care assistance.”
Now some may be tempted to ridicule her for her life choices and subsequent whining for having to live with the results of those choices…but that would be too easy. Instead, I ask: what does it say about us as a nation when an adult is expected to have to handle housing, books and living expenses for herself…especially when she has a child and no husband to help out. This poor woman is voluntarily taking on the privilege of attending a very expensive graduate degree program at a private university so that she can then get a good–paying job, presumably with a government agency, where she’ll then be in a position to influence public policy.
…and I for one can’t wait to have her keen insights applied to society as a whole. For instance, how many of you were aware that:
“We are failing to redistribute the wealth in America, and the divide between the upper and lower classes is widening.”
Many of you may think that wealth is created and that when governments get into the business of redistribution of wealth they run the risk of ending up like Cuba but that’s probably only because you’ve never studied for an MPA at American University.
But it’s one thing to identify a problem; it’s another to propose a solution:
“It's clear that a federal need-based grant program for graduate students must be created.”
OK – now how many of you saw that one coming? A federal government spending solution to Ms. Panoke’s problem. Ms. Panoke goes on to explain why this is such a good idea.
“Money invested in graduate education will benefit the government by improving the quality of life for citizens.”
She doesn’t say exactly why using federal – vice private - funds improves the quality of life overall. But hey, what do I know – I’m not studying for an MPA at American University.
Ms. Panoke is selflessly attempting to address a crying need in our society – namely, the lack of over-educated public policy wonks with little real world work experience shaping the direction and spending priorities of our governments. Will we just stand by as a nation and let her dream of taking our wealth and redistributing it as she sees fit go unfulfilled?
