A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions.

Yes, this is another plug for USA TODAY, the newspaper I work at, but if you have a moment, please check out today’s paper. It has a really fascinating article on the difference in America’s secondary educational system and a lot of countries. This article in particular highlights South Korea’s (SK) system vs. America’s. Here were a few stats that amazed me. 93% of SKs graduate from high school. 76% of Americans graduate from high school. That fact alone scares me. Another fact that scares me is this generation is the first in recorded American history that more of our parents’ generation will graduate high school than the current generation. This might be why we have fallen to a desultory 18th among the nations examined by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and development. By the way, are education system according to that report is right around Estonia’s. I have been to Estonia and sir, America is not and should not ever again be compared to Estonia. Here is where money factors in. SK spends three times per child on secondary education than America. Professor Richard Freeman when writing about education said it best, “It’s not that we are doing horrible. It’s that other countries are moving faster.” In addition, teachers in SK are paid 25% more. According to this article, teachers are revered in that country in a way that America should be embarrassed by their treatment of teachers. One interesting point that this article highlights is that America is a country of haves and have nots when it comes to education. If you go to a “wealthy” public school (the article highlights Fairfax County, VA) there is a 97% chance you will drop out. The drop out factory of the world, the Detroit public education system only has a 37.5% graduation rate. That statistic is beyond repulsive and all Americans should be abashed that we have public school systems where only a third of their children graduate. Investing in education is an investment in the future of America. I have always said that one of the main problems with politics these days is we have an uneducated electorate. As many of you know, I have always greatly enjoyed reading about military history, one of America’s great military leaders during Vietnam, Admiral James Stockdale once said about education, “A liberally educated person meets new ideas with curiosity and fascination. An illiberally educated person meets new ideas with fear." Admiral Stockdale is exactly right. One of the reasons that politicians have been able to rule with fear for so long was of how unbelievable uneducated we Americans have become. It is not a secret that slave owners almost never allowed or wanted their slaves to read or become educated in any such way. Knowledge does equal power and slave owners feared the slaves gaining any slight power. We as a country must invest more and more wisely in education. But I stress more wisely. As Mr. Brand has correctly pointed out, just blindly giving schools money with referendums is a terrible way to increase the success of our educational system. President elect Obama I implore that you work the state education systems to make college more affordable, give tuition benefits to those students wishing to major in teaching (especially in special education, the hard sciences, math, and foreign languages.) But that’s not all. Please work with governors to demand more safe after school programs for the inner city students who struggle with poverty on a day to day basis. It is time for radical changes to be made to the failing education system. I understand the importance of fixing the economy and right now your mind is on the auto companies’ potential buy-out. I know you have wars to take care of, a failing health care system, the environment and health care. Please don’t forget about education and the children. They are the future of America.

1. I think we have officially found the new Harry Potter. I have never read any of Stephanie Meyer’s teen vampire love stories – the Twilight series – but I see that the first four books in the series occupy the top four spots on the NY Times’ best seller list. Twilight is becoming a phenomenon. I might have to pick up a copy and see what all the scuttlebutt is all about.

2. All of the rumors are that Hillary Clinton will be named soon to the position of Secretary of State. This displeases me greatly. Hillary Clinton is an enormous talent and she should be used accurately. I can see her much better used as Attorney General of the United States. In reality, what I would love to see happen is Harry Reid get thrown out as majority leader of the senate and replaced with Miss Clinton. Never in the history of America has a woman been majority leader of the senate. 2008 is a good time to start. In addition, even though many countries (including America) have made great strides in gender equality, one problem with Condi Rice as the current Secretary of State is many other countries do not take her serious due to her gender. If we want to be able to negotiate with countries like North Korea and Iran, we have to have a Secretary of State that other countries respect and will listen to. I actually think Bill Clinton would do a great job as Secretary of State. However, my guess is that this deal was negotiated several months ago when Hillary was dropping out. She probably told Obama, “I will drop out of the race, and implore my followers to support you with their votes, their money, and their volunteerism, but I will accept nothing less than Secretary of State.” Obama probably obliged and obliged quickly. That’s politics.

3. Currently listening to "Guns and Cigarettes" by Atmosphere. Album: Lucy Ford.