A Nation That Is Still at Risk

After reading, “A Nation At Risk: Edited by Yong Zhao,” which was published: “March 10, 2011” (Zhao, 2011). Zhao makes several good points while editing this article. I’m not sure how I feel about how he edited this report. The report, at the time it was written, was informative and I know things have changed but Zhao was quite harsh in his editing. One example was when he stated that “[t]he real risk America faces is the insane policies and scapegoating practices in education” (Zhoa, 2011). He went on to say that this is why he “decided to edit the document” (Zhoa, 2011). He then says that he has “replaced what” he thinks is “misleading and misconceived phrases, sentences, and paragraphs with what” he “believe[s] to be correct” (Zhoa, 2011). This was confusing to me because this man takes it upon himself to edit someone else’s work twenty-eight years later. In my opinion, maybe someone needs to start from scratch and write another report for today’s education report card.

After reading the edited version, I then read the unedited report, “A Nation at Risk,” I think that we have not seen much progress in education in the twenty eight years since this report was written. It has changed some, but not what I think it should have after nearly thirty years. I have found that progress does not happen over night. One thing this report stated was that the National Commission was “confident that the American people, properly informed, will do what is right for their children and for the generations to come” (National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1983). I believe parents are doing what they believe is right for their children, but I also believe that some parents do not see the need for lifelong learning. With the way our world is changing, we all need to become lifelong learners to stay marketable.

Our country seems to be losing many jobs to foreign competition. This report tells us that one of the risks that the commission perceived was that “[w]e live among determined, well-educated, and strongly motivated competitors” (NCEE, 1983). I watched a television show about how Mexico now grows its own cotton, gins it, and makes blue jeans. This is just one example of how other countries industries are growing while depleting what our country does. I believe this is one reason our job market is at its lowest in a long time. In one of the college classes I have taken, the professor talked about how our country is losing jobs because other countries are paid less to do the job even though the employers are educated more than Americans. Even though this report was written in 1983, they knew that “Learning is the indispensable investment required for success in the ‘information age’ we are entering” (NCEE, 1983).

We are still facing this issue now, but to a greater degree. We are now looking at the issue of some jobs disappearing while other jobs have not yet been created. A professor in one of my classes told the class that students that are now in elementary school will be doing jobs that have not yet been invented. To me, this is mind boggling. Never in my life have I ever thought of such a thing. Times are changing. I have to keep reminding myself that this article was written in 1983. This article also said that, “[a]lthough a million and a half new workers enter the economy each year from our schools and colleges, the adults working today will still make up about 75 percent of the workforce in the year 2000” (NCEE, 1983).

I’m thinking these were the baby boomers since many are beginning to retire. “[W]orkers, and new entrants into the workforce, will need further education and retraining if they—and we as a Nation—are to thrive and prosper” (NCEE, 1983). We have already found this statement to be true in the way the workforce is changing toward the future. I know of many people that have had to go back to school to learn a new trade or to learn more for the jobs they already have. This is becoming a way of life. Something that everyone should think about is, “formal schooling in youth is the essential foundation for learning throughout one’s life. But without life-long learning, one’s skills will become rapidly dated” (NCEE), 1983).

I always knew that education was the key to success, but after reading this article I became more aware of just how important it really is. One person cannot make the difference needed to make our country successful but if we, as a nation, see the importance of education, we have a fighting chance to succeed. “[E]ducation is important not only because of what it contributes to one’s career goals but also because of the value it adds to the general quality of one’s life” (NCEE, 1983).

This report addressed many more interesting points that Americans need to think deeply about. Our country is still at risk and it takes time to change.

The article: A Nation At Risk can be found at: http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/NatAtRisk/risk.html  and “A Nation At Risk: Edited by Yong Zhao” can be found at: http://zhaolearning.com/2011/03/10/a-nation-at-risk-edited-by-yong-zhao/