Education is the first, middle, and last hallmark of humanity. Education is the number one issue in the United States. And it is where we are failing most grievously. But while a quality education is a national issue, it most assuredly not a Federal problem. Education is foremost a local issue and needs to be addressed at the local level. That, after all is where people live.
The Federal government has muddied the waters with 'No Child Left Behind.' But the LION is not worried about the children. That is NOT where the problem is. And as far as College is concerned, Federal programs *are* the problem. It is unconscionable to let a kid graduate from college with 20, 30, 40, 60,000 dollars or more in debt. When a person least able to manage a large debt, he or she must start out with a debt as big as a small mortgage. They should be putting money into a home, or into raising a family, and they are saddled with a Federal debt that cannot even be erased through the mechanism of bankruptcy.
The LION would eliminate all Federally insured student loans. If a student wants a lone, he or she should go to their bank and get a regular loan. If the parents can afford it ( and trust the kid to make payments) they could co-sign such a loan. But I do not recommend it nor would I take out such a loan. The LION went to collage part-time, and was working full time. I do not expect all students to do this, but there is no reason why they cannot go to a community college, pay their own way and continue to live with their parents for a few more years. Education is vital, a huge debt is not.
Now, let your LION start from the beginning: Grade School. Grade School is most clearly a function of the local school district, perhaps with state assistance. LION suggests that this Grade School, consisting of grades P through 8. Yes, local pre-school for those for whom it is necessary or desirable. It is maybe better to spend these years in the home, with the parents, but this is not always possible. Sometimes day-care is necessary, sometime a more formal pre-school is necessary. Yes it should be paid for in part by those who use this service, but many need it, and also need help in paying for it. It should be made available by the local school district.
Grade School continues through grade 8. Perhaps grades K-6 should be run as most people are used to seeing it, but each locality will determine how this will work for them. Especially in grades 7 and 8, students need to learn of what their continuing education will look like for them. Testing and evaluation of students will guide them, educators, and parents on what the student's continuing education will look like.
And here is where the LION makes his major change from what is being done now. We look at grades 9 through 16, but we divide this population in half vertically. That is a bifurcation at grade 9. Some will continue through High School and College as people do now, and the other half of the population will be diverted into trade school.
Looking at the High School track, grades 9 through 12 look the same as they do now, perhaps with greater state aid than is needed in Grade School, but it will also be serving a smaller population of students that they do now. Students who cannot or will not apply themselves to academic studies have been culled out. Teachers will no longer have to also be police officers. Classes will run more efficiently and teachers will be able to spend more time with students who are motivated, and do not need to continually spend time in remedial activities at the cost of service to others.
Moving from High School to College, many will do as they do now, and will pay their way through the university of their choice. They can get loans from their bankers if the bankers think that this particular student is a good risk for such a loan. There can be scholarships as their are now, and parents and students can pay their own way as they still do now. But there will be no Federally insured loans, and the people pushing these loans where they may not be truly advisable.
But the LION has spoken of "Grades 9 through 16" and the LION wants states to take the lead in running community and state colleges where students can get a quality education with minimal expense to the students and their families. And with students living at home, they can get rid of most of the dorms and the problems and costs that they and food services create. It is not necessary to spend a fortune to have a proper education.
Now, the LION must address that population which did not pass through conventional High School and College. THIS IS the population that the LION most wants to address, and the population needs the most help, mostly, the LION thinks, mediated by on the Federal level. LION calls it a "Trade School" but it is much more than that. From existing trade schools the student enters the labor force on the Apprentice level. When a man or a woman leaves the LION'S program, they well be entering the labor force on the Journeyman level. They will have a minimum of FIVE YEARS "in trade" by the time they graduate, and during most of these years they will be on the payroll and earning a "student" income.
This is what the LION proposes. In the 9th grade year, the student will be in the classroom, they will be exposed to labor laws, work rules, and other skills that a person needs to survive in the workforce. They will examine many trades that may be available and will work with licensed teachers to build for themselves a program of studies and work that will lead to the results that will yield a lifetime vocation. Vocation in all sorts of building trades, construction trades, printing, transportation, the choices are only limited by the student's imagination. The student's faculty adviser will make it happen.
Students may be placed with local trades people, they may be placed with a major employer, or consortium of employers, or he may be placed with a union sponsored program. These programs will meed federal specifications. On the 10th grade level, the student will work not more than 4 hours a day, and will receive half of minimum wage (after all he is still living with his parents) and the rest of the wage goes to the employer to cover his costs and the costs of his employees who will be helping to train the student. On the 11th grade level the student will work 6 hours a day and will receive 3/4 of minimum wage. On the 12th grade level they will also work 6 hours a day and will earn a full minimum wage. The student will continue through the program working 36 hours a week , and will meet with his faculty adviser each week during the 13th and 14th grade levels, and on the 15th and 16th grade levels they will receive work 40 hours or more a week, will earn full union wage, and meet with his adviser quarterly.
The United States needs a pool of highly skilled workers, and most jobs are not in factories. These are good jobs that can never be moved overseas. This is, according to the LION, a win-win proposition, and ought to go along way provide a quality education for all.
The LION knows he did not address the underlying causes of a poor education. He only addressed education. The underlying cause of a poor education is poor family life and poor self esteem. But the LION cannot fix these broken families. He hopes that these newly educated people will be able to raise families that are not fundamentally broken.
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