President Obama and Education

Nearly everyone remembers President Obama’s speech to the children of America on September 8, 2009. Some parents were so afraid that he might say something life altering that they kept their children home from school or protesting the speech being aired at school. However, Obama was nothing short of positive for the children. Since the speech, he has continued to be uplifting and inspirational for today’s youth.

Yet, there is something a little askew in the Obama ideals. He has asked that students stay in school. News reports have suggested that everyone would benefit from more education. In no way would I ever say that education is bad.

Yet, I have to ask:

Is this some sort of bailout help? School at any level costs money. Even in public kindergarten, students need glue, pencils, scissors, etc. Later, people may attend college and then tuition becomes an expense. All along the way, gas is needed to transport people back and forth to class. Will this spending and the obvious hiring of teachers and staff for the schools help out our economy? Do you think Obama is only thinking about school as a benefit of education? Is he really thinking that we will spend on education and infuse enough into the economy to jumpstart USA out of the recession?

One could almost argue that asking single parents, lower income families, disadvantaged people, unemployed, etc. to go to school is an unfair tax upon them. These individuals will pay more of their income for school than a wealthy person. Is this right to ask them to go to school without examining the long term impact, economically and socially, upon their life?

Oddly if people are in school, they are not looking for full time work. Will this make us feel as if we are all working even though it is kind of cutting the number of wanting work individuals by moving some into school? Perhaps, the feeling we are all busy approach will give the optimistic boost that America needs to pull herself up.