Consequences of a Failed System: Part 5

Excerpt from Stop Beating the Dead Horse

Many people today claim that Americans are working harder than ever: however, the statistics show otherwise. The average work week for the United States’ labor pool in 2001 was 34 hours.  By 2008, that figure had dropped to 33.5 hours. Especially troubling is the amount of hours worked by poor families. While non-poor families work, on average, 2,080 hours per year (40 hours per week), poor families averaged barely over half that, or 1,112 hours per year (less than 21.5 hours per week).  For the most part, the poor in this country are poor because they don’t work as much as the non-poor. Whether this is because of a lack of education, a shortage of job opportunities, problems with arranging for childcare, or just plain laziness, it all stems from not being prepared in school for a working life after graduation.

The United States has entered the age of technology and has left the industrial age behind. That is, except for the public school system. Since our system was set up to prepare students for working in factories during the industrial age, it is not surprising that they are not prepared for the type of work required in today’s technological age. According to a report based on a detailed survey of 431 human resource officials in 2006, high school graduates entering the work force lack the basic skills of reading comprehension, writing, and math, combined with deficiencies in “applied” skills such as professionalism and work ethic (defined as demonstrating personal accountability, punctuality, working productively with others, time and workload management, etc.). Some of the greatest deficiencies cited were in basic English writing skills, such as grammar and spelling, critical thinking, and creativity. Survey participants also noted several key skills projected to increase in importance for future graduates: making appropriate choices concerning health and wellness (such as making healthy food choices, exercise, and stress reduction), creativity/innovation, and knowledge of foreign languages and cultures.

Our school system’s main goal should be to prepare students for a successful and productive future. This is not only good for each individual student, but imperative for the success of our nation, as well. One of the most important facets of this preparedness is the education and tools needed to succeed in the kinds of jobs that will be available to them when they graduate. We must realize that the industrial age is over and begin to train our students for work in business, technology, and service areas rather than training them to be factory workers. Obviously, from the results of the survey described above and many others as well, two of the most important aspects of job training are communication skills and work ethic, both of which the current system is failing to teach adequately.

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