Money talks; education walks

MANIFESTO

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A small but growing number of school districts across the country are moving to a four-day week, in a shift they hope will help close gaping budget holes and stave off teacher layoffs, but that critics fear could hurt students' education.

As I approach the end of my long and storied career in education, I keep wondering what the purpose of modern-day education actually is. To be sure, the ostensible purpose of education has always been to provide for the workplace whatever its status happens to be, but lately things have changed drastically.

Viz., I keep hearing that the vast majority of jobs that'll be in existence in ten years or so haven't even been created yet. Thus, I have to ask myself what—exactly—are we as educators up to in the way of preparation. It certainly doesn't stand to reason that we're preparing students—of any capability—for real work. And now, given the economic climate, the time allotted for preparation of any kind is being cut by 20% in some instances.

I wish succeeding educators luck in trying to figure this all out.