McCrory and Perdue on education policy
I'm in the process of pondering a story on education policy in the North Carolina governor's race. In particular, there is a divide on the value and necessity of higher education.
Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue, a Democrat, has written and spoken about the need to encourage all students to aim for college education. From her education policy statement:
"Through her College Promise initiative, North Carolina will provide an ironclad contract to students that a lack of family income will not be a barrier to their earning a college degree or gaining the advanced skills needed for success in the 21st century economy. In exchange, students will have to stay in school and stay out of trouble, graduate from high school and earn the necessary grades to gain acceptance into college, and give back to their community."
Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, a Republican, has criticized the push to put everyone in college. In debates and stump speeches he has called for a "back to basics" kind of approach that emphasizes vocational education, particularly at the community college level. From his education policy statement:
I will work with the private sector to increase the availability of, and enrollment in, vocational schools. These schools traditionally provide a useful education that will easily allow a graduate to readily find a good job in his/her selected field.
I've been talking to local sources about these two positions and finding that both have a basis in reality. There are folks who say they can't find people like welders and others in technical fields. And you can find people who argue that because people who earn a BA own more over the course of their careers.
Interestingly, I have also been told this is part of a burgeoning national debate. And interestingly enough, there are a couple books out recently that aren't exactly proxies for these arguments, but certainly speak to them.
On the need for more education end of things is "The Race Between Education and Technology" by Harvard Professors Claudia Goldin and Lawrence Katz.
I can't find excerpts of the book online, but you can get the gist here.
AEI's Charles Murray (yes, the Bell Curve author) weighs in on the college ain't so grand for everyone side. Book details here.
So where should we be going? More vo-tech? A 4-year-degree from everyone? Are the two views necessarily mutually exclusive?
Comments (2)
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Interesting debate.
As an educator myself, I've found that those who want to automatically push young people into "vocational programs" are also those who assume that those young people are going to be the ones who can't afford to go to traditional academic college. That's not always the case. We really do need to be concerned about the academically gifted lower middle class student who struggles to pay for their higher education.
And think about this: that young man or woman who has a talent for cutting hair, or welding, or fixing cars, will go infinitely farther in life if they have more than a vocational education. By backing that voc/ed up with a business and bookkeeping background, you have the makings of a new small family business. Lt. Gov. Perdue's proposal seems closer to making that happen than does Mayor McCrory's, but I think they're both trying too hard to make it an "either/or" situation, when it really should be "both/and". I'd love to hear Dr. Munger's thoughts on it.
Posted on September 22, 2008 6:15 PM
I agree that neither candidate really seems to have the right perspective. I also agree that higher degrees can help boost those that attend vocational programs in the first place. But, from my view as an educator, I have a hard time seeing how Perdue will produce that "ironclad contract," at least in the form she promises, and I have just as much a problem seeing how McCrory will make his support of community colleges & vocational schools happen.
Either way, I'm noticing from my conversations with people that we're going to need to make clear that vocational schools are not the crumbling, put-them-out-of-the-way types of places we've imagined them to be. I certainly hope, regardless of my vote, that McCrory is not one of the people you mention, Linda, who "automatically wants to push" any group of students into voc. programs. We all, not just educators, should recognize the potential of every student and guide them towards realizing it, however they may.
Going to be a good story! Looking forward to it!
Posted on September 22, 2008 11:37 PM