I question America’s, “public education system.”

And furthermore, when American music and nutrition continue to decline in overall quality then I believe that the masses silence… points to problems within the American Education System, today.

Job Hunting Post College Graduation

Nevertheless, as a 30 year old college graduate… I didn’t expect to wait until I was 31 years old to start a career. Nevertheless, here in Michigan today, this circumstance of revolving, temporary employment, is exactly what’s happened with me, post college graduation.

And I’ve filled out thousands of resumes, maybe over 5k, I’ve searched multiple job boards, arrived in person, called prospective employers and blogged about jobs… with no, “luck,” after my college graduation. And this year, I’ve even moved to NYC, once again doing whatever it takes to land a career. Although, I’ve moved a few times and nothing has worked before… in fact, I’ve worked several lower class jobs but I’ve never found employment that’s lasted more than 9 months, while also allowing me to keep my dignity intact. (*IE Restaurant work which used to be beneath college graduates.)

The Value Of College Education

But throughout this circumstance and throughout this, “quest for a career,” I’m led to wonder, “what is the value of college education?” And after a long and rather expensive, self financed education, I still struggle to find career oriented work.

And I don’t blame myself anymore…

In fact, this is also why in 2011, I protested alongside 50k people in the Occupy Portland Movement… and to be fully honest sometimes I don’t think there’s much more that I could do. (Whereby, it’s also worth noting that I haven’t missed a day of work in over 4 years, working jobs that fall short of the title, “career,” I might add.)

What Should Change?

So what can I do?

And what can we change? And what can my aging generation of 30 somethings, “change,” over the next 20 years, to make the American Education System stronger and more impactful? Because today, I consider myself a critical scholar of sciences, although I’ll admit that this wasn’t always the case. Whereby, I think part of the problem lies in my loss of the enjoyment of reading which was somewhat tarnished as a child, through overbearing and rigid memorization, in public school.

So for this reason, I would like to see further emphasis placed on, “theoretical sciences,” in general education today. But furthermore, I find that when taught properly; advanced physics, software engineering, gene therapy and all sorts of real world innovations, that perhaps once were beyond a general public education… can now be taught to kids and in fact… can be FUN for students to learn. And I find that this is especially true, when these subjects are taught from the approach of real world applications and not simply memorization.

But furthermore, I also believe that many of these subjects should be taught at the HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL and I believe that many of these subjects… should not just be taught at overpriced colleges. For example Einstein’s famous work on relativity, which was first crafted in 1905… could and should be taught at the high school level, in my opinion. And while I recognize that not all students… and not all schools, can cater to that sort of advanced placement curriculum, some schools can. So, I believe that many more teachers should teach General Relativity in high school.

And the importance of physics is gravely undervalued in public education in my opinion. For example, we use the electromagnetic spectrum through radio waves… everyday… and yet, we teach very little of this in the American Education System.

Whereby, I also believe that computer programming should become a, “core,” high school curriculum, as well.

Yet, with that being said; how can we make public education and public schools, “stronger?” And I believe that another facet of this dilemma is corporate America. Whereby, a great deal of information is kept secretive today, in the name of capitalism and I believe that this is done for a variety of reasons and in a variety of industries, to maintain very specific corporate entities, “strength and positions,” in and around the free market.

However, imagine a world… where public schools taught people; “this was Michael Jordan’s workout routine.

And furthermore, what if that information was made public, for general education purposes and not simply held in a Nike vault?

Where I strongly believe that this type of information… should be made available for public schools, today and in particular, I would like to see corporate information revealed both in the technology sector and physical fitness sector, 30 years after it’s use in professional fields, akin to patent laws. And to be clear, I also firmly believe that this one simple, “change,” would greatly improve America’s Education System.

But also, I would like to see a renewed focus on, “general education,” as opposed to, “higher education,” as well. And in fact, I believe that through creating a renewed focus on general education… that this reform would simultaneously combat the ethnic divide in America as well, which I believe is in part due to the overpriced institutions, which urban youth cannot afford.

The Importance Of Biographies And Autobiographies

But as well as advocating for; a renewed focus on general education, theoretical sciences and corporate information sharing, I’d also like to see a revitalized focus on history. But specifically, I’d like to see curriculum’s revolving around biographies and autobiographical works in the near future because over the years biographies have greatly shaped my adult life and I’ve personally discovered that autobiographies are perhaps the most important historical documents. Whereby, focusing education on biographical works, might also give kids the vitally important role models… that many children lack today, as well.

And kids need role models more than, “grade point averages,” in my opinion. So why not teach William Wallace’s fight for freedom? And even if some people argue that biographical works can become culturally and even racially biased, I personally find that this argument is less important than the substance of these works. However, I also believe that as a reward for giving children these historical biographies or historical role models, perhaps they will find comparisons within themselves, in some way.

And why not teach kids the legacies of; Mickey Mantle, William Wallace, Eugene V. Debs, Achilles, Mahatma Ghandi, Alexander the Great, Ceasar, Augustus or the Buddha / Christ? Because again, in my opinion censoring public education from this type of information leaves many students in the worst of predicaments, today. And why not teach kids about Vladimir Putin? Or China’s President Xi?

So, in conclusion…

And more specifically… I’d like to see biographies and autobiographies (*cough Tesla), brought BACK into western culture. And furthermore I’d like to see this occur even when some of these prose are considered politically, or even culturally, biased.

But beyond that, I’d also like to see running incorporated into American curriculum’s… as well.

In fact, I believe that one Presidential debate should be changed into a 1 mile run and that this would force candidates to exude a different kind of grit/effort, while running for public office, leading by example and attacking America’s health, head on.

In fact, I believe that every student in America should receive a personal, “hour-glass,” as a token of high school graduation, counting down to their personal best 1 mile time, in high school. Furthermore, I believe that by giving students an hour-glass… verses a diploma… that your teaching students to value something… versus giving them a piece of paper, which very few people even really, “value,” today.

-William Larsen; Civilians News Founder.

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