“Like surfing in a hurricane”

Surf: Hurricane Danielle

With the state legislature now in session, and getting ready to appropriate the $250 million in “new” (or some say “not there”) revenue that is projected for next fiscal year, I think about some recent news pieces here and their implications on the future. Getting “ink” and radio air time recently is that 46% of the adults in the “Land of Enchantment” (aka State of Nuevo Mexico) read at a 6^th grade or lower level: pretty appalling. How will an electorate read, research and evaluate if almost half can’t comprehend the equivalent of a park brochure? Coupled with this is that 42% of children live in 1-parent households, long recognized as a stepping stone to poverty in many places (including here). I recently heard discussion of making social and unemployment program recipients participate in job-skill development or retraining programs. Sounds like it’d be worth a try.

On the educational equation again, as noted previously, it really usually comes down to parental involvement and value of the educational process. Years before we ever lived in Santa Fe we heard many negatives about the public school system here (even in early 80’s while living in Wyoming when Justin was born). Justin went K-12 in the public schools, and there were certainly some bright & talented students. Yet, so many drop-out before graduating from high school for various reasons: 53% graduate in 4-years (another 4% a year longer). There are certainly a multitude of reasons why young students should stay in school: the ability to think being one. I remember my “Black History” professor pointing out decades ago that without an education the highest paid NBA star will have their money only briefly, taken away by someone with more education and “smarts.” We’ve heard how much more earning power a high school graduate has during their lifetime, and same for a college grad, but I like to point out that a great value for enhanced life-long learning is so that you don’t end up working for “People In Management Positions” (PIMP) , you become their boss.

With a challenged electorate, comes fertile fields for demagogues, then we will be truly “surfing in a hurricane…”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIGp6N19Vrw

even if… an investment in same pays dividends :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWkjPrrBimA