"Educated" Should Mean More Than "Employable"

Though encouraged and inspired by David J. Ferrero's most astute comments in "The Humanities Why Such a Hard Sell?," I remain dismayed that the issue of what America expects of its graduates continues to be the province of the business community, and that the education community is apparently satisfied with the status quo.

Consequently, I feel compelled to reach out to you in hopes that a nonexpert's two cents might, perhaps, be worth a nickel at some point, if not a dime. If I were to be asked, "What is it that you want, Leigh?," I would respond with the hope that, before too long, ASCD and other respected organizations along with individual education leaders will take on the challenge of bringing this major oversight to the forefront of our national dialogue. It certainly deserves at least as much attention as implementing common core state standards or other reforms (all of which are based on what bedrock foundation?).

Like Ferrero, I would like to see us "marry competitiveness and humanism." Sure, we need workers. But we also need critically thinking civic participators and informed voters. Before this can happen on a large scale, we need to take the first real step. It may even have to be a step back to square one: the student as person and designer of a new American paradigm.

Post submitted by Leigh A. Brumberg, a retired teacher from the Los Angeles Unified School District.