You might bring it up …
New Liberty, new life … in Mr. Jefferson’s footsteps: the New Liberty Foundation, as basis for (The) New Liberty Institute. — Thomas Jefferson, when governor of Virginia was an advocate for education, and later established the first public schools in D.C., USA (the Eastern and Western Academies) at his own expense. He’s quoted as stating, “A free society requires an educated population.” (Incidentally, those efforts bankrupted him.)
We agree. We should learn from his experience. Unfortunately, “education” has become “big business.” The raison d’etre for “higher” education has warped into a monster of money-mongering, with a dumbing down of those who pursue altruistic ends. Six-figure income as the aim of educators seems to be a contributing factor in their modus operandum. With institutional profit as the principal guideline, colleges/universities fail in their primary purpose for existence, i.e., superior Life training for students. Reductive examination of cause and effect leads us to think inside “the box.”
What does a college degree (certificate) held by an individual indicate?
A cadre of educators and their supporting staff, blessed by some government entity (or others of their ilk), certify a student has successfully followed a specific set of instructions (generally in rote fashion), parroting their teacher’s particular data base with at least two-third’s retention. This achievement is usually accomplished at great expense (to the student), involving sustaining a campus and contingent profit centers. The educated population isn’t. We have many, many examples of public servants employed on the basis of certification—who haven’t a clue about why, or what they’re supposed to be doing.
One avenue for solution of this unnecessary state involves providing an educational structure designed to properly train future leaders of society.
The nature of extant culture requires emphasis on particular disciplines (specialties), because (as one elder university president once assured us), “You can’t know everything.” The day of the generalist, the Renaissance man (or womyn), is gone—too much specific data is available for absorption. The universal systems realized this years ago, retaining colleges of particular data retention while integrating their assets for improved interaction. Mass production of certificated generalists, with token attention to specialties has not resulted in “an educated population” competent in thought and deed.
Voilà! Now, the World Wide Web—where almost all data can be accessed by anyone (with a computer). Hello, educational entrepreneurs: you can charge the same fees to students for certificates of required performance without the attendant loss of profit for plant maintenance. A windfall surely, for educational executives already on the dole for hundreds-of-thousands (dollars, pounds, whatever).
FAQ: How do we correct the discrepancies in the system? What’s fair to students and teachers (and administrators)? What end result is expected? Who pays, how?
Hey, simple. “Them.” The guys with the money. “Smart” money, willing to invest in uncertain futures of our society.
(The) New Liberty Foundation is our vehicle for training public leaders through New Liberty Institute. Funding the essentials for students of government (political scientists) must come from other foundations, the government, whomever, when the dedicated students can’t afford their dreams through offerings from conventional facilities.