Education Myth

The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District has less students enrolled than expected this year, which translates into less funding from the State for education. Now the School District is looking for Federal funding to make up the shortfall. Less students, but they still need the same amount of money?

We keep throwing more and more money at education. The School Board claims responsibility for children's education. Teacher's think it's theirs, Government claims it belongs to them. Parents believe that they have responsibility for their children's education. The only person that thinks it's not their responsibility is the one person who's responsibility it really is. The Students'.

We operate under an educational myth, and that is that one person can educate another. The simple fact is that you have chosen the level of education that you have received. We can inspire others to educate themselves, or we can require that they do so with threat of punishment or banishment, but we cannot educate another individual. When the responsibility for education is understood by everyone to be in the hands of the student, teachers will be more inspiring, parents will be more inspiring, government will seek to attract students to their institutions. Let's put the responsibility back where it belongs, to the students with guidance from their parents. Let's release teachers from the system and let them act in a mentorial capacity as an inspiration and guide, rather than an expert pouring 'education' into young people's minds.