Sunday, February 17, 2008

David Brooks on Education   [Michael Ledeen]

David has a first-class article today on the importance of improving American education. I agree with almost all of it, and I have two additional suggestions. This first is that it is time to wage an unrelenting battle against political homogeneity in our schools, all the way through graduate education. We will not have the quality of "human capital" we want and need unless we have open debate. Today we don't have it; we have stifling political correctness.

The second is to open the doors of our educational system to the finest single group in American society today: the warriors. Why has no candidate or national leader called for dramatic improvement in the educational benefits of the G.I. Bill? All our commissioned officers have college degrees (bet you didn't know that), but the non-coms need scholarships, and the officers should get the same for graduate and professional school. I'm sure David will agree. And the candidates should, too. If we really "support our troops," this is a fine way to do well for our society by doing good for our heroes.

UPDATE: A well-informed reader writes to tell me that Senator Webb has a bill that would cover full-time education for vets, plus a monthly stipend.  I'm delighted.  He says both Hillary and Obama support it, which delights me doubly.  If that is all correct, Congress might even pass it if they can tear themselves away from baseball and football.

02/17 03:54 PMShare