Wellll?! We're Waiting!

Believe 'dat

Statistics are misleading. I've often heard the statistic quoted that says adults with a Master's degree increase their earning capacity by 25% over someone with a Bachelor's, and those with a Bachelor's earn $1 million more in their lifetime than those with just a HS diploma. And imagine not having a HS diploma! Well, I have 2 Master's degrees, no permanent employment since 2009 and nearly $100,000 in student loans. By contrast my sister has a BA from a small state college and is an editor at a Dutch medical publisher, earns way over 6 figures and travels to Europe twice a year. Plus she has a kid, and no debt. So you see, you can't always believe what you read about education statistics.

Yes, I understand the spirit of such stats, but it doesn't tell you anything about the people who are the subject of these studies. Education doesn't always equal success, at least not in the American sense of success as measured by wealth. But it can be measured in personal satisfaction, and I consider myself to be part of the latter group. Most of this is based upon my ability to empower myself through education. Everyone deserves a shot at being in that latter group.

When I read about all of the depressing educational statistics listed under the "Bob and Tom Fingertipping Presidents" portion of the chapter, I have to remind myself that this says nothing about the motivation of the individual. Often it's easy to just blame the disenfranchised as lazy and shiftless, and rejecting education. But at least on that last point they would be right, they are rejecting education. Why? All sorts of reasons: it isn't engaging, contextual or meaningful. A lack of empowerment or control over their own destiny. These are real-world problems that should never exist in school, the one place that should provide these opportunities. And yet the stats tell another story entirely.

The charter school is interesting perhaps only because it seems so limited in scope; it basicaly focuses on showing students how to access information. And information is power. Despite this narrow objective the school has produced amazing results if stats are to be believed. The need is clear, as evidenced by the feel-good twist at the end of the section involving the President of India. The bottom line is that equitable access to education should at least be empowering, and that empowerment can lead to a measure of personal success, something that cannot be borne out by statistics.