In a recent article published by the Associated Press Education Secretary Arne Duncan states “Our school calendar is based upon the agrarian economy and not too many of our kids are working the fields today.” The point that I think she makes is that the U.S. today has moved further toward a services based economy. This requires that our education system adapt to a curriculum that puts kids in school longer and provides more studies around math and science.

President Obama insists that education in America must evolve in order to keep our nation competitive with other world economies. In 2007, according to the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, 28 out of 49 countries were open at least 190 days for instruction in the eighth grade, with some open as long as 230+ days. On average, U.S. schools were open only 180 days.

Education in America is not an option that we can afford to leave to the next generation to solve. The next generation of leaders is right behind us and we are crippling them with budget cuts and, to some extent, apathy.

Some charter schools in the U.S. have been progressively moving toward longer school days. An example that was given included the Kipp network of 82 charter schools. Their students attend 3 hours more school than the typical public school. This has translated into higher test scores than the district average.

Clearly we must recognize that more days / hours in school will require more funding. The big debate, of course, will be “at what expense?” I would submit that education in America is far more significant than waging a war in which we can never hope to win. The Trillion dollars we’ve spent fighting the Iraq and Afghanistan wars could easily have funded a well-rounded education system, wouldn’t you say?

Our nations leaders, both Democrats and Republicans, must recognize that a sea change has already occurred around the world. Our leadership role in everything from creativity, innovation and ingenuity has shifted to countries that have invested in education.

According to a 2008 NPR report, record numbers of teachers will be retiring, especially at the high school level. The report stated “The number of teachers expected to leave the field is double what it was 12 years ago.” I’m sure that many of the retirements come on the heels of compensation disparity, as well as “early retirement” because of budget issues.

Education in America and the school system is what I call our last “trusted source.” Where else in America do we entrust our children’s safety, well-being and future than in the hands of the teachers? If we don’t fix our education system in this generation, there won’t be a legacy to leave behind.

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The debate about the message of the Obama education speech is the wrong place to spend one’s energy. I find it hard to believe that any politician can be accused of “spreading their political agenda” through a topic on ensuring that our children stay in school and taking responsibility for their success.

Let’s evaluate the opposite approach taken by some people who oppose President Obama’s speech. They are recommending that parents keep their children home and not listen to the President’s speech. What kind of message does that send to our children, “that education is not important or that our nation’s leader is one not to be trusted?”

At a time of unprecedented turmoil within the U.S. and abroad, we need to bring some sanity and stability back into our culture. Education at every level is a cornerstone to keeping our country from slipping into a third world state. It’s been proven that education elevates countries from the depths of poverty.

I recently finished Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers, wherein he discusses the characteristics of success and how that success does not just come from the individual, but also the culture, community and family around him or her. The Obama education speech speaks right to the facts to which Mr. Gladwell reports.

Malcolm Gladwell states, “The only problem with school, for the kids who aren’t achieving, is that there isn’t enough of it. He goes on to say that the Japanese go to school for 243 days a year and the South Koreans 220 days. There are many other countries with school years far exceeding America’s 180 school days. Mr. Gladwell points to the fact that summer vacation is so indoctrinated into our society that we may never be able to make the shift to more education.

Couple this cultural problem with the fact that education is often the first thing cut during economic downturns … for example $1.3 Billion in California school budget cuts in 2009 and a proposed $4 Billion in cuts in 2010. The Chief of California State Schools, Jack O’Connell, once wrote in a press release “We can talk about courage until we’re blue in the face, but courage is just a word until it is supported by the right kind of action. And the right kind of action in this case means protecting education and investing in the future.”

The Obama education speech addresses the point to which Mr. O’connell speaks. Investing in the future means ensuring that our school age students are stimulated and encouraged to fully participate in their own education. Let’s all hope that the cards are not stacked against them.

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