Changes taking place in our current educational and political systems may forever change the way education is approached in the US. No matter what outcome we see from the relationship between educational unions and state governments, students will still need to be given competitive educations. Our country depends on education to compete in a global marketplace that is increasingly complex and technical.
While these changes may confuse or even anger us, our commitment to educate should remain solid. What we can provide students has always outweighed our paychecks. Almost everyone has suffered through recent economic hardships, but our ability to recover economically and socially is directly dependent on the education of students. Without a solid foundation, our future generations will not be able to forge ahead in the areas of science, math, reading, art and literature.
It will be difficult for all of us to overcome economic difficulties, but we are strong. Educators should remain committed to the best education possible for our future generations. We still retain the knowledge and wherewithal to prepare these students to be productive workers and people. It will challenge us to find new, innovative ways to accomplish our goals.
Money may not be the greatest obstacle in the classroom. Perhaps the perceptions of others about what we do in the classroom is the greater obstacle. If we are providing the best education possible for our students the results will prove themselves.
The struggles in each state are a little different. Across the board, government overspending with a lack of results or financial return on the investment is the key issue. Until state governments are able to get a handle on spending and finances, all agencies that depend on state funding will continue to see a decline in finances.
Employment in education continues to be one of the best, most rewarding jobs in this country. Meeting and exceeding goals is just what we do. There is no doubt that ingenuity and commitment will get us through our current struggles, just as they have in the past.