I’ll admit it: the topic had escaped my mind for nearly four years.
But all it took was a piece of cake (delicious, by the way) and a few discussion prompts to remind me that there’s something a little more important than who is leading the latest presidential poll or which local media outlet broke today’s biggest headline (it was The Post, for the record).
The most important issue facing this generation is education’s inequality in our country that keeps impoverished children — disproportionately minority children — from receiving a quality education.
The achievement gap: A pesky statistic that shows that we Americans are nearly as elite as we like to tell ourselves we are.
A sense of guilt invaded my mind as I sat at a student leadership dinner put on by Teach for America earlier this week.
I’ve known about the inefficiencies of our education system for years and, in fact, participated in two awesome mentorship programs in high school that were focused specifically on remedying the achievement gap.
And it was no solace when I realized that I’m not the only one who has forgotten.
About 75 percent of the way through last night’s GOP presidential debate, I realized that the four men onstage had yet to make any mention of the educational woes plaguing our country.
Tax returns, “open marriages” and which candidate is most pro-life were all discussed last night. But the shocking inability of most American children to finance a college education was never touched. The greatest challenge plaguing American college graduates — massive and restrictive student loan debt — had no chance of making the bill.
“Why does it matter?” you ask. Shouldn’t our next president spend his time on stage arguing which Middle Eastern country he’ll bomb next or which corporation he’ll issue tax breaks to?
While we’ve spent decades distracted by side issues, the world’s other developed nations have taken advantage of our arrogance.
A 2008 study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ranked the U.S.’ education system 18th in the world.
Yes, that’s 1-8. 18th.
Here’s a challenge — try naming 17 other developed countries, much less 17 other countries who should rank above the “land of the free and home of the brave” in terms of education.
We can’t all become teachers. Personally, I’ve got no desire or ability to control and guide the minds of a classroom of children.
But even those of us who’ll never end our days with stacks of exams to grade and chalk-stained butts can affect the sad state of the American education system.
We must demand that our leaders set aside ignorant and divisive partisan rhetoric and focus on what really matters: our future.
And our future remains hopeless if we refuse to prioritize the education of our children.
Wesley Lowery is a senior studying journalism and editor-in-chief of The Post. Email him at wl372808@ohiou.edu.
