Our Most Important Investment

When it comes to what we as a nation decide to fund and invest in, we've unfortunately overlooked our most important national investment: Our Education. I argue that more than highways, sidewalks, police departments and military spending, our investment in our students and their educations must be not the first, but the last thing to be cut in government budgets. It is true that throwing money at schools does not always result in better test scores and higher graduation rates, but what remains true is that education is what gives our economy it's fuel and will continue to be that fuel so long as we are competing with countries like China, India, Brazil and other emerging economies. We must not be so fast to cut education funding, considering it's long term ramifications on our economy, our infrastructure and every other major facet of our American society. Too often our debates on education spending and education reform becomes mired and backlogged by politics and a stubborn refusal to meet in the middle on a number of issues that involve education such as funding, taxes, the NEA, charter schools, test scores, passing/failing schools, curriculum and tenure. I do not believe we can make any improvements on our education system without first collectively realizing that all sides must meet in the middle and come together for the sake of our generation's future. We cannot say we mean effective education reform without first opening ourselves to the idea that perhaps the opposing side might actually have a handful of great ideas. Nelson Mandela once said "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." I Agree. Do you? - David.