Welcome
In a new report, a Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) task force argues that America’s substandard public school system poses a threat to national security. In this week’s CommenTerry, I highlight the CFR report findings and recommendations.
Bulletin Board
- Please join the Civitas Institute and the NC Institute for Constitutional Law for a luncheon discussion on the merits of the Obamacare oral arguments. Lunch & Learn: Obamacare Supreme Court Discussion will be held on March 28 from 11:30 AM — 1:00 PM at the Clarion State Capital Hotel. Cost is $15. To register, visit the Civitas Institute website or call (919) 834-2099.
- The John Locke Foundation and the Campbell Federalist Society cordially invite you to a luncheon forum with our special guests John O. McGinnis and William (Bill) Marshall. Their discussion, "Why Originalism Reaches Better Results than the Living Constitution," will be held on Thursday, April 05 at 12:00 pm at the Campbell Law School (Room 105) in Raleigh. The forum is free and open to the public.
- The North Carolina History Project would like educators and homeschool parents to submit lesson plans suitable for middle and high school courses in North Carolina history. Please provide links to NC History Project encyclopedia articles and other primary and secondary source material, if possible. Go to the NC History Project website for further information.
- I can’t make you love JLF’s research newsletter archive if you won’t.
CommenTerry
According to members of a Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Task Force, America’s educational failures and weaknesses pose five distinct threats to national security:
- threats to economic growth and competitiveness,
- threats to U.S. physical safety,
- threats to intellectual property,
- threats to U.S. global awareness, and
- threats to U.S. unity and cohesion.
At first glance, it may be difficult to imagine that ill-prepared high school (and college) graduates could compromise the physical and psychological well being of Americans. But consider the fact that two-thirds of U.S. life science and aerospace firms report that they cannot find a sufficient number of qualified workers. Moreover, 75 percent of young adults do not have the physical, intellectual, or behavioral qualifications to join the military (See Facts & Stats below). Finally, federal diplomatic and intelligence agencies acknowledge a shortage of individuals who can speak "strategically important languages" such as Chinese, Dari, Korean, Russian, and Turkish. In sum, mounting weaknesses in technological research and development, military recruitment, and diplomatic and intelligence efforts will make all Americans increasingly susceptible to harm.
Compared to our economic competitors throughout the world, U.S. schools produce relatively few graduates who are proficient in math and science. Nevertheless, science and math deficiencies are part of a much larger problem. The Task Force writes that intelligence agencies, the United States military, and employers in the defense industry find that young employees also lack basic reading comprehension, writing, and critical thinking skills. The cumulative effect of these failings on the intelligence community is worrisome, not to mention costly. For example, the authors of the report point out that the national security agencies must dedicate a growing part of a shrinking pool of funds to remedial training.
In addition to shortcomings in subject areas like reading and math, the Task Force identifies insufficient attention to civic literacy, including a "sense of global awareness" and "a strong understanding of their nation’s democratic values and practices." The authors worry that our schools increasingly fail to develop citizens who understand and appreciate American history, traditions, values, and institutions. Additionally, they observe that many young adults fail to grasp how American ideals interact with cultural traditions and economies throughout the world. This kind of knowledge is essential for a nation that exists in an interconnected world.
The Council on Foreign Relations Task Force offers three recommendations. First, they argue that public schools must, "Implement educational expectations and assessments in subjects vital to protecting national security." They are optimistic that the Common Core State Standards will lead to higher expectations and better assessments, but I am not so sure. I am much more optimistic about their second recommendation, that is, implementing "structural changes" in our schools. For the authors of the report, these structural changes include school choice and the equitable distribution of resources. Finally, the Task Force proposes a "national security readiness audit" to maintain accountability and increase awareness of the importance of education in national security matters. An annual audit is a sensible idea.
Random Thought
I still have nightmares about Cha-Ka from Land of the Lost.
Facts and Stats
According to the Council on Foreign Relations report, a recent study of the Armed Services Vocational Battery found the following:
- Overall, 75 percent of American young people are not qualified to join the armed services because of a failure to graduate from high school, physical obstacles (such as obesity), or criminal records.
- Among recent high school graduates who are eligible to apply, 30 percent score too low on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery to be recruited.
- African-American applicants are twice as likely to test ineligible on the battery as white applicants.
- Similarly, 66 percent of applicants, including 86 percent of African-American applicants and 79 percent of Hispanic applicants, do not score well enough on the General Technical Exam to qualify for the U.S. Special Forces. (p. 9-10)
Mailbag
I would like to invite all readers to submit announcements, as well as their personal insights, anecdotes, concerns, and observations about the state of education in North Carolina. I will publish selected submissions in future editions of the newsletter. Anonymity will be honored. For additional information or to send a submission, email Terry at [email protected].
Education Acronym of the Week
CFR — Council on Foreign Relations
Quote of the Week
"In many ways, the United States remains a global leader: its scholars win the most Nobel Prizes; its companies hold the most science and technology patents; and its armed services are, by many measures, the strongest in the world. However, no country in the twenty-first century can rest on its laurels or be truly secure by military might alone. Human capital will determine power in the current century, and the failure to produce that capital will undermine America’s security."
– Council on Foreign Relations, "U.S. Education Reform and National Security,"
Independent Task Force Report No. 68, March 2012, p. 4.
Click here for the Education Update archive.
