A Pivotal Moment for Education!

If you don’t know what that is, look it up—then let’s talk about what school should actually teach.

And there you have it—straight from the Yahoo ‘funny pages.’ Man, I love a good story.

There once was a nation so tangled in the lessons it had been taught that any time something might actually improve, people screamed and fought what they didn’t understand. Change is scary for a crowd trained to believe ‘how it is’ is as good as it gets. For the rest of us who remember when some things were better—not that long ago… okay, maybe it’s been a while—that difference still matters.

We’ve all seen the headlines and the hand-wringing. Here’s my simple take: the people closest to kids—parents, teachers, local employers, and local school boards—should have the loudest voice in what’s taught and how. Not because politics, but because practicality.

I don’t have kids, but I do have scars, calluses, and a front-row seat to how life works when the bell rings and nobody hands you instructions. When I talk with contractors and small-business owners, I hear the same thing: it’s hard to find people who can show up, read a tape, write a clean email, take feedback, and stick with a job long enough to get good. That’s fixable—if we focus school on the right foundations.

What I’m for (the short list)

• Reading, writing, and math—mastered, not “covered.”
  Clear writing, fluent reading, numeracy you can use at work and at home.

• Trades and tech (modern shop class).
  Real pathways into skilled work: welding, electrical, plumbing, CNC, coding, design, media—for credit and with actual employers.

• Money basics for real life.
  Pay stubs, taxes, budgeting, interest, credit, insurance, “buy vs. finance,” and how not to drown in debt.

• Work ethic & habits.
  Show up on time, finish what you start, learn to learn, work safely, and help your team. Sounds old-fashioned. Works every time.

• Local choice with a solid floor.
  A kid in Florida doesn’t need Iowa’s playbook line-for-line (and vice versa). States set a floor; communities build the house.

Why locals should lead

A distant office can’t see what your town needs this year. Local boards and parents can. When schools team up with nearby employers for internships, apprenticeships, and class projects, students graduate with experience, references, and momentum. That’s how you rebuild the middle class—one program, one kid, one skill at a time.

About tests, rules, and the “feds”

Yes, we’ll always have some testing and reporting. Fine—keep a basic yardstick so we know who needs help. But don’t let the test run the school. Let teachers teach, let kids build, wire, write, measure, and present. Hold adults accountable for results that matter—literacy, numeracy, skills—not just bubbles on a sheet.

If your district’s doing this—cheer them on

Some schools are already nailing it: dual-credit programs, CTE labs, financial-literacy units, great reading instruction. Celebrate them. If yours isn’t there yet, speak up, volunteer, and vote for folks who’ll prioritize fundamentals, real-world skills, and local partnerships.

Bottom line

I want schools that launch young adults who can read deeply, write clearly, do the math, earn a paycheck, fix a problem, and stand on their own feet. Give families and local boards real say. Build more bridges to trades and tech. Teach money like it matters—because it does.

If that sounds “old school,” good. Old school works.