Education to Rebuild Middle Class

Education should be available to everyone to the extent they want it and are capable of doing the work required for degrees.  This is true for college and university programs, as well as trades skill training. What each of these two segments contain is as open as possible. There may be another category of training as well: medical technology occupations.


These programs are needed for the following reasons:

a.      Not everyone wants a higher education degree

b.      Not everyone needs a higher education degree

c.      Not all degree recipients use their degrees for their chosen careers; the degree is important for other life-quality reasons, just not for the career in all cases

d.      Trade vocations remain an important part of our economy and social fabric. Plumbers, electricians, heating, ventilation and air conditioning tradesmen, carpenters, painters and a host of other trade skills are needed everyday in our complicated economy

e.      Other vocational training can be included in this overall approach to post-secondary education; exactly what they may be I’ll let others identify.

f.       Medical technology has provided huge gains in employment and career development. The education is of critical importance; and it is costly. It should be provided readily to those who have an interest and ability to excel in this arena. They need us and we need them.

g.      Ability and intelligence is not limited by family income or culture. Many of our greatest creators, inventors, statesmen and businessmen have come from poor or modest backgrounds. Education should be free or low cost to everyone regardless of their ability to pay. It benefits all of us.

The middle class is hurting. It’s quality of life has suffered. Cost of living continues to rise while household incomes have stagnated. This situation has been with us for almost a decade. It’s time to solve the problem.


Unlimited education opportunity based on ability and interest should place people where they want to be without economic barriers.  The result should be a vigorous employment market in which career compensation grows and career evolution takes place naturally. As careers come and go, educational programs remain in place to help displaced employees retrain for the next career they are interested in and capable of.


Clearly the current system frustrates low and middle income families. Also, employers have not stepped up to train the next generation of workers. They benefit from the public education sector; they don’t pay for it. Decades ago employers did train and develop their personnel for major changes in technology and skillsets needed for a rapidly changing workspace. Not so much today.


There are people who make a class distinction between higher education grads and skilled tradesmen. That is nonsense and discriminatory. A person’s worth to a society is more than the job performed. Support of family, relationships, art, governance and intellect are all a part of our lives. We need each person to be gainfully employed and happily so.


The income generated will be taxed and should more than amply pay for the education programs in the long-term.


Change has already happened. When will we prepare our people for it? Is the classroom open to all or not?


April 22, 2019