How would you define “education”?

Question

I am wondering how others out there would define education. To me that means making sure that someone has the skills necessary to succeed in whatever niche one picks for themselves. How can we propagate equal education for all? That is the local claim to fame.

Then I see a report that there is a very successful school for children with Autism using cutting edge techniques to help develop a means to communicate with the world. This school, like other schools that specialize in some specific type of human, is very expensive and located in only one location, NY. So like many other families many have re-rooted themselves there, and there are many others on a list waiting to get there.

What I am confused about is why we don’t have more money in education to fund these schools, one to make them larger and the second to make it available to all children that require it. By not doing that we are selectively saying these are the humans that we are willing to help, and these are the ones we are not willing to help.

Answer 1

It all boils down to the same thing everywhere. Politics and greed. Nothing changes. Without something drastic happening, such as a world calamity where 'every' survivor is needed, I cannot see any other changes for the better coming any time soon.

Answer 2

Know that I have two children with special needs. It has been my experience that the public schools are trained and where designed to mass educate. Which means that there are really convenient ways to give the attention and time to educate the few student that may be in the schools district in the manner that is need to be successful. The "normal" student far out numbers the "special needs child".
EDUCATION should completely prepare each child to have the skills to be beneficial to their self and the community in which they live.

Answer 3

The problem isn't money. It's the value people have on others, that can make a difference. We can throw all the money and if not used properly and managed correctly; we are just be throwing good money after bad. The system has it's good and bad; but unless it's willing to be accountable, it's only course of direction is the one it's on. No value for anyone.

Answer 4

Can we clone you? :) Say that again and often!

To me "education" in its truest sense is teaching each individual with the goal of maximizing their individual potential. For most of us (including most people with disabilities) that means the ability to gather information (literacy), to think logically and rationally--and of curse, to communicate.

For some, impairments force us to go for more modest gains--but as you so well described, those more modest goals can make a big difference. Many people aren't familiar with autism--but here's a more well-known example--Helen Keller. She too could not speak (as welll as being deaf and blind). But if there had not been those willing to reach her--to enable her to communicate and learn--think of the emptiness of her life under those conditions. And given the rich wisdom and humanity of her writings--we would be much the poorer for the loss.

BTW--for those who take a more "hard-line" view--NOT teaching children with disabilities is far more expensive --to you as taxpayers-in the long run. It cost far more to maintain a person with a disability who lacks the skills to support themselves than it does to make sure they have a real opportunity aat an education. Andyou, dear taxpayer, are spending tens of billions of dollars every single year as the price for that policy failure.

Answer 5

Education is like einstein said : Education is what remaining after one has forgotten everything he learned in school.