I can agree that education should be the number one priority in this country. Al Qaida is nothing when compared to the destructive power of an uneducated populace. Let's be clear, though. First of all, teachers DO NOT get paid for twelve months of work. They get paid for the 9 months of work they do, it just happens to be spread out over 12 monthly instalments. Secondly, they didn't make the schedule so don't make it sound like it's thier fault kids have summers off. Many people fight against year-round education. Trust me, you wouldn't want the Japanese system. Those kids may be successful in superficial terms but they are some of the most depressed, suicidal kids on the planet.

The main issue here is American anti-intellectualism. There is a constant, pervasive attitude that being smart and well-educated are undesireable traits. There is little to no intellectual curiosity amongst the general public and those who do have some are ridiculed and reviled as elitists. Real education is not simple job training, it is the sustainment of natural human curiosity and the encouragement of a lifelong attempt at the deepest and broadest understanding of the complexities we have created and and face in the world.

I would love to hear a candidate really address some solutions aside from the usual platitudes they pay to "increased funding" and "better teachers" and all that nonsensical claptrap. Make your arguments neurologically based and research based and I'll listen but until then stop paying lip service to me about how education is "broken and we need to fix it."

"Make your arguments neurologically based and research based..."

I wouldn't, as a candidate, want to touch the biology of student cognition with a ten-foot pole.

I know you are referring to education and the results thereof, but education can only refine the raw inputs so much, and candidates (Democratic or Republican) aren't going to want to venture anywhere near "The Bell Curve" and similar arguments. Though it would be great for Bill Maher to ask the candidates what they think about the "Idiocracy Argument".

musicman:

Al Qaida is nothing when compared to the destructive power of an uneducated populace.

The main issue here is American anti-intellectualism.

I would love to hear a candidate really address some solutions aside from the usual platitudes they pay to "increased funding" and "better teachers" and all that nonsensical claptrap.

Why educate a voter block that you can keep fat, dumb and happy by throwing buckies at them?

Do you really think politicians in general want the voter base to REALLY understand what they hell they are doing up their on capitol hill?

They want them just educated enough to make enough money to contribute.

How many people in this country aren't even getting the job training? Or are depending on fly-by-night vocational schools to give them that training (I know a couple of people who did this and wound up underemployed and in debt up to their eyeballs)? Effective job training for everyone who needs it isn't a good goal for our educational system, but it would still be better than what we've got now.