28 November 2006
Education More Important than Ever, Expert Says
Policy analyst Rotherham says history lessons can help in the War on Terror
Washington – In the war on terrorism, as well as in today’s job market, education is more important than ever, said education policy specialist Andrew Rotherham in a State Department webchat November 28. Today, all jobs require higher levels of education and a secondary-school degree is simply insufficient, he said.
“Like all countries, Americans realize that education is a key to individual and collective opportunity in a hypercompetitive globalized world,” Rotherham maintained. The college-preparatory curriculum is important for all kinds of post-secondary opportunities, and there is no downside to giving children a more rigorous secondary-school education, he said.
Although much needs to be done to fight the war on terrorism, children must become exposed to and learn about world religions and different cultures, he said. “Learning about religion need not involve proselytizing and it’s essential that students understand this important historical and current context,” Rotherham said.
“I’m not so naïve as to say that only greater understanding will resolve the problems, but it’s obviously a predicate.”
One of the strengths of the U.S. educational system is the country’s belief in universal access to public education and a growing commitment to a higher level of universal attainment, including computer-based learning through virtual education programs, Rotherham said. The U.S. educational system is decentralized and run by state and local governments, and more than 90 percent of students in the United States attend public schools.
People chose private schools for different reasons, including religion, Rotherham said, and although some private schools do receive public money for certain activities, these schools are not state supported. A fundamental principle of American democracy says that people are free to exercise the faith of their choice, Rotherham said, and as a result, there are clear guidelines for public schools about allowing displays of faith. The same guidelines ensure that the rights of all students are protected.
“There are, of course, problems and incidents from time to time, but overall this is a very pluralistic country and that's reflected in our public schools,” Rotherham said.
To prepare American students to live and work in the global community, U.S. public schools are incorporating more aggressive foreign language study program. (See related article.)
Also, international students are encouraged to study in the United States, Rotherham said, and according to a newly released report, growing numbers of non-U.S. students are attending school in the United States. (See related article.)
Rotherham said students of many cultures and faiths, including Muslims, are welcome to enroll in educational programs in the United States, and several university campuses sponsor interfaith and faith-based curriculums and activities. (See related article.)
“Overall, Americans are a very tolerant people,” he said.
Rotherham is co-founder and co-director of Education Sector, an independent national education policy research organization in Washington. One of the nation's leading education policy analysts, he is also a member of the Virginia State Board of Education, the author of the blog Eduwonk.com, and a senior fellow at the Progressive Policy Institute in Washington.
For information on studying in the United States, see the State Department’s EducationUSA Web site.
A transcript of Rotherham’s discussion and information on upcoming webchats are available on USINFO's Webchat Station.
