TO WHAT DEGREE?

(The following was published by the Richmond Times-Dispatch as "Correspondent of the Day" on Sunday, June 28, 2009. The writer holds a BA degree from Randolph-Macon College, 1968, a JD (law) degree from Washington & Lee Univ., 1973, was a teacher of elementary science and math, 1968-69, a teacher of "Real Estate Law" at Germanna Community College, ca. 1981, 1983 and holds a Certificate in "Auto Mechanics" (summa cum laude) from J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, 2007.)

I generally agree with the conclusions and recommendations of Heywood Fralin and Thomas Farrell in their June 21 piece about state support of "higher education," in which they include colleges, universities and, most importantly, community colleges. I specifically agree that the number of persons schooled in math, science, engineering, healthcare and other technical disciplines should be a state priority.

I have three reservations, however, about their recommendations. First, I am leery of too much direct business involvement in basic research if businesses choose to fund such. We must all be concerned that such funding sometimes influences the outcome of the research, and that is unacceptable.

Second, not everyone is suited for matriculation to a bachelor's degree, and there are electricians, plumbers and other technicians without bachelor's degrees who are making good money and providing much-needed services. I think Fralin and Farrell emphasize the attainment of a "degree" too much, though I agree about cutting the costs thereof. There are engineers and other advanced technically-trained people who cannot find jobs now, which certainly makes no sense to me. In addition to associates' degrees, the community colleges also offer "certificates" (referenced in their article) that consist of valuable and useful technical training for many who don't care to get a degree.

Third, we must break the self-serving monopoly that the education schools now hold over public-school teacher licensing. All public-school teachers, regardless of their level of education or expertise, must complete various "education" courses and periodically take them in summers in order to qualify for and maintain their licenses. EVERYONE I know who is familiar with these courses deems them a joke, and it is absurd that someone with a masters degree in math cannot be automatically licensed to teach in the public schools unless and until he or she completes the requisite "education" courses.

Thank you.