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Dear Editor;
Sorry for the delay in getting to Part II as I was out of town. Now let's look at the second critical concept: consider what the stakeholders need (in this case the students, parents, area businesses, and the community in general). Let's consider a few ways to determine what our students and community need and I list my observations but I suspect you have as many (or more).
Just last week, we had an ad in our Dodgeville paper for help in plant maintenance from Prairie Du Chien because there is such a shortage. They need someone to "troubleshoot/repair mechanical equipment and components, hydraulic/pneumatic equipment, electrical equipment, web handling systems, pumps, etc." There are companies from Madison and Milwaukee buying commercial air time to place radio and TV ads looking for anyone experienced in or wanting to learn the trades, i.e. construction, electrical, heating and air conditioning, pipe fitting, and plumbing. A friend of mine had to sell his heating/a/c, plumbing shop because he couldn't find qualified help and was working over 80 hours a week and it was taking a toll on his health. I needed some brickwork done to the front of the house and for three years everyone was booked for the year by March.
In contrast, I haven't seen a single ad for a volleyball, baseball, or basketball player, actor or actress, so let's concentrate on training people who can build and repair houses, companies, tractors, cars, furnaces, solar panels, and computers by giving them the training they need.
Ross Ashby, a psychiatrist, formulated his Law of Requisite Variety in the context of how organisms are able to adapt to their environment. It says that, in order to deal properly with the diversity of problems the world throws at you, you need to have a variety of responses which will adequately address the problems you face. In other words, the organism that can walk has one survival skill but an organism that can walk and fly and dive under the water has a greater ability to survive. When you're looking for a job, the person who has the greatest variety of skills is the most valuable. You may be a great butcher, baker, or candlestick maker but if you can also maintain the equipment, do inventory, and help with the accounting, you're more valuable.
Conclusion, we need to give the most opportunities to our children to give them the best chance at survival and the greatest possibility to prosper.
How? (actually the focus of this whole piece)
Let's consider that the systems that existed throughout most of the last century have created the world as we know it. From the automobile to space exploration, from radio to TV to cell phones to PCs, the miracles of modern medicine and so much more have been based on the old 4 Rs mentioned previously (the popular "new" idea of STEM concentrations are part of the above). In my high school, we had more periods (as teens have a short attention span) which also allowed us to have ALL the basics EVERY semester and then we had time for electives like electricity, electronics, automotive shop, wood shop and construction, machine shop and others.
We also had study halls where we could get things done and track down our teachers before we left school to ask questions. In study halls, the teachers had time for their paper grading and class plan preps. We were also required to take PE/Gym EVERY DAY for one period at a level that gave you a good workout. When I see Dodgeville HS kids playing Frisbee (and half sit out while half play) I want to run up and grab it and make them chase me to get their heart rate up for at least a few minutes. Again, it was lost in my editorial before the last referendum but we were outside for 75% or better of our PE which freed up A LOT of classroom space. To quote coach Carlini, "Gonna be cold boys, you're playing football tomorrow, brings sweats or you'll freeze."
When Ron Kind was our Representative, and co-chair of the Congressional Fitness Caucus, he secured a multi-million dollar grant to address obesity. It was given to academics to study obesity in Wisconsin and to print fliers saying it's bad. It would have been better to read President Kennedy's Council on Physical Fitness report or look on-line at the CDC report on obesity. Then, spend $10,000 on footballs, soccer balls, basketballs and baseball equipment and write a one line bill, "All schools and organizations that receive federal funding must incorporate a physical education program for all students that maintain the student's heart rate at 70% of maximum for not less than 30 minutes a day."
If you want to spend money, I don't mind but let's spend it where it will do the most good for the most people. Philosopher Jeremy Bentham "It is the greatest good to the greatest number of people which is the measure of right and wrong." Let's do what's right for ALL the students, not the vocal minority who believe that "Going to State" is a critical goal in life.
John Curran
Dodgeville