Last weekend, I had the chance to spend some time with a childhood friend, who has taught school for nearly 25 years. 

An educator in the junior high, he teaches in a relatively small, but very stable community.  In fact, some might term it "idyllic".

I often ask, long serving (or should I say suffering) teachers how the kids have changed the most over the course of their career.  This friend gave a response that I haven't heard before.  He said, "The kids haven't changed.  The parents have."  And he's right.

How do we re instill the importance of education in a society of broken homes, challenged morals and so many competing forces to parental influence (TV, internet, movies, etc.)? 

And education is not always about receiving a college degree.  That associates degree in Pre-Paleolithic literature is not nearly as valuable, or in demand, as most trade occupations.

In fact, the lack of skilled trades is starting to impact individual states, including Illinois.  At a recent event, the speaker noted that Illinois is in the process of adding new refining capacity to a petroleum plant.  However, the welders, pipe fitters and other specialists are being imported from Kentucky, Georgia and other states where the schools have promoted skilled trade education.

So the Illinois Graduate is driving to his $8/hour job at Denny's, where he gets to serve the $25/hour welder from Kentucky.