Why Don't We Expect More From Our College Educated?

Shouldn't the college educated being our best, brightest and supposedly able to think for themselves, provide more unity and less divisiveness to this country. Separate skill education from feelings.

How do we define education? Although I don't particularity like taking things from Wikipedia, what they post is: Essentially, education socializes children into society by instilling cultural values and norms, equipping them with the skills necessary to become productive members of society. In doing so, it stimulates economic growth and raises awareness of local and global problems. Further up they talk about teaching critical skills.

I find this definition to be sufficient. When teaching other than the technical skills to be a professional, are the other parts of higher education really education? I would say no.

Any discussion on elections and divides in this country always include the phrases, college educated and non college educated. If those parts of higher education do not involve critical thinking and equipping students to be productive members of society, why do we call them an educational institution? They are factually and in reality are not. So why do they get the title that includes the word "educational" and receive the benefits and prestige of educational institution.

I'm not ifavor of censuring higher education or controlling them or what they teach, but it seems we need to reevaluate what they are and how they are to be classified. How about we "test" their ability to think critically before graduating and receiving a degree. Isn't that what happens in reality to doctors, engineers etc?

All this just to say, if higher education is the system by which our best, brightest and most skilled are to help this country move forward, it's another metric that shows higher ed is failing the citizens of this country. The answer being simple in concept but not in practice. Separate universities and colleges by the standard of critical thinking. If proven to be taught then one can be labeled an educational institutional. Worthy of government support. If not, cut them lose and pay their own way. If you aren't teaching how to bring this country/world together, then that is not an education but an indoctrination and people should pay their own money and not expect government help in doing so.

Don't confuse critical thinking with left/right or conservative/liberal worldviews. Such divisive worldviews should be seen as not an end all be all to any solution needed for the good of the country.

And for heavens sake, critical thinking and polls are, for the most part, mutually exclusive.