All this election talk disparaging intellectualism and education right on the heels of a national conversation about the value of education because of the film Waiting for Superman and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s award to the Newark school system makes me uneasy. After re-discovering one of my favorite books — The Dream Book, an anthology of writings by Italian-American women edited by Helen Barolini — I now understand why it feels personal.
Today’s Game Plan: Casting a Vote for Elite and Educated.
Boy she really doesn’t understand what is meant by “elite” when discussing the current political environment. I am very surprised how she doesn’t understand what is meant by elite. I guess it makes the point of being book smart vs. being smart. I have a brother that graduated from Duke and got a masters at Lehigh University. He did very well in school, but like Nancy, he just didn’t grasp simple concepts.
Thank you for the feedback, Kevin. I always appreciate when people take the time to read my stuff.
Actually, I very much understand what is meant by elite in this political climate. But I’m in my 40s. I’m concerned here with the adolescent contemplating the future (as I once was) & not being able to distinguish between all the muddled negativity around education in this climate.
Some of the smartest people I know don’t have degrees. But that doesn’t take away from those who stuck to a program & took the time to open their minds to something & learned to think for themselves. In my book, thinking one’s religion is a ticket to the promised land & an excuse for righteousness with regard to law-making is just as elite as some Ivy Leaguer with his nose in the air.