When looking at the problems we have facing our state and nation, the economy is "issue number one". Our leaders in Lansing and Washington are trying to implement strategies to turn the financial fortunes of our state and country around.
The most ready solution would be to put more people to work- 15% unemployment in Michigan and 9.5% nationally are numbers that fail to accurately depict the devastating effect job losses have had over the past several years.
However, the jobs of the 20th century failed to prepare the majority of the American workforce for the jobs of the 21st century, which require in-depth technical knowledge and skills beyond what many have attained. Therefore, to get people back to work, we need to equip them with the skills necessary- enter the post-high school education.
This education is not free, though. Four year degrees can cost tens of thousands in tuition dollars, and even two year programs carry with them significant costs outside of tuition. How is someone without a job to afford this?
The Michigan Promise scholarship and No Worker Left Behind are key programs in this fight to get Michigan's workers retrained and ready to take on the jobs of the new millennium. They provide much needed funding to get our displaced workers back into the classroom today so they can get back to work tomorrow.
Some politicians want to take this funding away, which would prevent our high school graduates and unemployed population from gaining the education necessary to get a job, or worse: saddle them with more debt. With American public debt at an all time high, should we be forcing our citizens who are most vulnerable in these economic tumults to go further into a debt that will take years for them to emerge from? This added debt would hurt the workers and hurt the economy.
Please, urge your legislators to maintain education funding. We can ill afford any cuts.
