No, seriously...

The world of science education reform is often a black hole. Commission after commission have released reports screaming for help and attention and claiming that if we don't pour more money into science (and math, technology, and engineering but make sure science is first) then we will find ourselves catapoulted back into the middle ages with Russia and France. It is actually pervasive enough that I made a little game of it:

Multiple Choice: Which of the Following Is a Fake Report Title:
a) A Nation At Risk
B)Rising Above the Gathering Storm
c)Does America Care?
d)Are Educators and Policy Makers Listening?

I thought it was funny and after almost two hours of listening to me talk about the history of STEM education reform everyone else thought it was funny too. Give up? Well, they're all real report titles and the last one, who's full title is "Americans Speak Out-- Are Educators and Policy Makers Listening" was just released by Gallup and Phi Delta Kappa (some fancy society). Basically the report says that american's get the connection between competitiveness and education and they really don't want to be shuffled back to the middle ages. I bet seeing the technology at the olympic opening ceremonies might even have scared them a little bit.

Politicians get that normal everydays folks, NASCAR dads and Soccer Moms, get this concept and that's why they do bullshit things like pass the America COMPETES Act but don't put any money towards it. And this seems to satisfy most people. Those of us who work on these issues continue to pound our heads against our desks when we stare into the cavernous effeciency gap that is American politics. Okay, so we can't legislate, mandate, or cajole our way into a better, more funded science system. Maybe good old supply and demand will help?

Well, the demand is there. Its actually standing there, dressed as a drag queen, smoking sweet clove cigarettes, and banging on pickle cans to get your attention. Undergrad program in the physical science, math, and engineering salivate over any kid in 8th grade who scores a 4 on their math exam. They are basically guaranteeing a high school through grad school trip to kids with talent. Yet, kids don't make it and parents don't push.

Our policy makers and people in power scratch their heads at this. I kindly remind them to think back to their own high school math or chemistry class and then they get it, chemisty itself may be interesting but the study of chemistry kind of sucks.

I found this quote while doing some research the other day. “Yet, if women, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities were represented in the U.S. science, engineering, and technology (SET) workforce in parity with their percentages in the total workforce population, the shortage could largely be ameliorated." It reminded me that education isn't rocket science and that we do a really good job educating certain kids from specific backgrounds. The kicker is educating all kids, or reaching all kids with talent, and supporting them through chemistry, calculus, etc that sucks a bit less.