Tom Friedman, The World Is Flat

Tom Friedman who wrote The World is Flat and hails from Minneapolis spoke to the National Governors’ Association when they met in Iowa in July of 2005 when then Governor Vilsack was chair. While that seems like a while ago, his message is certainly still pertinent and I think you might find it interesting. He addresses clearly WHY kids have to know more when they leave school than I did when I left Beaman-Conrad way too many years ago to say out loud.

In the World Is Flat Friedman argues that if we don't figure out how to educate everybody well, our economy and our standing in the world will not be what they once were. While I know this idea gives people hives, given the problems kids have who walk through the school house door, how do we do this? If schools don't, who will? What resources would we need to make it happen? Isn't this what public education is all about - giving kids a chance to be somebody? Let me know what you think.

Go to this site to see the video or to hear the audio.  Scroll down the page and look for Thomas Friedman.