Analysis of the unemployment rate shows that those who have a higher education and needed skills have a much lower unemployment rate than those who lack skills. Indeed, there are thousands of jobs that cannot be filled because our unemployed lack needed skills. There is an obvious solution; we must educate our population to give them the education and higher skills to prepare them for employment in our burgeoning technological economy and the intellectual background to make them eligible for planning and analysis.
Less obvious is the need to develop minds that will be able to be leaders who can function in an increasingly complicated global world. Unfortunately, we see in this nation disrespect for intellectuals. It is a popular practice to deride them.
How can we progress when the educational level of our young is distressingly much lower than the level of achievement of other industrialized nations?
How can our nation survive with these problems? Our priorities are misplaced. A discussion of that question is essential.
Esther Confino
New Hyde Park
