[ale] OT: Bank of America

[James P. Kinney III]

On Thu, 2003-11-20 at 13:45, George Johnson wrote:

> On the same note, I heard on WGST radio news that there are less Science 
> and IT degrees coming out of college these days.  Gee I wonder why?  Gee 
> I wonder where they are going to get them in case of a serious war when 
> we need them the most?  Glad I am not going to be in it any more.

As someone who teaches in science at the college level, I think I know
why we have fewer people in technical fields. It is quite complicated
and relates to many issues, both social and political.

The science curriculum in elementary and secondary schools is
deplorable. Compound this with the last 40 years of few scientists going
into teaching other than collegiate level and there is now a system in
place that perpetuates mediocrity. Poor science education doesn't
encourage the next generation of potential scientists to go into it.

Now mix in the current social mess of idolizing wealth, fame and
athleticism and the stage has been set to push potential scientists into
other careers such as finance or stock market plundering. Current
society does not pay much "air time" to intellectual achievements. So
the ones that do pursue a science career are the ones that are pushed my
science minded parents. Ask the parents of most teenagers if they (the
parents) enjoyed science or help their kids with their science to get a
feel for the general population's view of science.

We are screwed. In the South in particular, we are screwed. Athletics
consumes the minds, and the spending and donor funding, of most southern
schools. Science gets the crumbs. The notice that science gets is bad
press around NASA screw ups. 

-- 
James P. Kinney III          \Changing the mobile computing world/
CEO & Director of Engineering \          one Linux user         /
Local Net Solutions,LLC        \           at a time.          /
770-493-8244                    \.___________________________./
http://www.localnetsolutions.com

GPG ID: 829C6CA7 James P. Kinney III (M.S. Physics)
<jkinney at localnetsolutions.com>
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