Two news items in the same week spoke volumes about our culture, education system and the values that are shaped in our young people. The first was a story that quoted William Stenger, Chair of the Next Generation Commission, the group charged with recommending how we can keep our young people in Vermont rather than seeking jobs elsewhere. Stenger said that one third of our Vermont kids during or after secondary education become "drifters," another third obtain solid jobs, while the remainder go on to more education.
The second item was a story about how the Japanese auto company, Toyota, provides skill-building for its employees to make the Lexus, an automobile with a world-class reputation for quality. However, Toyota spends even more time and resources fostering the development of solid character in the individuals to help them become effective team workers. Toyota believes that an individual's motivation and character create the culture of quality pivotal to their business success.
Almost immediately, William Mathis, a Rutland school superintendent and UVM instructor issued a rebuke to Stenger's drifter characterization as 'mean, 'harsh,' and 'factually incorrect.' Mathis suggests that Vermont employers don't provide enough high quality, good paying jobs as the reason graduates leave the state, despite the state's low unemployment rate (under 4% for years). Data shows that net new private sector job growth has averaged below 2,000 jobs annually since year 2000. We graduate about 7,000 people each year from high school and approximately 1,000 drop out of school annually. But the job outlook is improving.
Vermont's Department of Labor predicts that for the next few years, we will add about 3,600 new jobs and replace about 8,100 annually. This means that about 11,700 jobs will be available each year with only 8,000 new Vermont workers available to take them. Mathis is probably wrong in one respect given these data. If graduates were well-skilled and motivated, the jobs should be available for them. Stenger is surely correct in that a large number of graduates are either not motivated or not educated/skilled for these jobs, or both.
Of course many people will move to Vermont for some jobs, but only if the state is an affordable place to live and the jobs pay enough. Otherwise many jobs will be filled elsewhere as businesses choose to move or grow outside of Vermont. Affordability for both employers and workers is the real problem that Governor Douglas articulates so frequently.
However, I find a more disturbing fact from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. From 2001-2005, Vermont, at 4.5%, had by far the highest growth in government (state and local) jobs among the six New England states. In fact, three states substantially reduced the number of government jobs while we had double the growth rate in Maine and triple that in New Hampshire! These jobs are funded by our taxes and we wonder why Vermonters complain about the high cost of government!
In thinking about the values and attitudes of our young people in Vermont and elsewhere, 'the group' is the thing, rather than personal excellence at whatever level of capability an individual may possess. A person who is not motivated to achieve his/her personal best risks the 'drifter' label. Certainly, many youngsters strive to excel and understand that competition is a valuable spur to achieving one's best. But the dominant theme appears to be group harmony, social success and teaming over and above individual excellence. Is this why the valedictory and salutatory honors have been eliminated in some high schools...to achieve harmony?
Certainly, success for most people includes doing well in groups and teams. However, many people excel when they are driven by their competitive inner self rather than group acceptance. And true leadership is most certainly spurred from within, not based on social acceptance. A leader usually has a single-minded purpose that requires stimulating others to give their best to an effort, not merely 'fitting in' with the crowd.
It seems our schools, by immersion in the broader culture, sometime foster community 'group-think' on life's issues rather than personal achievement balanced with contributing to the common good. All too often, we are encouraged to believe that we are disadvantaged because of our gender or gender preference or race or family condition, etc.,which cause our personal and societal problems.
Our school leaders and teachers should avoid the trap of believing and inculcating values that do not encourage clear thinking for young people. Adults must be diligent to describe and model a high standard, not one that produces expectations that society or government or 'they' owe 'us' something. Achieving group harmony, blaming 'discrimination,' and entitlement thinking instead of working hard to attain individual achievement, are debilitating messages. They help produce the 'drifters' that Stenger describes.
This entitlement culture has been reinforced for a generation as we have migrated away from achieving personal excellence in favor of group harmony and community. A vibrant culture and economy is built upon individuals working hard to be all they can be and doing their utmost to achieve success and happiness while giving back to the community at the same time. Our educators and other adults shortchange the next generation if they model or inculcate values that may subliminally promote or sanction drifting rather than personal achievement for the common good.
Toyota has it right, inner motivation and character matter most for a quality job.
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