A major conclusion: "If the state of education in America had been imposed by a foreign power, we might well have looked upon it as an act of war." (cir). The alarming report was entitled: "A Nation At Risk."

It is obvious that the above-mentioned condition has not improved in the ensuing years, especially in higher education which is the main concern here. In fact education, especially higher education, has virtually become a "religion," hence one supposes we are to accept it on blind faith. In that sense higher education, and today's government, both pant and pine to be viewed as "religion", or a sacred cow. Yet they pursue something else, namely, the worship of utopianism, better described as statism, i.e., a reflexive response to look to the state for "salvation" rather than to the marketplace - by way of private ownership and individual responsibility. Thus, college trustees are the problem!

However, on a note of some joy, the Wall Street Journal's current television ad series promotes "Adventures in Capitalism" via a subtitle under their name, WSJ. Perhaps some students will thereby seek their education adventure there (i.e., in capitalism). That is, of course, if they can find a professor unafraid to utter the term capitalism, let alone teach it.

So, this note pad is being furnished to you by some unusual "friends of higher education in America" with the hope, however timid or mighty, of stimulating two or three concepts. These are: vocabulary, in particular, and several great ideas in general that have somehow come to be swept under the education rug. The latter ideas are corrupted by a poor or sloppy vocabulary with the resultant effect to favor the philosophy of statism.

Short of violence, a great way to stop excessive strife, as the great Confucius said is: "to clear up the meaning of words." Is that too simple for the professors or not ego satisfying enough? Probably. But, it'd be an academic step forward.

Involved in the study and promulgation of public affairs via statism are college administrators, college trustees, regents and a variety of their fair weather, if well-meaning, friends. Aided by their abundant social and financial status, they bask in the aura of "higher" education, with any accountability at all mostly hidden under a snobbish (priggish?) spin of silence.

While it is common to place accountability with the professors for the statism on campus, it is the intention of the authors of this writing to place the blame mainly where it has seldom been placed before, i.e., with the college trustees who, in the case of private schools, "own" the organization. In the case of government schools, of course, it is up to the State Board of Education members who have the responsibility via their political power and authority. Ultimate power and responsibility then, lies with these groups even when they all-too-typically lack the guts or the gumption to exercise it. **

Some remedial solution might be a vocabulary using the term "statist or statism" instead of conservative and liberal. It would have much to do with the philosophy of public policy being better perceived in the context of less versus more government. All of which has to do with America's system being a representative republic (e.g., electoral college) not a pure democracy (i.e., mob rule). This, by the way, is largely what was at issue in the recent ballot controversy in Florida, although the statist media poor-mouthed the electoral college idea - or its honest debate.

Therefore, if you tend to harbor some of these concerns and/or ideas, it is hoped you will use a few of these pages to share your apprehensions with your "friends" in educational policy-making positions. (real "Affirmative Action" should be put to work - now!). Don't forget:

Your silence won't change anything.

Both the need and the opportunity in education are frightfully great, so don't let anything hold you back. Remember - neither fear, timidity, indifference nor their rubber stamping will dissipate the cancer-like growth of statism in our education and in our politics.

Friends of Higher Education in Idaho P.O. Box # 1, Caldwell, ID 83606

** They're even unwilling to encourage pro-choice in education via tuition tax credits and/or vouchers, this in the face of massive failures of the government schools even to teach younger children to read and write. Egad!

“Ironically, failure in education seems to attract more money than success in education." -Thomas Sowell