It’shightimesomeonespokeupfortoday’scollegestudents. They’reprobablythemosthardworkingambitiouspeopleinAmericaandtheirproblemsarenotproperlyappreciated.
PeopleliketheSecretaryofEducationsimplydon’tknowwhatthey’retalkingaboutwhentheyknockstudents. Nordothosewhocomplainaboutfallingacademicstandards.
Thevastmajorityofthenation’s12millionstudentsarestrugglingtopayfortheireducations. Theyarepartoftheinvisibleworkforce. Manyholddownfull-timejobs. They’refryinghamburgersphotographingweddingsworkinginconstructionandwaitingontables. Thefactthattheyevenshowupforclassesisawonderfulevent.
Thefinancialsituationofmoststudentsexplainsalotaboutwhatishappeninginschools. Whyarethetraditionalcoursessounpopular? Whyarestudentsflockingtoaccountingandcomputerscienceandanyprofessionalprogramsthatseemtoleadtocareers?
Answer:Today’sworkingstudenthasbeenforcedintoakindofprematurematter-of-factwayofviewingthings. Romanceisgone. Thenotionoftransformingone’sselfthroughstudyalonehasdisappeared. Today’sstudentsseekfreedomfrommanuallaborandthestatusconferredbyagoodjob.
Thereareotherconsequences. Today’sstudentsdon’thavemuchtimeorenergytobedevotedandcarryoutindependentresearchorevendoserioushomework. That’sthesecretbehindfallingacademicstandards. Studentshavebecomeconsumers. Theywantgradesandcertifications. Theirprofessorscan’tbeexpectedtogiveagradeoffailuretostudentswhoareclearlytiredfromtheefforttopaytheirbills.
There’salotwrongwiththissituation. It’stwistingthedefinitionofeducationoutofshape. Worseit’screatingagenerationthatistotallyunpleasant. Thebrighteststudentsturnouttobeyuppies(雅皮士). Thevastmajorityareatleastgood-naturedsemi-literates.
Thetimehasrunoutforphilosophicaldebatesaboutfixedcoursesofstudy. Whatthiscountryneedsissomeonetostandupandsaythatbeingafull-timestudentduringone’sformativeyearsisanhonorablecallingworthyofsupport. Iffamiliescan’torwon’tgiveittotheirchildrenthenthegovernmentshould.
【小题1】Theauthor’spur