Actually, I've a friend who had the OPPOSITE problem! Her husband is a prof at Ohio State. She's hesitant to tell anyone, because they use to live in a small town in Indiana. He commuted to a prestigious university, where he was teaching. One day, someone found out what he did for a living, and everyone treated her so differently. She tried to tell them "HEY!!! I'm still Lisa! He's still Mark! NOTHING HAS CHANGED!!!"
There are those in academia content to live above in ivory towers and then there are those who would send out the lynch mobs to hunt down the academics who come down to live among us. Can't we all just get along? :roll:
I am so relieved that I am not the only one who feels this way. As far as educated/uneducated goes, I don't have any college degrees, have nothing I could even transfer if I wanted to go back to school from the two semesters I attempted straight out of high school. But I'm learning every day with my children. I am very educated about topics that have become important to me as a mother. I read and research things a lot. Not doing so as part of a college course doesn't make me any less educated. My father is a mechanic so I was trying to figure out if people were saying that he's just a lowly servant level human because he didn't go to a four yr university and get a degree or not. I don't think that people should look at him that way. As the blog post said we would all be in a lot of trouble if people stopped wanting to do the dirtier jobs in life. When I look at people I don't generally care one way or another whether they have a college degree or what they do for a living. Are they providing for their family? Yes? Then great! Are they loving their children? yes? then awesome! I don't care if they do or don't have 1 degree or 5. A person's worth isn't about their "education" in my world, it's about who they are as a person. HOW they are as a person. I want to teach my children to be good people. If I manage that in this life I will be happy with their "Education".
Your post about your father reminded me.... My brother is almost 50. He's been out of work for 4 years. Before that he has a long history working in construction working in way up the ladder from carpenter to supervisor/foreman potions. He is currently in college (which he can not really afford by the way) to get a bachelor's degree because he keeps getting told that the lack of a degree is why he isn't getting hired with companies! A piece a paper doesn't mean ANYTHING! Honestly, it doesn't. Learning in a classroom setting isn't nearly as valuable as YEARS of EXPERIENCE! This is what is so wrong with the world. We're so indoctrinated by the system to think that we need the system that we don't use common sense anymore. CRAZY!
I agree that I don't care what your job is or if you have a degree or not. IMHO, education and degree are two different things! I place a lot of value on education. I place very little on degrees. Education is acquiring knowledge. And you don't need a classroom for that! I've met many intelligent people with very little 'formal education' and not even a high school degree and I've met complete idiots with several degrees to their name. I think the problem is, our society can no longer separate degree/education/intelligence from each other.
The district my husband teaches for decided one day that he was no longer qualified to teach what he had been teaching for almost 20 years. Why? He was certified to teach TECHNOLOGY. The district learned that if they took his classes and put them under the BUSINESS department, they would get more money from the state. He didn't have that BUSINESS certification. So he had to go back (at our expense!!!) to get his BUSINESS certification. Now he can teach all kinds of other classes that he knows absolutely NOTHING about...:roll: I also learned that to be a LIRARIAN around here, you need a MASTER'S degree!!! Isn't that crazy? I figured an Associate's Degree would do it. Just how much Kiddie Lit can a person take?
Wanna hear another asinine find? I planned on going back and getting some sort of medical type degree/certification after my kids graduate from home. I have more than 30 hours of general ed. and Education credits from before I was married. Well, colleges no longer will recognize those courses since it has been more than 5-10 years ago. Evidently comp, speech, algebra, biology, etc., etc. has changed in that time. Just another way to cut out the older people from the workforce and demand more of our money to try to compete for jobs that they'll just give to other countries in the end. I'm better off continuing to learn more about homesteading.
I think the whole "need a degree" to do a job is crazy. Sure there are jobs that you do need extensive schooling to be able to do proficiently, but there are some jobs where it would be simply better to learn as you go. I really hate jobs that require you to have a degree in something, even if it is not related to the job at all. I have heard they just want to make sure the person is willing to stay committed. I'm sorry, but aren't there other ways to show commitment?
Yes, like giving up your career to stay home and care for your children until they are old enough to get jobs.
I have a degree (double major), but I would not call myself highly educated. I learn new things every single day with my kids. My husband also has a degree and does need one for his job----BUT any degree will do. As long as you've got one, it's good. I don't regret going to college (loved the experience and made lifelong friends), but I have never used my degree. I plan to encourage my children to base their higher education on their career goals rather than getting a degree just to have one. DS16 wants to be a forensic psychologist. He's going to need a degree. DD13 plans to work in occupational therapy. I think a 2 yr. Associates to be an assistant might be what works best for her. This is one of the reasons I think we as parents should strive to give our children the best opportunites we can to use their gifts and talents.
