High School Drop Out Rate

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/22/opinion/22herbert.html?hp

The link above is an opinion article by Bob Herbert in the New York Times today regarding education in America and the high school drop out rate. Bob has chosen a very important topic that he believes the presidential candidates should address - there I agree. The way in which they should address it probably shows our differences.

Human capital and education is the most important factor in the long term growth of a nation. A rising high school drop out rate severely jeopardizes our country's ability to be successful in the long run. However, Bob insinuates that the government should address this issue, most likely through expensive programs and more money towards the educational budget. I disagree. I think there is very little the government can do in this area. The incentives to get an education are already clearly apparent. The "income inequality" gap in this country is overwhelmingly explained by educational differences. People with a high school diploma make far more money than those without. A college degree ups it even more. Graduate school? You're basically set.

I know that it is difficult for many people to afford college, but high school education is free. Bob mentioned that every 26 seconds one person drops out of high school. This is just purely irrational economic behavior, but more importantly, a personal choice driven by cultural surroundings. In many demographic areas of this country, education is not encouraged and being smart is not "being cool." Gangster rap glorifying the life of drugs and violence, rural culture that regards education as unimportant, whatever the message, it's a bad one. The cultural messages must change in order for this to improve - it's something that government just cannot do, but something the individual people must.