Have you entered the Twilight Zone?

We need better educated children if they are going to compete in the global market.
Headlines like that are pounded into our heads every day.  Do you ever ask yourself "why"?  A short article discussing manufacturing in America does NOT list "higher education" as a reason why factories relocated to southern states in the '80's and other countries after NAFTA was signed into law.   What would be a good reason companies relocated?  If you guessed highly educated workers cheap labor, you would win the prize.  The garment industry is well known for their use of sweatshops and child labor.  What might not be as well known is the myriad of tales regarding the electronics industry.  iCrap  manufacturer  Foxconn is one company that has received a lot of scrutiny. And there are others.

So, if Americans want to compete in the global market, we need to become more like third world countries?  Apparently so, since that's where our jobs have gone.  I'd like to say it's important that we be able to compete with China, but I'd have to say we already are.

I'm beginning to think a few things aren't adding up. Maybe you can help me out with this one:
   Our education system has been reformed from No Child Left Behind to Common Core, which will educate the children in a manner never before tried  to allow them to compete, after college graduation, for jobs that don't exist.  Explain to me how any of that makes sense. And factor in jobs that will surely never come back + increases in automation.

There's a competition, alright.  For finite resources on a finite planet.  It was an old coot who helped me figure that one out.  Amazing how one is able to learn without the foundation of  the CC curriculum to guide the way.

It all starts with baby steps.