Krashen on "college for everyone"

"College for everyone" policy is bad for everyone.

Sent to USA Today, March 18

Insisting that all high school grads be ready for college and work means that a high school diploma will certify the completion of a college prep program ("What if a college education just isn't for everyone?" March 16).

This will have the effect of making a high school diploma irrelevant for all those who are not interested in college, who have different interests, talents, and career paths, It will also mean a continuation of the decline of vocational classes of all kinds, which is not only bad for vocational ed and for the trades, it is bad for everybody.

My dad had a law degree and a CPA, and was highly educated and well-read. He went to a technical high school and took every shop class he could. He loved them. This practical background was extremely valuable to him in his business career. He knew what was happening not only in the offices but also in the factories, fields, construction sites, and warehouses, and had a deep respect for skilled work of all kinds.

Stephen Krashen