We must value education
Re The Big Debate: Should governments help PHDs get jobs?, Sept. 3
The disrespect for the work and knowledge of PHD grads is a reflection of the current political climate, where experts, science and intellect are devalued by the populist and right-wing movements.
Capitalism, money and profits propel individuals into the upper strata of wealth, whether they are educated or not. Why work hard toward something meaningful, when you can sell something, even illegally, and become rich?
If the universities were to can philosophy, history, classics, literature, sociology, psychology, anthropology and other liberal arts disciplines, then the collective history of our civilization would be lost, and in the case of history, atrocities repeated.
PHDs have valuable skills and knowledge that need to be incorporated into a future-minded workplace.
And by the same reasoning, universities need to partner with those workplaces to help grads obtain jobs with decent pay and not be entirely focused on their own enrolments.
Society tell kids to get educated, but when they do, they are thrown to the wolves of an inhospitable workplace. Diane Sullivan, Toronto Daniel Schein, who holds a PhD in sociology, argues that, yes, governments should help PHDs get jobs — in part because of the debt accumulated in getting such a degree. But since when does the government owe anyone a job? If there is no job market for the degree you are considering, maybe reconsider getting it and accumulating that debt in the first place. Andrew Elrick, Whitby
Re Tories have it backwards on back-to-basics, Cohn, Sept. 3
As I read Martin Regg Cohn’s column, I am taken by the fact that all of the changes to education being discussed are developed by the Doug Ford government to pander to its base.
None of them appear to be developed with proper consultation or in the interest of education. The only one that seems to have been truly investigated is the sex-ed curriculum and then it was decided to retain almost all of the former program.
As in many areas of their mandate, this government continues to make haphazard decisions and then appoint ministers who have little or no knowledge of their portfolios.
We, the citizens of this province, need this nonsense to stop and for our elected officials to enact legislation and formulate policies that are sound and reasonable.
This is especially true in education, where decisions made will affect our children in their everyday lives and in the future. Other than family, it is the schools and the educators that determine the future of our society. These decisions need to be made with thoughtfulness and without political motivation. Lynda Hurley, Toronto The functional illiteracy of our most powerful leaders easily trumps their innumeracy. Like U.S. President Donald Trump, Premier Doug Ford did not do very well in school and has a grudge against the “elites” who actually think that reading a book might increase your overall intelligence. Karen Searle, Roblin, Ont.