How Do You Make It In America Today?

Once upon a time, fearless reader, two hundred years ago, or so, it was possible to work hard and make it in America.  Young people could become workers in a business, learn some skills and build up some capital so that they could start their own business (and hire the next entrepreneurs).  This became an oppositional ideology to slavery and a justification for abolitionism and ultimately the Civil War.

Unfortunately, almost exactly at the same time that this ideology was coming into being, the reality was shifting.  The Northern economy was becoming solidly capitalist and industrial.  As a result, workers were learning fewer skills and earning less of their own capital.  Once things solidified in the Industrial Era, the notion of upward mobility through hard work was only useful as a rationale for why people were poor - they just didn't work hard enough, or worse, they were genetically unfit.

So, then, what is the basis for social mobility?  Well, before the most recent economic changes, it was education.  If you were poor, you could hope and pray and work hard to help your kids get a high school diploma - with either a vocational or academic focus.  Today's focus on "college prep" means fewer students have access to vocational work.  Either the schools have the wrong focus, or their just aren't that many vocational jobs available.  With the changes in the economy, I wonder if the latter isn't more accurate.  But the "college prep" curriculum isn't doing much for students, especially disadvantaged students.  Too few have the backgrounds and raw talent to overcome their disadvantages and become truly successful in college.

So, perhaps we need to rethink what we're offering.  I wonder if there isn't room for a new apprenticeship?  I have no idea what I'm talking about here, being just a history teacher, but how much "college prep" do you need to do computer maintenance?  Or, maybe the schools need to go back to an academic AND vocational model, but update their workshops from woodworking to computer engineering?