Education security

We Should Think of American Education as a National Security Issue

Recently, Trump’s team updated its education platform with a more substantiated focus on helping students attend the school of their choice. He proposes $20 billion of existing federal funds for this measure, and supports vouchers for families hoping to attend particular private or public schools. It’s a first step towards a broader policy, though some critics regard this move as a slippery slope toward privatization of US public education.

The future of American education is uncertain, and by extension, so is the nation’s security and standing in the world. Perhaps framing America’s school troubles in this light might spark investment and reform to reverse some of the damage. After all, publicly funded social programs are often considered to be drains on the country’s resources, where upholding the safety of our autonomy or the competitiveness of our industries is prioritized.

As the 2012 task force concluded, “military might is no longer sufficient to guarantee security.”

“Rather, national security today is closely linked with human capital, and the human capital of a nation is as strong or as weak as its public schools.”