Hello

I am new here and just joined the group. I am a parent of a special needs child and was came across this group page and was looking to contribute some thoughts on the issues surrounding America's education system. I do have my share of opinions on the topic, and found through my own battles, especially in the dealings of special education, that is becoming a never ending battle. With state budget cuts, teacher layoff's, and the politicians pulling the strings, it is my opnion that America's education system is on the verge of becoming an institutional failure. We tell our children to go to college just so they can graduate with a mortgage size debt with the hopes of landing their first job. It's a mess. My educational background was in technical school where I graduated from the US Army OCS, Aberdeen Maryland, with a vocational diploma in refrigeration mechanics. My wife on the other hand, she has a business degree. I started writing while serving overseas in support of the Bosnia peackeeping missions. Being around a different culture, in a different part of the world, was one of the best educations I could have ever recieved, The stories were endless, and the enviorment was sobering. With acts of genocide, the United Nations, along with various other countries including the US, had no other choice but to act under the guideines of international law. But more on that later. Anyways, just wanted to say hello, and hope to have intelligent conversation and debate with the topic at hand. Take care.-Steven R.