There　is　a　Need

Does　school　prepare　children　for　the　real　world？　〃Study　hard　and　get　good　grades　and　you　will　find　a　high…paying　job　with　great　benefits；〃　my　parents　used　to　say。　Their　goal　in　life　was　to　provide　a　college　education　for　my　older　sister　and　me；　so　that　we　would　have　the　greatest　chance　for　success　in　life。　When　T　finally　earned　my　diploma　in　1976…graduating　with　honors；　and　near　the　top　of　my　class；　in　accounting　from　Florida　State　University…my　parents　had　realized　their　goal。　It　was　the　crowning　achievement　of　their　lives。　In　accordance　with　the　〃Master　Plan；〃　I　was　hired　by　a　〃Big　8〃　accounting　firm；　and　I　looked　forward　to　a　long　career　and　retirement　at　an　early　age。

My　husband；　Michael；　followed　a　similar　path。　We　both　came　from　hard…working　families；　of　modest　means　but　with　strong　work　ethics。　Michael　also　graduated　with　honors；　but　he　did　it　twice：　first　as　an　engineer　and　then　from　law　school。　He　was　quickly　recruited　by　a　prestigious　Washington；　D。C。；　law　firm　that　specialized　in　patent　law；　and　his　future　seemed　bright；　career　path　well…defined　and　early　retirement　guaranteed。

Although　we　have　been　successful　in　our　careers；　they　have　not　turned　out　quite　as　we　expected。　We　both　have　changed　positions　several　times…for　all　the　right　reasons…but　there　are　no　pension　plans　vesting　on　our　behalf。　Our　retirement　funds　are　growing　only　through　our　individual　contributions。

Michael　and　I　have　a　wonderful　marriage　with　three　great　children。　As　I　write　this；　two　are　in　college　and　one　is　just　beginning　high　school。　We　have　spent　a　fortune　making　sure　our　children　have　received　the　best　education　available。

One　day　in　1996；　one　of　my　children　came　home　disillusioned　with　school。　He　was　bored　and　tired　of　studying