David Davenport

A few nights ago I realized that “Crosswords,” an educational game show, has been replaced on Channel 47 at 6:30 p.m. with “Deal or No Deal” a game show that requires no skill whatsoever. Crosswords, as the name suggests, required the players to solve a puzzle using prompts and accurate spellings. Deal or No Deal calls for a player to open briefcases containing varying amounts of money while the “banker” tries to keep the player from continuing toward what might be $1,000,000 by offering an alternate amount.

Replacing Crosswords with Deal or No Deal, seems to me to illustrate the uphill battle that educators face in America. One used to achieve good grades by hard work, skill, and persistence. Good grades would lead to high-paying careers. Now the “contestants” can become millionaires if they sweat profusely on camera and teachers are paid less than security guards.

Likewise, I am often reminded of how society emphasizes the wrong things even within education. A billboard along highway 99 southbound features CSU Fresno coaches. Why? Is the mission of the university to provide sports entertainment for the masses or education for our future leaders? Why can’t that billboard show a CSUF chemistry professor in a lab, or one of the award winning English professors reciting poetry, or a group photo of the in-coming class of Smittcamp Honors students? Is the fact that it doesn’t say to us that society no longer respects educational achievement? If so, doesn’t this send a message to our children that education is not valued – that they are better off in the long run, at least financially, in practicing for American Idol, improving their batting stance, and dealing drugs?

dpd 10-2-2008