A View From the Edge

Teachers’ pay issues are sweeping the nation. And if you think they are not coming to a state, city or town near you, think again. A large part of the problem here is not money. Yes, money is the negotiating platform on both sides (how else do we Americans value anything these days), but the issue is a fundamental one that we have all overlooked.

Teaching is now a full-time job. It wasn’t until the last four decades.

People with serious money and past success often feel compelled to set aside time and brainpower to help solve critical issues around the world. High tech people, especially, feel this sudden urge to make things right or better. It is almost as if they suddenly realize that their many billions of dollars are worth nothing when compared with the world they fashioned — a world stripping away the ethic of work, with an enforced digital schedule set by machines, and, never least, the energy consumptive industries they have built.

Integration—it’s a word you hear everywhere these days. Electronics need to be integrated so that your phone can follow your email at the office, Alexa can meld your purchasing and entertainment needs, and so on. What people are beginning to discover, is that ancient systems can be integrated into the most modern developments and, together, they can bring greater efficiencies.