Portland Observer, July 27. 1983, Section II, Page 7
Some new ideas from Matthew W. Prophet
Opportunity unparalled for
vocational education
B Y Matthew W Prophet,
Superintendent.
Portland Public Schools
cational/technical education itself is
a basic survival skill essential to the
total educational development o f
the individual.
For far too long, vocational-tech­
nical education in America, Oregon,
and Portland has been the neglected
step-child o f the public schools. I f
the schools are to keep pace with
our rapidly changing society and
stay in tunc with tomorrow in meet­
ing the needs of children and young
adults, the great social, economic
and political transition society is
now experiencing must be matched
in kind by an educational revolution
that places greater emphasis on
career/vocational/technical educa­
tion and training. Society must ac­
cept the fact that the world is shift­
ing from the traditional and indus­
trial based economy to an inform a­
tion based society.
Implicit in this shift in the funda­
mental base of our global economy
are massive and all-encompassing
needs for the public schools to pro­
vide training, retraining, and com­
puter
literacy
programs
for
children, young adults and adults.
The time has come for public educa­
tion to tangibly recognize these de­
mands and more readily respond to
the needs o f society in general and
local communities in particular. In
this context there is also a need for
greater emphasis on vocational edu­
cation and training for all elements
o f society. This means public educa­
tion must begin to think and plan in
terms o f lifetime education. The
world is in the midst of a fledgling
•'computer revolution.” As it stabil­
izes and establishes new needs and
makes new demands on the tradi­
tional institutions o f our society, it
will become articulated in ways that
can scarcely be anticipated or pre­
dicted today.
It will call upon public education
at all levels to respond with pro­
grams and services that will enable
those who will live and work in the
21st century to function effectively
and efficiently in a world committed
by technological change to inter-de­
pendence,
cooperation,
interna­
tional understanding, and the ever-
changing educational opportunities
for all citizens at the grassroots
level.
Reversal in order
Clearly the time has come to re­
verse the pattern o f benign neglect
that has characterized career/voca­
tional/technical education for gen­
erations. A new day is dawning and
it demands new responses if public
education is to continue to serve
American society as the one institu­
tion that most effectively transmits
the cultural heritage and prepares
young people to live, work, and
function as productive citizens in
our changing world.
How best can this be done? What
are the steps that must be taken to
meet this challenge and to insure
that today's students, who will live
and spend most o f their work lives
in the 21st century, are not "sold
short" or betrayed by theorists and
communities that refuse to recog­
nize and accept the responsibility of
preparing young people today to
live and lead productive lives in to­
m orrow ’s world?
First and foremost is recognition
that the need exists. This demands
acceptance o f the fact that car­
eer/vocational/technical education
must be an integral part o f the total
educational delivery system to the
benefit o f both individuals and soc­
iety. Recent local and national pub­
lic attitude surveys tend to confirm
that there is general public recogni­
tion o f the need to place increased
emphasis on training individuals for
productive lives at all levels o f soci­
ety, not just children and young
adults. Key elements identified in
these surveys, in delineating how
best to provide these services, in­
clude emphasis on basic skills, on
the job training, hands-on exper­
ience in the classroom, and cooor-
dination o f programs and services
up and down the educational spec­
trum.
Another
key
element
in
expanding the horizon of career/vo-
cational technical education for the
future is commitment o f the energy
and resources required to do the
job. As citizens and communities
determine how best to expend dwin-
dling educational resources, it is
important to keep in mind the level
o f lifetim e benefit yielded by the ser­
vice or program for which the re­
sources are to be expended. Recent
studies indicate participants in such
public school programs show a
higher rate o f employment, earn
more money and felt a greater posi­
tive correlation between training
and job performance than their
non-vocational
counterparts.
Another recent study in Portland
indicated that 95 percent o f voca­
tional students were employed or in
post secondary schools following
graduation.
Busineaa cooperation vital
T o meet the needs o f today's
young people and a changing society
will require long-range planning,
commitment and the cooperation o f
all elements of our society. It is es­
sential that the too-long dormant
partnership between the business
community and the schools undergo
a reawakening for the mutual bene­
fit o f the schools and the commu­
nity.
An essential component of long-
range planning must be the recogni­
tion o f the issue o f equity. New
programs and services must be
equally and equitably available to
students of all races, creeds and
colors. The new demands o f our
global society must be accompan­
ied, to be most effective, by educa­
tional planning that is color blind.
W hile the accelerating demands
of the globalization o f contempo­
rary society, economics and educa­
tion will articulate the shape and na­
ture o f the specifics o f change, not
only internationally, but at the grass
roots as well, patterns are beginning
to become clearer with the passage
of time. At this early point in time,
some o f the elements o f the configu­
rations for tomorrow can be identi­
fied. Among them are the follow ­
ing: more and more workers will
work in service and inform ation-re­
lated occupations; small businesses
will increase in number, as we move
to a decentralized society; regional
economics and global trade will be a
large factor in most communities;
technological literacy will be re­
quired for nearly every job; schools
will be pressed to teach higher-order
thinking skills; workers may face
temporary periods o f unemploy­
ment; people will continue to
change jobs and careers several
times; and pushes for accountability
will be stronger.
Opportunity unparalled
Public education has an un­
equalled opportunity to plan and
commit itself to new demands. The
chips are on the table. In Portland,
public education is responding with
a "Blue Chip Plan” for career, vo­
cational and technical education
that promises a rebirth of emphasis
on the fundamental educational
needs o f the future. It would
emphasize citizen involvement, a re­
newal o f a business-community
partnership, possible creation of an
opportunity school, K-12 orienta­
tion, increased emphasis on basic-
skills, programs and services acces­
sible to all, lifetim e educational pro­
grams, and planning and new ap­
proaches to staff training and devel­
opment to build greater understand­
ing and cooperation. A ll o f this
must have, as its companion, public
willingness to commit the resources
required to do the job that needs to
be done.
As usual in this country when fac­
ing difficult problems, communities
turn to public education for ans­
wers and solutions. In the present
era of economic uncertainty and
transition from one economic base
to another, public education is again
expected to fill the gap. It is expect­
ed to take the lead in ameliorating
the wrenching impact o f obsoles­
cence, unemployment and mechani­
zation with training, retraining, and
lifetime educational and vocational
programs. The public schools are
again, as always, expected to play
the key role in restructuring the dis­
oriented social order.
A t this point in time, public-
education has a singular opportun­
ity to "stay in tune with tom or­
row .” But if it is to succeed in its
newest rescue mission, it must have
the support, cooperation and active
involvement o f all elements o f the
community as it prepares people to
live, w ork, survive and lead produc­
tive lives in the promising new era
Pregnancy and Work
By James I.. Breen, M .l).
President, The \merican
College of Obstetricians
and Gsnecolouists
Today nunc women than
ever continue to work outside
the home throughout their
pregnancy According to cur­
rent laws, il a woman chooses
to work up until the onset ol
labor, she mas do so
Yet. quiteotten a woman will
a sk . "Is it sale lor me to con
linue working during piegn.m
cy and will working injute his
baby
The answer to that d e ­
pends on the woman s health,
how she reacts to pregnancy,
her job. and her litestyle Ac
cording to I he American C ol­
lege ol Obstetricians and G yn­
ecologists. a woman with an
uncomplicated pregnancy in a
lob that poses no hazards to her
health or her bab y 's health,
may work until labor begins and
may resume working several
w eek s a lte r an u n c o m p li­
cated delisery
Obviously, no two women
have the exact same job, hie
style, or pregnancy So. il you
work and decide to become
pregnant, you should discuss
your individual situation with
your doctor He or she will be
laimliar with your medical his
tory and can help you evaluate
your job conditions
One c»»nsideral ion is the
physical demands ol your job
Are vou on your feet all day.
have to lilt or move awkward
items, or work in higher than
normal temperatures ’ Your doc­
tor might be able to suggest pos­
sible job modifications that
would prevent additional strain
on you during your pregnancy
Doctors and health ollicials
are now aware that almost any
i>ne can be exposed to hazardous
substances in their iob
hether
vou aie a hair dresser, medical
technician, factory worker, or
even a teacher, you may be ex
posed to hazardous substances
or enviionmcni.il conditions
that may be harmlul So you
should consult w ith y oiii doc lo t.
and company medical |Ki sound
il possible, about void ,vosinon
Il the nature ol the woik. the
complications ol pregnancy oi
oilier disease pievenls you Iroui
working, vou aie entitled to the
same disability and health in
sutance beneltl' as are oilier
workers
Il is especially iiii|vort.inl lo
watch your nutrition, exercise,
and rest il you continue to work
during pregnancy Iry to eat
well balanced, high protein
meals, and il possible, keep a
supplv ol nourishing snacks
nearby ( iel enough sleep ai
home and tiy lo rest during
breaks at work A regular pio
gram ol exercise, it begun be
lore pregnancy, will help keep
your energy levels up II you sit
most ol the day. gel up every so
otten and move around to re­
store your circulation
Il you’re undecided about
working during pregnancy or
concerned about your health,
talk to your doctor Your job
may be important but so is the
health ol you and your baby
Recom m itm ent required
A recommitment to career/voca­
tional/technical education in no
way should be construed as an ef­
fort to denigrate or downgrade the
traditional, intellectual and academ­
ic mission o f the public schools.
T o the contrary, the new empha­
sis on the "w orld o f w ork” in public
schools enhances, enriches and com­
plements academic education, par­
ticularly in the area of basic skills.
In a very real sense it simply adds a
new aspect to the responsibility and
commitment o f public education to
basic skills. It makes dollars and
“ sense" to recognize that one of the
most
efficient
techniques
for
teaching basic skills is a critical ele­
ment o f career, vocational and tech­
nical education programs. Where
these skills can easily be identified as
transferable to the marketplace,
they serve as a springboard for stu­
dents to see the practical applica­
tions of basic skills in the “ real
w orld.” In point of fact, career/vo-
If you're looking for a career in the food industry,
look to your friendly neighbors at Safeway.
If you are interested in ap­
titude or interest tests,
career or financial counsel­
ling, contact your school
counselling office.
Call Safeway Employment Department...657-6400 or apply at the nearest State Employment Office.
Because o f the slowdown in births
beginning about I960, there wiH be
fewer yowig persons rt;»ctu*f labor
force age in the 1980s, and overall
labor force growth is likely to slack­
en, according to a publication of the
U.S. Department of Labor.
SCSI
SAFEWAY
SAFEWAY STORES, INCORPORATED
“ An Equal Opportunity Employer”
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