The news today is full of reports on the "recession" in economical terms that has brought on many adverse situations for governments and individuals in the United States, and now, in the entire world.

Individuals, many having "401-K's" and other similar investments, are not feeling good about their future.

Since this nation has become a "consumer nation" instead of being a "producer nation" as it was in the past, the "consumer" has decided to "not consume" at that rate that used to drive an ever-increasing economy.

Discretionary purchases, often made on credit, have been reduced considerably now that there is some thought that they may have to either pay for them or suffer consequences.

Perhaps the biggest "401-K" disaster hasn't even been noticed.

Much of the success of the United States in the past 150 years has been due to having an educated population that was unrivaled in the entire world.

It was the education of our children that made it possible for us to continue to grow our standard of living almost without end.

The next generation, according to most demographers in the United States, will not be as well educated as the current generation.

Elsewhere in the developing world this will not be the case. China, India, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, etc, all have rapidly increasing numbers of kids who are better educated than our children.

Is this an "educational recession?" At least in my mind it is.

Only a little over 14 percent of Washington's 9th graders will graduate from a four-year college in 10 years. Nevertheless, we have about 32 percent of our adult population hold a four-year degree in Washington. In other words, we would have to more than double our rates to just stay even with our current situation!

What's gone wrong? Compassionate parents and compassionate educators are clearly a major part of the problem. Parents who are unwilling to make "unpopular" decisions about the future of their children, and educators who are prepared to accommodate lowered standards illustrate low expectations.

I recently met a parent that has two kids in our school district.

One had won the lottery to attend the Public Academy and did not want to go.

The parents let the 5th grader make that decision. They also have an 11th grader who has only 9th grade standing because she didn't like to attend school.

It was her decision!

I fear for the end results if this continues. A conversation with the 11th grader stunned both the parent and me about her very limited vocabulary. Words in common use in the Northwest were unknown to her.

This is our real "401-K" and it may be well beyond a recession.

While educators are looking for more money to "solve" this problem, they seem to have not taken note of President-Elect Obama's words, "No amount of money can buy achievement."

Achievement is earned by being a "student," the word "study" comes from this topic also. "Pupils may attend school, but not all are students," my high school Physics teacher used to say.

I fear that we have too many pupils, so this is going to destroy our nation's "401-K."

It used to be said that schools were successful with about 20 percent of the pupils attending. This might have worked when the rest of the world was so far behind us.

Now with less than 15 percent in Washington able to attend college and complete it, we face a real global competitive disadvantage.

Why have places like Ireland become so popular economically? Great education and they all speak some form of English.

Why do first generation American children do so well in school? Could it be that their parents saw, in the old country, the value of having an education? I think that this is a major factor.

Educators are fond of saying, "It's the society." They are at least partially right. Why does the "society" have to extend inside the school house doors?

Only to "accommodate" the parents who want "compassion" to overtake reality in all facets of their children's lives.

This desire for compassion can lead to some very unfortunate situations for these children, and our 401-K's, when these children choose to leave school. I use the term "choose" as many of these kids simply tell their parents that they are no longer going to attend school. There seem to be no repercussions for this immature behavior.

Our society has shown a great deal of compassion. Until recently a youth had to be caught 7 times to be incarcerated for car theft. "Compassion," I guess so.

Why were there very few second offenders in horse thievery? People, including youth, understood the consequences for this crime.

Horses had no locks, "clubs" or "Lo-Jack" and yet there was very little incidence of horse thievery. In fact there probably weren't a lot of "trials," or second offenses.

Perhaps failure to apply oneself to education needs less "compassion?"

Are we in an educational recession, depression, or bankruptcy? It has to be one of these.