Education On A Conveyor Belt

By Robert L. Bliss

Education on a Conveyor Belt is a challenging look at the rapid decline of education in the United States. The goal in education has shifted from pride in excellence, whether individually or collectively, to a ride on the educational conveyor belt where the motto is, “No one can fail.”

The author casts a wide net outlining the future repercussions of an educational format based on the conveyor belt. The most damaging is that of graduating high school and college students with insufficient knowledge for growth in their adult life.

Teachers, administrators, parents, and business leaders are affected, and their concerns are addressed along with those of students. Options to traditional public schools are presented along with the positives and negatives of each.

Students, at all levels, face a difficult time. They are confronted with COVID-19, omicron viruses, masking rules, universities and high schools proclaiming various words offensive (with optional words), creating divisive situations between students, faculty, and parents. Meanwhile, academic standards are reduced; test requirements are lowered, and an attempt to redo history by destroying statues, pictures, and buildings have all added to the creation of the Education on a Conveyor Belt theory.

The conveyor belt is still running.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 10, 2022
• ISBN: 9781685267841

Book preview

cover.jpg

Education On A Conveyor Belt

Robert L. Bliss

ISBN 978-1-68526-783-4 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-68526-784-1 (Digital)

Copyright © 2022 Robert L. Bliss

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Foreword

In this latest book by Bob Bliss, he identifies the causes of the declining state of education in the United States and offers practical, common-sense ways to address the root causes.

Bob’s portrayal of the US education system as a one-size-fits-all conveyor belt that graduates unchallenged students who lack real credentials and are unprepared for the real world is spot-on.

As a former graduate school dean and college president, Bob has observed firsthand many high school graduates enrolling in college with little math understanding, no communication or reading comprehension skills, and no clues about world or national history.

His observations are enlightening, educational, and challenging.

—Dr. Charles F. Stebbins

Brigadier General, USAF (Retired)

Former College Provost and Faculty Dean

As in his first two books, Bob has a way of quickly clarifying and simplifying a complex challenge into a simple story inspiring action and change.

His book clearly describes the most pressing needs facing our education system today. His unique perspective and experience in business, higher education, on the school board, and as a father, combine to provide clear insight into these challenges.

This book really hits home as my two children, ages ten and twelve, are dealing with a very different world. I sense the skills they will need to produce and prosper may or may not be adequately taught or developed in high school or college. I pray every day as parents, we can develop and guide our children as they grow and learn.

But the question, Can the current educational system do this at the level our nation needs? To that question, Education on a Conveyor Belt provides a clear call to action that should be taken seriously.

—Mr. Paul Helmick

CEO, Health Ventures Intl.

Preface

Evolution of the Conveyor Belt

My career in business and higher education has provided a critical look at the attitudes, fears, expectations, and accomplishments of hundreds, if not thousands, of high school and college graduates. Discussions with educators and business leaders have provided added incentive for the publishing of this book.

The idea for Education on a Conveyor Belt began over nine years ago. It was a much quieter time in our country, but a restless undercurrent was beginning to appear. A different kind of change was slowly evolving in secondary and higher education—a change that would lead to the world we are now experiencing in the mid to late twenties and one having repercussions yet to be felt.

In two previous books, we have talked about the importance of change and how difficult change can be for many people. Basically, people are afraid of change, primarily along personal feelings (How will it affect me?). One could argue the value or distrust of change for a long time, but the reality is that, as individuals and as a country, we would become stagnant in both without some reliability of productive change.

The change in education prompting this book has been slow in growing, with each year bringing an increased level of concern. It has grown until, as of this writing, questions are appearing in all levels of education, from early elementary to middle school, high school, and to college and university campuses nationally.

The concern is simply that students today are not receiving the best education we can offer. This is revealed by witnessing the increased loss of qualified teachers, the decline of accountability in the classroom, and a gradual decline in academic expectations.

Carrying the concern beyond the classroom is the belief we will eventually have generations of high school and college graduates not being adequately prepared for