The only way out of that box, is to improve people's skills, and the educational system that serves them, and far too many school districts in poorer zip codes still suck horribly. Thus we still turn out hordes of high school graduates that are functionally illiterate, and consigned to a lifetime of poverty or near poverty. I don't understand why all of this is tolerated.
I wouldn't necessarily say its
tolerated in most instances, it's just that there are so many impediments to reform, and even then, disagreements on what constitutes actual reform. In my opinion:
1. Funding - both in terms of waste and other cases, a shortage of funds. Administrative bloat starves other parts of the school of money they could better use.
2. Charter schools/vouchers - To me, this always seemed like a complete retreat, where interest groups and other folks have successfully lobbied lawmakers to effectively pull their dollars out of public schools and put them somewhere else, often to little or no benefit. I've yet to see a compelling argument that these ideas solve anything, and charter schools have their own issues with abuse, waste and discrimination even. IMO, these are not good ideas, at least the way they are being implemented now. And this doesn't touch on what I see as ulterior motives that are less than savory.
3. Unions sometimes protect crappy teachers
(not saying unions are bad by any means, but there are some downsides)4. Is it all about the school? Getting a good education is as much about what goes on outside of school than in. A child must have a stable home life that encourages education as well as provides necessary reinforcement and nutrition at that. This is where I see government as playing a useful role in poorer communities - by providing resources to those who otherwise can't.
