What an impoverished world it would be if everyone shared the "common sense" vision of society expressed by Judy Eledge in her letter to the editor (ADN, June 18).
The primary goal of education should not be, first and foremost, job training. Individuals who obtain a good education lead happier, more fulfilling lives and provide a greater benefit to the societies in which they live, whether they are plumbers, electricians or columnists.
There is nothing wrong with vocational training, but it is no substitute for education in the fullest sense of the word. Not everyone must go to college, but the societies with the highest quality of life are those in which everyone has the opportunity. Societies that fail to adequately educate their population will end up looking pretty much like our society, with a small elite controlling most of the wealth, and with multitudes suffering from high rates of poverty, crime and violence.
Vocational training may help you get a job. Education will help you get a life.
— Kenneth Baitsholts
Anchorage