Thomas Friedman's column in the NY Times today highlights the inescapable link between high-quality education and the ability to compete economically.  I agree with his overall message -- that in order to succeed in today's economy, our youth will need not only good reading, writing, and math skills, but they that will also have to learn how to think creatively, critically, and innovatively.  However, I don't think we should assume that all of this responsibility falls on the schools.  To do so leaves out lots of other community institutions and important people ("the village") who can and should help our children and youth develop these skills. 

Don't get me wrong -- the schools are an essential element of this, and we should be relentless in our efforts to create excellent schools for all children that promote this kind of learning.  But let's also make sure that all children have access to early learning experiences -- before they ever reach school -- that lay the all-important foundation for success.  Let's make sure we value out-of-school time programs (after-school and summer programs) so that they have the resources they need to support this kind of learning.  And, let's make sure that parents have the support and information they need to help their children learn and grow as individuals who can communicate, create, and connect with others in order to contribute to the good of society.  It's when we are all working together for children to provide a consistent message ("education is key") and consistent opportunities (regardless of income level or race) that we'll see the best results.