On Monday night, I sat in my recliner writing my third novel. I’m about halfway done with it, and my editor is expecting that first half by the end of the week so she can do a midpoint “assessment” of the story. She worked on my last book, and I know how she operates. The first question she will contemplate is whether or not the story is grabbing the audience quickly. That’s on my mind this week, though I’m 40,000 words into this soon-to-be classic already. As I was pecking away on my laptop, my wife was on the couch reading. She hadn’t made a sound in a while, and without my notorious pounding on the keys, the living room would have been silent. Until she unexpectedly burst into tears. “I didn’t see that coming!” she announced while asking me to get her some tissues. Bursting into tears, or laughing out loud, or even descending into an extended stretch of quiet contemplation are what people often seek when they read. It’s the joy of thinking. That’s what reading for pleasure is. People are reading less than they once did. I write “they” because I’m reading more than I ever have. And my wife grew up a reader and it’s clear she will always be one.  The recent news of our education challenges in Indiana is telling a different story. First, Casey Smith reported for the Indiana Capital Chronicle last week, “Indiana’s college-going rate drops again, dipping to 51.7%.” This descent scares me for my home state. Not just because I am a college teacher and my craft appears to be losing popularity, but because I believe that the prosperity of all people depends on their ongoing commitment to learning. Any learning. All learning. The culture wars instigated by Indiana’s political leaders on the state’s public and private institutions of higher education will only deepen this specific decline. As a teacher and writer, I wonder what Hoosiers really want for themselves. Behaviorally speaking, apparently destroying “wokeness” and “owning the libs” are more important than learning. There’s no question those things are cheaper. But only in the moment. Prioritizing those repulsive behaviors will end up being wildly expensive. Smith reported, “Indiana’s college-going rate has dropped more than any other state tracked by the National Center for Education Statistics over the past 15 years. Previously, Indiana reached a college-going rate of 65%.” What do our leaders believe the outcome of this collapse will be five years from now? How about ten?   Connect with Michael Leppert Visit michaelleppert.com to read the full post and links to any resources or articles mentioned. Twitter @michaelleppert  Facebook at Michael Leppert Michael Leppert is an author, educator and a communication consultant in Indianapolis. He writes about government, politics and culture at MichaelLeppert.com. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Indiana Citizen or any other affiliated organization.  

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