Posted: November 27, 2023 by Kelly Murphy-Redd

This lowering of standards will also affect students. They won’t learn as much or as well with someone who only checks the box of “warm body.” Parents should expect and demand that their children are being taught by experts. Maybe these lower standards as well as other cultural and political reasons are responsible for the rise in home schooling.

This year it been reported that several airlines have lowered hiring standards. For some it was not requiring a college degree. Others lowered the number of required flight hours. And shockingly, the FAA has “broadened” the heart-health requirement for pilots which translates to more unhealthy pilots at risk for heart issues during flights.  Many airlines are hiring based on a predetermined set of identity goals. I think it’s safe to say, no one cares what the pilot looks like. Pilots should be healthy and experienced. There have been numerous near-misses and crashes recently traced to lower standards.

Think of any profession. We all want to be treated by well-educated and experienced doctors for example. We want experienced pharmacists filling our prescriptions. We want someone who knows what they are doing to build our home.

Not only is the lowering of qualifications for teachers a problem for every profession, but lowering the requirements for students is also a risk factor. It’s also not fair to them.

Lowering expectations lowers self-esteem, ability, critical thinking, problem-solving skills, innovation, creativity, and competitive advantage. China isn’t lowering education requirements.

Many employers are lowering employee hiring standards and performance standards in reaction to the labor shortage. They say the upside is they can pay lower wages to someone less experienced. But productivity suffers. Productivity growth creates wealth. The Economic Policy Institute says there is a link between productivity and standard of living. Paying lower wages and less productivity lowers everyone’s standard of living.

Economic developers concern themselves with facilitating the creation of high-wage jobs, helping to raise the standard of living, and quality of life in their communities. Lowering standards, requirements, and expectations is completely against these positive goals.