If I were Queen

If I were Queen of the world (because merely being president wouldn't do it, I'd want to do all this stuff by fiat, and not have to convince a couple of houses of Congress to go along), here's my list.

1. All schools would be in session 52 weeks a year, 5 days a week, except maybe for a few holidays, and (maybe)a week or two at the end of December and another week or two at the end of June for thorough cleaning. Not all of the time would be traditional class time, though. There might be 9 weeks of classes, followed by a three week intersession. The intersession would be a chance for schools to get creative and imaginative. There might be camp-like activities. There might be a "night school" session, meeting from 6 pm until midnight, with lessons on astronomy and a chance to view actual stars. There might be a foreign language immersion, live like the pioneers, or other "theme" activities. And these intersession sessions would probably be optional, or allow students to mingle in different ways for different activities. For instance, one group of students from many high schools might meet in a certain location to put on a play. Another group might meet in another location to do all week art projects, or go in depth into biology fieldwork or cooking lessons.

2. The age at which a person could drive a car would be raised to eighteen, and REQUIRE a high school diploma. (Just think what that would do to high school graduation rates. If a student didn't get a diploma, then he/she would have to wait until age 25 to get a driver's license.

3. Voting age would be raised again to 21, along with leaving the drinking age at 21. And members of the armed services could NOT be sent into combat until they were at least 21. That's only fair.

4. Every young adult would be required to put in at least a year of service in the armed forces, or volunteering at some charity, inner city program, Peace Corp, VISTA or the like. Every one. No exclusions for handicaps or anything. Maybe if you were totally dependent on caregivers to live, but being blind or deaf or in a wheel chair should NOT except you from serving your community or country.

5. A dormitory would be built near every high school. These dorms would house students who can not live at home. Following the rules would be required, and failure to do so would be a juvenile offence, landing the student in a Juvenile Correctional Facility. Noone under the age of 18 could choose to be homeless. Every person under the age of 18, not living at home (or obviously, at a boarding school or with other family members), would be required to live in one of these dorms, and follow the rules.

6. Rather than spending billions of dollars trying to convince people that trains and buses can and should take the place of automobiles, tracks would be installed along all freeways, and eventually, all major roadways. Cars would be fitted out with a "converter" to allow them to travel along the tracks. Drive up to the freeway ramp, pay the fee, and "put down your rail gear". Now a computer driven ramp monitor speeds up the car to freeway speeds, and pops the car onto the track in the next available space between other vehicles. The car is whisked along at 65 miles per hour until the desired destination is reached, at which point, the computer announces that it is returning control to the driver, the car is routed off the track and onto a siding and the driver once again controls the car as he drives off to whatever destination he desires.

Immediately, there is increased capacity (since the vehicles could and should be literallly bumper to bumper) and decreased fuel usage, since the cars will all be going at the exact same rate of speed. No accelerating to get around another car, no slowing down for traffic, just the same speed as everyone else.

I do not know whether it would be better to have the track system provide the propulsion system (which would then be very flexible and could be powered by whatever means would be more efficient given the local conditions) or whether each individual vehicle would provide it's own power. I will leave engineers to figure this point out. However, I see this alternate as being safer, more efficient and just as flexible and comfortable as our present system. (Ever been on a freeway at 4 am? Lots of cars. No buses or trains, just cars.) (Ever been 30 seconds late for a bus?)

This system would allow nurses, convenience store clerks, emergency personnel, retail store clerks, hospital staff, and a host of others with non-traditional job hours to benefit equally. Bus and train systems only benefit those who go to work and return home in the "eight to five" area, which leaves many many people out.

If you don't have a car, no problem. Small "buses" accomodating 6 to 80 or 100 people, could be available to take walk-ups (or those who choose to get to the on-ramp via bicycle, golf cart, or skateboard- it wouldn't matter.) Eventually, the system could be set up so that prior to leaving one's office at say, 10 PM, a user could log onto a web site, give the instructions "I will be at the Oak Street on-ramp, going south, at 10:10 pm" and a mini-bus could be there waiting for him/her. Try doing that with a bus system.

7. Internship/apprentice programs would be started in all sorts of areas for students in grades eleven and twelve. Traditional areas such as carpentry, auto repair, cooking, and plumbing, and non-traditional areas such as art, craft, and other areas would have programs to teach students how to do real jobs in real career fields. Included in these programs would be the necessary bookwork, including classes in such things as "how to manage a checking account and pay taxes" etc. as well as on-the-job training. The programs would be set up in such a way that a student would complete the program as well as earning a high school diploma.

We need to recognize that not all students are qualified to attend college, nor interested in attending college. We should also know by now that having a full time job and other responsibilities is not a bar to getting a college education to a motivated adult. We need to make a high school education prepare someone for meaningful work in a decent career field.

8. Communities would need to provide safe walking routes to every school within their jurisdiction. A town could either provide paved sidewalks, block off part of a street and prohibit motor vehicles, or otherwise provide safe walking paths EVERYWHERE. Having to bus kids a quarter mile because there is no way to walk to school safely makes no sense, especially in this age when lack of exercise and childhood obesity threaten to make this younger generation less healthy that the one before.

9. Schools would operate on an "eight to five" schedule, or perhaps even longer. "After school sports" could and should be moved to before lessons, to give teenagers, particularly, a chance to wake up and get going before they are required to think. All children would participate in these school sports, which could be expanded to include dancing, walking (see below) and other non-competitive physical activities. Homework clubs, and activity groups would occupy the hour or two after lessons. Students could leave early with parents permission, but would often want to stay to participate in the activities.

10. Walking would become a national sport. Everybody would get books to keep track of their mileage and participation, and awards would be given out for certain milestones.

Wow. I planned on seven, and I got ten. How's that for reaching or exceeding a goal. I just hope someone is listening. Thanks you for reading this.