The Tampa Bay Tribune – Staff Writer
“Retired Rear Adm. Casey W. Coane delivered a calm, data-driven speech to a group of business leaders Tuesday, but his message screamed like an air siren warning of an impending attack. Coane is a member of Mission: Readiness, a group of more than 500 retired generals and admirals concerned about the nation’s education system. He was the perfect keynote speaker for the United Way’s Early Literacy Initiative luncheon and the core of his message was simple: Add national security to the list of reasons we need to improve education and convince state leaders to create a quality preK program. How do national security and education relate? The military relies on the educational system to prepare men and women to serve. But because of that system’s faltering efforts, the pool of viable candidates keeps shrinking.”(more)