I hear a lot of talk about the problems within our country, but one subject I don't hear discussed enough is education. However, if we want to see lasting change in this country, education has to be the foundation of that change.

As it stands, thousands of rural and inner city schools are left underfunded and are under performing. Students aren't being given the education they deserve and it doesn't just harm those individual students who might not get the same opportunities as other students, it hurts us as a society.

The only students who won't suffer from a faulty education system are those who have the money to attend a private institution or get a tutor. The poor will be less educated and less likely to get a high paying job and will remain poor while the rich continue to get richer. The huge wage gap that exists in the U.S. will just continue to grow if we don't find a way to make education more accessible for all.

The public education system is the foundation for education in America. The better educated our students are, the more educated country we will have. A better educated America can only help us move forward economically -- more people will be able to do their jobs better and come up with new ideas. But perhaps, more importantly, having a well-educated public is essential to maintaining a stable government.

Just recently, "fake news" has been a major topic in the news. What is fake news? How do we spot it? "Fake news" isn't a new concept, but false news stories do have unprecedented power in the media age. If we want our kids to be able to tell truth from fiction or just know how to fact check, they need an education.

A better-educated public will be able to have more productive conversations about their disagreements or the direction in which they want the country to go. Having educated students and later, voting adults can only lead to a more empathetic and aware public. The big changes many want to see take place in America will only happen if we focus on education as the base of our society.