The recent violence at my alma mater, The Berkeley Institute, is disturbing. But this is only part of the problem. More on this after the Top 20.

Still #1 is Maxwell's slow jam Pretty Wings. At #2 again is Breakup by Mario featuring Gucci Mane and Sean Garrett. Ego by Beyonce improves to #3. Up to #4 is Last Chance by Ginuwine. Falling to #5 is Magnificent by Rick Ross featuring John Legend.

Improving to #6 it's the monster dance anthem I Know You Want Me by Pitbull. Up to #7 is Successful by Drake featuring L'il Wayne. Soaring to #8 is Mary Mary with God in Me, Up to #9 is Throw it in the Bag by Fabolous featuring the Dream. Climbing to #10 is Run This Town by Jay Z, Rihanna and Kanye West.

Improving to #11 and shifting gears to dance music is the cool new hit track Celebration by Madonna. Up to #12 is Obsessed by Mariah Carey. Falling to #6 is Knock You Down by Keri Hilson featuring Kanye West and Ne-yo.

Now some new music. Up top #14 is this week is Would've Been The One by Solange, a dance hit and a former essential new tune. Improving to #15 is Wasted by Gucci Mane featuring Plies or OJ Da Juiceman. Up to #16 is Under by Pleasure P. Skyrocketing to #17 is Whitney Houston's monster hit anthem Million Dollar Bill, which continues to fly up dance, club and pop music charts worldwide. Falling to #18, it's Every Girl by Young Money.

Now this week's essential new tune. New at # 19 is Boom Boom Pow by Black Eyed Peas. This is an anthem that kicks, is catchy and everybody is singing it. In at #20 is S.O.S. (Let The Music Play), by Jordin Sparks. This is a remake of Shannon's huge disco hit Let the Music Play, a party, nightclub and household anthem from back in the 1980s; when some of the best music was created.

Now back to this week's word – our young people. My school, the Berkeley Institute, has hidden its dirty laundry for years. Well, the secret is out; Berkeley is no better than CedarBridge. So us proud Berkeleyites can now just get our heads out of the sand and admit (publicly for me today) that our school just isn't what it used to be. The violence is disturbing but it is part of a bigger problem.

I am more concerned now about this bigger picture problem. A well respected former educator who is close to the situation recently made the following critically important statement: "The top graduates coming out of Berkeley and CedarBridge Academy cannot compete academically, socially and definitely not performance-wise with the expatriate servers who work in their schools' cafeterias, who have the same level of education."

It is important to note that the same phenomenon is not true for students graduating from our private schools; they seem to be able to compete effectively. So, to state the obvious, previously stated numerous times, we have serious problems with our public education system.

Now the news that is even worse! Are you ready for it? Even if we fixed the problem today; we would not see the benefit for at least ten to 15 years because there isn't sufficient time to save persons already in our high schools. The best we could hope for is to save those who are just leaving elementary school, before they enter middle school.

I'm no expert on school systems and curriculums but I think the majority of the community would be happy and would feel that there was hope for change if we simply abandoned the middle school concept and used the same model in the private schools. Don't hate; it seems to work. But since that may not be realistic or likely to happen (because humans are by their nature born bullheaded!); we all may as well jump on board with the Cambridge curriculum, buy into it, support it and will it to succeed!

But there is another piece. Fixing the education system is only part of it. I believe our 18-21-year-olds cannot compete with the guest worker with the same level of education because our young people are not as driven, hungry, desirous of success, disciplined and we don't have the same work ethic or attitude as the foreigner. Don't try to focus on why for the moment. The reality is that any employer prefers to hire the most effective employee, with the best work ethic, the best attitude, the highest level of discipline, highest level of education and the greatest ability to apply their knowledge. When you combine all those things, the majority of our Bermudian employees and recent graduates from our high schools are not in the same class as their foreign counterparts. Go ahead; hate me for speaking the truth. But acceptance of the truth will set us free and allow us to really solve the problem.

We must develop in our young people and in ourselves a better attitude towards work and life, a better work ethic, a higher standard of discipline, the desire to succeed and "make it". While I think this should come from the home, unfortunately, many young people don't get it in the home.

Some can obtain it themselves as they age, but we must somehow start producing the type of Bermudians leaving high school who are smart, driven, goal oriented, ambitious, disciplined, with a productive work ethic and attitude. Otherwise, more and more guest workers are going to come to Bermuda and take not only the best jobs, but most of the jobs. Is that what we want? I think not. So let's fix it. Peace…