Let Me Bitch About America’s Failure to Educate Our People
Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart
America’s greatest failure is not our corrupt government in
Washington, or the fact that Trump was allowed a win in 2016 although the
election was clearly rigged, and the leaders of both parties knew it prior to
November 8th... The greatest danger to our nation’s future is how we
are failing our children. Our educational system is rated at the bottom of all
developed nations. The following is just one report from a world organization.
[America ranks 13th in education rankings by country based
on 2024 data. The U.S. ranks 6th in reading, 10th in science, and 26th in math
within the OECD.]
This statistic is unbelievable for me, because when I grew
up in the 1950’s and 1960’s, America’s educational system was ranked first in
the free world..
SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THEN AND NOW
When I was young, the focus in school was on reading,
writing, spelling, math, science, and in high school world and U.S. history.
Other classes were included; art, sometimes music, and for the girls, home
economics in high school.
There was daily homework for every primary subject in most
cases. However, most subjects required about 15-20 minutes. The total amount of
time was no more than one to one-and-a-half hours to complete. I still had time
to be “a kid,” and play outside with my brother and our friends before dark or
dinner time.
In some classes there were “pop quizzes” at the beginning of
each day. Most subjects required weekly tests, and of course the “big ones,”
the mid-terms and finals. We had to earn our grades. It was common for our
final grade to be a compilation of all test scores, with the mid-terms and
finals carrying a slightly higher percentage of importance.
Until my junior year of high school I attended Catholic
school. I had no idea what to expect when I attended a public school in my
junior year.
Other than the fact that classes included girls, and mixed
ethnicities, the only difference was the quality of teachers. I was pleased to
have teachers who were motivated, and in turn motivated the students. Of
course, there were a few “bad apples,” but nothing is perfect.
My grades remained above average. Although I spent most of
my free time playing basketball, I learned more during class time than I did in
Parochial School, and literally “zipped through my homework.”
Our class time was a little longer than today’s. However,
the biggest difference was the number of days per year spent in school.
The only Holidays were the classics. New Years Day, Memorial
Day, The 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and the Christmas
Break. The school year began in early September, and ended in mid-June. For the
most part, the holidays were fixed, not adjusted to three-day weekends for big
business. (Most schools were closed for one day on Abraham Lincoln’s birthday,
and George Washington’s birthday, February 22nd.)
WHAT I SEE TODAY
A few years ago, a Middle School was built on the BLM land
just blocks away from our home. I don’t know their complete schedule, but it
seems that there are a lot of “half-days.” It also appears that they have
additional time off for a “winter break,” a “spring break,” and time off for “teacher’s
meetings,” and a week of “half-days” for parent-teacher conferences. Most
subject matter is learned from the teachers, and the material stored on laptops.
I know this is a valid use of electronics, however, I
remember the value of books, and being able to review material I didn’t completely
understand with the flip of a few pages.
What I do know is what I have learned on television. I can
offer one fact which says it all.
It appears that my high school diploma was equal to a
Bachelor of Science, or Bachelor of Arts degree today. I knew much more about
everything than most college graduates do in 2024. I definitely knew more about
politics, history, how our government functions or not, and payed attention to
what was happening around the world. I knew which states bordered my own. I knew
which directions were north, south, east, or west. I knew who the vice-president
and presidents were, and my two state’s senators, and at least one
representative: the one who represented my district. Few of today’s college
students can answer these questions when asked today. And, yes, I could balance
a checkbook.
WE CAN, AND WE MUST DO BETTER
Our nation’s future is dependent on our country’s quality of
education. Over the last 40+ years, there has been a “dumbing down in America.”
Incompetent politicians began calling educated Americans “elitists.” Today,
they are referred to as “woke.”
The fees, etc., charged by our colleges and universities are
prohibitive for most Americans in 2024. America is losing some of its greatest
minds every year. Many of the highest paying jobs in our nation are being “farmed
out” to young men and women from other countries, including India, China, South
Korea, Japan, and several other nations.
When I was a young man, the focus of every family was
education for their children. Today the emphasis appears to be on extracurricular
activities, and video games.
If it appears that I am very worried for America’s future, I
am.
Op-ed by James Turnage
Please tell everyone about my blog: “TheWiseOldFart,”
because the truth lives here
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