Dumbing-Down of America

[spain]

March 05, 2007

 

Dumbing-Down of America

By Patrick J. Buchanan

 

Fifty years ago this October, Americans were jolted by the news that Moscow, one year after drowning the Hungarian Revolution in blood, had put an 80-kilo satellite into Earth orbit.

 

In December, the U.S. Navy tried to replicate the feat. Vanguard got four feet off the ground and exploded, incinerating its three-pound payload. America was humiliated. Khrushchev was Man of the Year. Some of us yet recall the Vanguard newsreels and the humiliating laughter.

 

Stunned, America went to work to improve education in math and science, and succeeded. The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores of high school seniors began to rise, reaching a high in 1964.

 

However, test scores for high school students have been falling now for 40 years. In 1984, the Reagan administration issued A Nation at Risk, documenting the deterioration of American public education.

 

More trillions of dollars were thrown at the problem. And if one judged by the asserted toughening up of courses and rising grades of seniors, it appeared we had made marvelous progress. On March 4, The Washington Times reported:

 

"In 2005, 17 percent of graduates had completed a 'standard' curriculum, 41 percent completed a 'midlevel' curriculum, and 10 percent completed a 'rigorous' curriculum. Fifteen years earlier, the percentages were 9 percent (standard), 26 percent (midlevel) and 5 percent (rigorous). Grade point averages (GPA) increased, as well. The average overall GPA increased from 2.68 in 1990 to 2.98 (virtually a B level) in 2005.

 

However, it is all a giant fraud, exposed as such by the performances of high school seniors on the National Assessment of Educational Progress exams known as the "nation's report card." An NAEP test of 12th-grade achievement was given to what The New York Times called a "representative sample of 21,000 high school seniors attending 900 public and private schools from January to March 2005."[schools, Money, And Results, March 3, 2007]

 

What did the tests reveal?

 

Since 1990, the share of students lacking even basic reading skills has risen by a third, from 20 percent to 27 percent.

 

Only 35 percent of high school seniors have reached a "proficient" level in reading, down from 40 percent.

 

Only 16 percent of black and 20 percent of Hispanic students had reached a proficient level in reading.

 

Among high school seniors, only 29 percent of whites, 10 percent of Hispanic students and 6 percent of black students were proficient in math.

This is only the half of it. Among the kids whose test scores on reading and math were not factored in were the 25 percent of white students and 50 percent of black and Hispanic kids who had dropped out by senior year.Factor the dropouts back in, and what the NAEP test suggests is that, of black kids starting in first grade, about one in eight will be able to read at the level of a high school senior after 12 years, and one in 33 will be able to do the math. Among Hispanic kids, one in 10 will be able to read at a high-school senior level, but only one in 20 will be able to do high-school math.

 

We're not going to make it. We're not even going to come close.

 

Why are so many Americans ignorant of the depths of failure of so many schools? As Sailer explains, it is due to government deceit.

 

"Not surprisingly, practically every single state cheats in order to meet the law" mandating a rising academic proficiency.

"For example, Mississippi... recently declared that 89 percent of its fourth-graders were at least 'proficient' in reading.

 

"Unfortunately, however, on the federal government's impartial National Assessment of Education Progress test, only 18 percent of Mississippi students were 'proficient' or 'advanced.'"

 

Hence, a huge slice of the U.S. educational establishment is complicit in a monstrous fraud that, if you did it in business, would get you several years at the nearby minimum security facility.

 

This is corruption. Teachers are handing out grades kids do not deserve. States are dumbing-down tests to make themselves look good. Voters are being deceived about how much kids are learning.

 

There is no real moral distinction between what teachers and educators are doing on a vast scale and what professional athletes do on a smaller scale when they take steroids to enhance performance.

 

As The Washington Times noted, according to the Digest of Education Statistics, spending for public education, in constant (inflation-adjusted) dollars, rose from $6,256 a year per student before "A Nation at Risk" to $10,464 in the 2002-2003 school year. Taxpayers have thus raised their annual contribution to education by a full two-thirds in real dollars in a quarter century. More than generous.

 

Under George W. Bush, U.S. Department of Education funding has risen 92 percent in six years, from $35.5 billion in 2001 to $68 billion in 2007. Sinking test scores are what we have to show for it.

 

Taxpayers are being lied to and swindled by the education industry, which has failed them, failed America and flunked its assignment—and should be expelled for cheating.

[Big Country]

[isleseeya]

At the least our president is extremely bright

[Pope Flick]

If there's a single union in the US that should be blown up it's teacher unions.

 

They should triple the pay for teachers, then make it 4x as hard to become one. Then, you'll get teachers as good as doctors. But of course, that would never happen because all those cheating dimwits woould lose their jobs.

[Kid Cid]

If there's a single union in the US that should be blown up it's teacher unions.

 

They should triple the pay for teachers, then make it 4x as hard to become one. Then, you'll get teachers as good as doctors. But of course, that would never happen because all those cheating dimwits woould lose their jobs.

 

Just so we all understand something, this has nothing to do with the teacher's union, per se. Every single aspect of our education system is complicit in this crime.

[Pope Flick]

Just so we all understand something, this has nothing to do with the teacher's union, per se. Every single aspect of our education system is complicit in this crime.

 

 

 

I do understand that, but a big problem is that these kids aren't learning because there are unqualified people out there trying to teach them. They're protected by these unions from being replaced. Blow it up! The good one will stay and those not qualified need to find work elsewhere because they're not qualified.

Edited March 6, 2007 by Pope Flick

[wiegie]

I've said here before that we should go to a voucher system for educating kids. (And to avoid any separation of church and state issues, they can just prohibit any teaching of religious doctrine in any schools that get money.)

[Perchoutofwater]

Just so we all understand something, this has nothing to do with the teacher's union, per se. Every single aspect of our education system is complicit in this crime.

 

 

The teachers unions as well as lawyers make it next to impossible to fire a teacher, particularly if they are a minority. You almost have to commit a felony to be fired. That being said the biggest problem with education in the parents of the students. They are not involved in their children's education, and then complain and threaten school districts with law suits if their child is failed. Corporal punishment has to be agreed to by the parents, and guess which parents kids are the trouble makers. Public education is a joke, but the main reason it is a joke is because most of the parents aren't involved, and the kids of those that are have to sit through class that are dumbed down for those who's parents don't care. It is a shame that we all must pay for others mistakes. We need to move on to a voucher system.

[spain]

I've said here before that we should go to a voucher system for educating kids. (And to avoid any separation of church and state issues, they can just prohibit any teaching of religious doctrine in any schools that get money.)

 

Teachers Unions will fight that voucher system tooth and nail...

[Big Country]

In California, 50% of teachers leave the profession altogether within 5 years. SO, I don't think disbanding the teachers union will help Josh Gordon out the good from the bad.

 

As my wife has gone through a master's program in education and worked at a lot of schools, the single biggest thing she has seen that is the difference between student's that are excelling and those faltering is parental involvement.

 

Too many people view the public education system as nothing more than free daycare. They take little to no involvement with their child in their education. I hate to say it as it will fuel spain, but she did see a definite correlation in this based on ethnic background.

 

I know I don't know what the solution is, but, throwing more mne at the problem may not help, though, considering many of the teachers at the schools my wife worked at were buying their own supplies just so the class room had some basics, it is obvious there is something wrong when there is $68 billion being spent on education and the teachers themselves are footing the bill for pencils and chalk, etc.

[Furd]

The teachers unions as well as lawyers make it next to impossible to fire a teacher . . .

 

I know that you like to blame lawyers for all of the world's problems, but you gotta 'splain this one Lucy.

[Pope Flick]

In California, 50% of teachers leave the profession altogether within 5 years. SO, I don't think disbanding the teachers union will help Josh Gordon out the good from the bad.

 

 

 

I think complete recertification of teachers is a solid starting point, and the union would never let that happen in order to protect those that wouldn't make the cut.

[Big Country]

I think complete recertification of teachers is a solid starting point, and the union would never let that happen in order to protect those that wouldn't make the cut.

 

 

I could agree with that. I do know that, at least in California, the certification process has gotten a bit tougher in the last few years, but much of that is more for teacher's going for their master's degrees. There is a lot more testing involved than there was just 5 years ago. Some steps in the right direction, but, again I believe it really only affects those teachers that have furthered their own education and gone for the master's degree in teaching/education

[xMRogers]

I think complete recertification of teachers is a solid starting point, and the union would never let that happen in order to protect those that wouldn't make the cut.

 

 

 

Seriously? A profession that everyone agrees is woefully underpaid and about to approach a level of need due to retirements that is ridiculous...and your going to ask a teacher that's been doing the job for 20 years to recertify, and when they balk, throw them out?

 

That'll work wonders...

[Pope Flick]

I could agree with that. I do know that, at least in California, the certification process has gotten a bit tougher in the last few years, but much of that is more for teacher's going for their master's degrees. There is a lot more testing involved than there was just 5 years ago. Some steps in the right direction, but, again I believe it really only affects those teachers that have furthered their own education and gone for the master's degree in teaching/education

 

 

 

On that note, I'd love to see the federal funds accounted for, reacquired so they're not stolen and using that money to a-but supplies so teacher don't go out of pocket and b- to get teachers who want it back into school for their masters.

[H8tank]

the certification process has gotten a bit tougher in the last few years,

 

No offense to your wife, but public education in caliphornia is a joke, and I have the ditzy wife to prove it.

 

I went to school for a while in anaheim, and that curriculum compared to what I was used to in my RED state was night and day.

[Kid Cid]

I do understand that, but a big problem is that these kids aren't learning because there are unqualified people out there trying to teach them. They're protected by these unions from being replaced. Blow it up! The good one will stay and those not qualified need to find work elsewhere because they're not qualified.

 

I understand you have an axe to grind here, but the unions are A problem, not THE problem. And what this article speaks about is a systemic failure from the Federal government right down to the individual teachers, parents and students. If I had to point fingers, I'd start with the parents. They hold ultimate responsibility for the upbringing of the child, not the education system.

 

Our current system of grades (both cohorts and system of measurement) are at the root of the problem IMO. Grouping children together by age cohort places a stigma upon a child that neither the teachers nor the school systems want to be responsible for. The grades assigned to measure a child's grasp of a particular subject are only an effective way of comparing Johnny to Suzie. They don't accurately gauge a subjects's mastering. Both should be done away with and replaced with task-based education in which a child only progresses in his or her education as far as the tasks they have mastered. At which point, their education in the next task begins.

 

Oh and before someone jumps on this and complains that this dumbs things down as well, the term task is used to embody both theoretical knowledge as well as practical application. It also includes multiple skill sets to accomplish each task. For example, a task could consist of reading a work order, producing a bill of goods, and building a small birdhouse from that information. This task would require reading, math and mechanical skills; something that would be challenging for many of today's HS graduates.

[Kid Cid]

I could agree with that. I do know that, at least in California, the certification process has gotten a bit tougher in the last few years, but much of that is more for teacher's going for their master's degrees. There is a lot more testing involved than there was just 5 years ago. Some steps in the right direction, but, again I believe it really only affects those teachers that have furthered their own education and gone for the master's degree in teaching/education

 

Degrees often don't mean squat. A lot of times they just mean you had the perseverence to put up with the BS curriculum. Testing only measures that you know how to answer test questions, not that you know how to teach.

[Big Country]

No offense to your wife, but public education in caliphornia is a joke, and I have the ditzy wife to prove it.

 

I went to school for a while in anaheim, and that curriculum compared to what I was used to in my RED state was night and day.

 

 

I agree with much of the public education in California. That is at least majorly to blame because of the new standardized testing that they have. The teacher's are no longer really allowed to teach as they see fit, they must teach to these standardized tests, the results of which affect funding and their reviews.

 

I went to private school from K through 6th grade. When I went to public school in 7th grade, I was placed in the advanced 8th grade English class and had to basically retake Algebra 1, which was 9th grade Math offered as advanced 8th grade, but essentially what I had been doing in 6th grade at private school. There were some very bright kids there, as I am sure is the same for every school, and some very dumb kids, as I know is the same.

[Pope Flick]

I understand you have an axe to grind here, but the unions are A problem, not THE problem. And what this article speaks about is a systemic failure from the Federal government right down to the individual teachers, parents and students. If I had to point fingers, I'd start with the parents. They hold ultimate responsibility for the upbringing of the child, not the education system.

 

 

Well, my real axe is a complete overhaul and what I suggest is one of several things I think need to happen. I dont want to suddenly find that money flowing correctly but into the hands of people who aren't using it properly or even worse as a band-aid thereby giving everyone the notion that it's been fixed when in fact it's little more than lip service.

 

 

 

Democratic schools are interesting as they encourage involvement, AND don't differentiate by age. Anyone ever have expereince with them?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_school

 

http://www.sudval.org/

[Big Country]

I understand you have an axe to grind here, but the unions are A problem, not THE problem. And what this article speaks about is a systemic failure from the Federal government right down to the individual teachers, parents and students. If I had to point fingers, I'd start with the parents. They hold ultimate responsibility for the upbringing of the child, not the education system.

 

Our current system of grades (both cohorts and system of measurement) are at the root of the problem IMO. Grouping children together by age cohort places a stigma upon a child that neither the teachers nor the school systems want to be responsible for. The grades assigned to measure a child's grasp of a particular subject are only an effective way of comparing Johnny to Suzie. They don't accurately gauge a subjects's mastering. Both should be done away with and replaced with task-based education in which a child only progresses in his or her education as far as the tasks they have mastered. At which point, their education in the next task begins.

 

Oh and before someone jumps on this and complains that this dumbs things down as well, the term task is used to embody both theoretical knowledge as well as practical application. It also includes multiple skill sets to accomplish each task. For example, a task could consist of reading a work order, producing a bill of goods, and building a small birdhouse from that information. This task would require reading, math and mechanical skills; something that would be challenging for many of today's HS graduates.

 

 

I'd have to agree that task based education is probably better than rote memorization and the standardized formulas of today.

[Pope Flick]

Seriously? A profession that everyone agrees is woefully underpaid and about to approach a level of need due to retirements that is ridiculous...and your going to ask a teacher that's been doing the job for 20 years to recertify, and when they balk, throw them out?

 

That'll work wonders...

 

 

 

Well, I also talk about at least tripling their salaries. Teachers need to make as much as doctors, and it needs to become as hard to become one.

[yo mama]

My parents were considering sending me to private school for Junior High. (Ended up doing 100% California public education K-12, FYI). They respected my then algebra teacher, who gave us all some advice I still remember: a student who wants to learn can get a quality education at any school. They can also fail at any school. Yes, some schools are better than others. But good students tend to do well where ever they go.

 

My point is that I doubt very much that the "problem" is the schools and teachers, though I'm sure in many cases they're a liability. The larger problem, IMO, is that we as a nation - as a family unit - place more emphasis on whos winning on America Idol than we do on spending time doing homework with our kids. How can we expect our kids to place an emphasis on eduction if we, as parents, do not lead by example?

 

If we want smarter kids we need to be more involved parents; quit trying to pawn off blame to teachers, schools, unions, and what not. The solution is standing in the mirror.

Edited March 6, 2007 by yo mama

[Big Country]

the single biggest thing she has seen that is the difference between student's that are excelling and those faltering is parental involvement.

 

Too many people view the public education system as nothing more than free daycare. They take little to no involvement with their child in their education.

 

 

My point is that I doubt very much that the "problem" is the schools and teachers, though I'm sure in many cases they're a liability. The larger problem, IMO, is that we as a nation - as a family unit - place more emphasis on whos winning on America Idol than we do on spending time to do homework with our kids.

 

If we want smarter kids we need to be more involved parents; quit trying to pawn off blame to teachers, schools, unions, and what not. The solution is standing in the mirror.

 

 

 

Good info here.

[H8tank]

If we want smarter kids we need to be more involved parents;

 

LOL! Can't get any more pie in the sky than that!

 

How about some reality?