Our schools are graduating a generation of illiterates.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/n ... cores.html

One more nail in the coffin of a once great country.

For you see, he never even finished grade school. Yet now we fret and wring our hand about SAT scores. Is it perhaps because a higher percentage of students than ever are taking the SAT test?

And by the way, the head of The College Board, which promulgates the SAT, is the former governor of West Virginia, Gaston Caperton?

Its true that more students are taking SAT tests now- which defenders of public education cite to explain the steadily declining scores but there is plenty of other evidence that today's high school students graduate with half the education of previous generations.

We have discussed this before so I'm not going to rehash it now- but read the comments that were posted in response to that article and see how many people agree with me that our public education system is grade D these days.

Maybe we're either expecting too much or expecting the wrong things from education (whether public or private). Perhaps we are ignoring the alternatives of academic classroom education, although vocation eduction has been looked down on as long as I can remember. The way we do education is not the only way but clearly not everyone has the same idea about schooling.

Well purpose of education is to allow us to function in society and when many people are incapable of filling out job applications coherently or the simplest tax forms without going to H.R. Block it shows that schools are not doing their job.

Should there be free public education or not?

Of course. And it worked fine for many generations.
It worked well when I was in school.
That's why I'm angry that it's not working now.

Should there be free public education or not?

I think public education ensures that all children, regardless of the economic status of their family, have the OPPORTUNITY for an education.

Note the OPPORTUNITY part. As I stated in my other post today, I don't think teachers are the primary reason when America's schoolchildren are lagging behind. I agree with a comment I heard on the radio the other day: "This is MY education . . not the teacher's . . not my parents' . . mine. It is my responsibly to do those things to pursue MY education . . my parents and teachers are available to help me." Right on! For too long, we have seen EVERYONE BUT the children held accountable for children's education. Yes, I think parental involvement, support and discipline are indispensible to a child's education -- education (or lack thereof) starts in the home. Parents can do a lot to instill values, including the value of an education . . and set standards, limits and consequences. Teachers can be indifferent or they can be helpful. STILL, it is the child's responsibility -- they must be told this -- that it is THEIR education . . it is THEIR future life at stake . . and it is THEIR choice as to how all of that will go.

I don't think many of us would blame parents or doctors for the negative outcome for any person who knows what healthful habits are and yet chooses to pursue other habits. We wouldn't see an obese person gorge on junk foods and say, "Their parents failed thom" or "They have an incompetent doctor." Likewise, we wouldn't see people wrecking their health with booze or illicit drugs and then blame the doctor or family. So, why is it that we hold teachers and schools accountable for the poor academic performance of children who won't do their homework or study? Now, if the parents went to the school to complain, "You're giving too much homework! My little Johnnie can't get to the highest level playing Halo II if he has to do all this reading!" . . then I'd blame the parents also. But we aren't helping anyone or our country by shifting blame and not requiring personal responsibility from each and every person.

OK, I'm off my soapbox now . .

Of course. And it worked fine for many generations.
It worked well when I was in school.
That's why I'm angry that it's not working now.

. . . . .

Please explain. Can you elaborate on how public education worked 100 years ago?

This is a serious question. Most people's comments are based on their own experiences and memories (however faulty), which of course go back no further than their childhood and no further than the county line.

Well I don't know about a hundred years ago but at least since my parent's time, public education was quite good in the 1930 and '40s. Neither of them went to college but had a broad knowledge of what was needed to make a good living in responsible jobs. And not to be too immodest, but nearly everything I see makes me think I'm much better educated than the typical high school graduate I see today.