The WSJ article she cited stated that depressing number was actually a slight improvement.[1] Only two-thirds are competent in English and barely a majority can competently read. Cranky is on the front lines in collegiate education and she is surprised the numbers are even that good.
Back in the old days, those numbers would not be so depressing, as there were plenty of decent-paying blue-collar jobs to absorb the high school graduates (and dropouts) who weren't so good at school. For example, my first job out of high school was in a factory that paid me $3 an hour, which nowadays would be about $20 an hour, which is a pretty decent starting wage, especially if you can get any overtime. The factory offered the five of us they hired as summer help permanent work and two accepted. A lot of the full-time workers, who were pad 50 cents an hour more or better, had late-model cars, they owned their own homes and their wives stayed home with the kids.
That factory closed a long time ago. Those days are gone. The steel mills, the factories are gone. Those jobs are gone. The schools need to step up to the plate. This isn't the job of the politicians, this is the job of the American people. We have to regard educating our kids as an investment in our national future and, frankly, we are falling down on the job.
(part 1)
[1] As far as I know, the reporters of the Wall Street Journal have not yet been fully infected the the Murdoch Fox News Zombie Virus. You know what I mean by that.
If we educate our kids won't they then realize that we allowed their inheritance to be not only be spend, but we have also left them saddled with a huge IOU? Might it be a better idea to keep them at least a little bit ignorant and unable to think critically? That way we could tell them that aliens or wizards made off with all the gold. Otherwise if they ever figure out just how badly we've screwed 'em, they might want to pull a Logan's Run on us. Can't say I would blame them, either.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I'm really enjoying your blog, just discovered it this morning.
Thomas, welcome. I gather you cam from C&L; I've had a huge spike in traffic this morning.
ReplyDeleteYes, C&L was my jumping off point.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Idiotcracy, here are a few links from my "Ignorance" bookmarks folder, a rather depressing collection if there ever was one.
You mentioned that 39% of Americans are certified imbeciles? I'll see your 39% and raise you 9% that 48% of Americans believe that God created "humans pretty much in the present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so." I suppose most of those same people believe God created Medicare "pretty much in the present form" as well.
Now I'll admit that I once had some questions regarding the veracity of Evolution (since answered), so I can kinda-sorta maybe-just-a-little understand why so many Americans could get tripped-up on that one, but then we have this gem from a 2005 NYT story about scientific savvy in America. The highlight... er, lowlight... for me was that one in five Americans think "the Sun revolves around the Earth." Really? Because if that is true (I'd like to see a follow-up survey) then that isn't just stupid, it is scary stupid. But I suppose we should try to keep an open mind and consider arguments which run counter to our own, right? So, in the spirit of free thinking I present to you the "Fixed Earth" website. As the owner says: "Take your time. Check it all out. Decide for yourself." It's okay, I'll wait.
...
So, what do you think? Pretty convincing case, no? I don't mean about geocentric theory, I mean about people being scary stupid. How long do you suppose it will take the Republicans to jump on this bandwagon? Seriously, can't you just picture the next Republican Presidential debate where someone asks for a show of hands of who believes in the Biblical Earth as the center of the universe? It's really not that big of a leap for creationists.
All of which reminds me of this article from last November: America The Illiterate. Maybe you were right to doubt those ACT scores.
Anyway, just thought I'd share with you this morning, and thanks for the welcome. :)
where did i read that 25% of americans cant find the US on a map and 10% of americans dont know hawaii is a state
ReplyDeletehence the birthers