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Rekna · 08-30-2007, 01:31 PM

The above is a great example of what is wrong with the current education system. I'd like to discuss the exact question that this girl was asked.

"Recent polls have shown 1/5th of Americans can't locate the US on a world map. Why do you think this is?"

I have heard statistics like this before and it makes me wonder what is wrong with us. But before we assume that all Americans are dumb we should probably verify the poll is a fair poll. Does anyone know what study they are referring to and how the poll was conducted?

If this poll is indeed true, then what is wrong with our education system? I used to believe such stats were skewed and kids were just being funny on the polls in order to be purposefully wrong but I doubt that many kids would do that. But now I there are many different problems which are culminating to the crisis that we are seeing.

First teachers in this country are paid way to little. In my home town teachers were making around 18k a year starting out. Educating our population is one of the most important jobs around why is it that our teachers are being paid like high school drop outs? How can we increase there pay? Should we increase taxes, decrease spending, ect?

Second there is a culture of "I don't care" in our youth. It isn't cool to be smart so why should people care. Are Americans to spoiled that they are now getting lazy and don't care about trying to make a life for themselves?

I think parents are a large part of the problem. Parents need to encourage there kids to do well in school, push them, challenge them, and don't let them just give up. What motivation is there for a child to learn if his or her parent's are going to just give them everything? Should you really buy that D average child of yours a cell phone? Make your children do well in school in order to earn the luxuries they now think they deserve.

In addition, many young adults are going to college to party and not to learn on the parents dime. I think this is a huge mistake. I thinking paying for my child's tuition is fine as long as they do good in their classes. When my children get to college I'll gladly refund most or all of their class costs depending on their grades.

What do you think is the cause of this problem and what can we do to stop it?

08-30-2007, 01:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
Rekna Junkie	Education in the USA The above is a great example of what is wrong with the current education system. I'd like to discuss the exact question that this girl was asked. "Recent polls have shown 1/5th of Americans can't locate the US on a world map. Why do you think this is?" I have heard statistics like this before and it makes me wonder what is wrong with us. But before we assume that all Americans are dumb we should probably verify the poll is a fair poll. Does anyone know what study they are referring to and how the poll was conducted? If this poll is indeed true, then what is wrong with our education system? I used to believe such stats were skewed and kids were just being funny on the polls in order to be purposefully wrong but I doubt that many kids would do that. But now I there are many different problems which are culminating to the crisis that we are seeing. First teachers in this country are paid way to little. In my home town teachers were making around 18k a year starting out. Educating our population is one of the most important jobs around why is it that our teachers are being paid like high school drop outs? How can we increase there pay? Should we increase taxes, decrease spending, ect? Second there is a culture of "I don't care" in our youth. It isn't cool to be smart so why should people care. Are Americans to spoiled that they are now getting lazy and don't care about trying to make a life for themselves? I think parents are a large part of the problem. Parents need to encourage there kids to do well in school, push them, challenge them, and don't let them just give up. What motivation is there for a child to learn if his or her parent's are going to just give them everything? Should you really buy that D average child of yours a cell phone? Make your children do well in school in order to earn the luxuries they now think they deserve. In addition, many young adults are going to college to party and not to learn on the parents dime. I think this is a huge mistake. I thinking paying for my child's tuition is fine as long as they do good in their classes. When my children get to college I'll gladly refund most or all of their class costs depending on their grades. What do you think is the cause of this problem and what can we do to stop it?