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Go To The Bottom Of The Class

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By JOHN NASH

Of Cabbages and Kings

Published: July 15, 2008

Yes, I recognize that many consider me to be a pessimist who focuses myopic eyes on worrisome signs of what the future holds. And some also perhaps recognize that I have, on more than a few occasions, criticized the state of inadequate education of our youth.
Since many of you drive gas-guzzling vehicles with bumper stickers bragging about your "honor student" children, you are especially in doubt about my mental acuity. Well, stand by, because here comes another broadside. A prestigious, international organization has determined that, when measured by the educational level of 15-year-old schoolchildren, the United States, once again, didn't even make a list of the top 20. Ahead of us were such as Estonia, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Slovenia, Taiwan and Macau — Macau?
Every three years, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) uses its respected Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) to test students from dozens of the more "advanced" nations, on core subjects of mathematics, science and reading. The most recent survey — 2006, but results released late last year — included 57 countries, of which the U.S. was one.
Tiny Finland took top honors, but in considering that, we must recognize that those Nordic peoples don't have many illegal and illiterate immigrants — or any other ethnic groups, for that matter. Canada did fairly well, as did Hong Kong and South Korea. Again, not many illegal immigrants in any of those nations or do they suffer from significant populations of persons with little or no desire to maximize their educational opportunities, as do we.
Here is a more inconvenient truth than Al Gore's nonsense about global warming: "A most significant gauge of a nation's potential and welfare is found by measuring the state of its public education system; core subjects (e.g., reading, science, and mathematics) are the heart of any such study. The United States of America is woefully inadequate as thus measured." In 2004, following release of the results of the 2003 tests in which the U.S. came in 24th of 29 evaluated, our respected and authoritative Wall Street Journal cautioned, "Economic Time Bomb: U.S. Teens Are Among Worst at Math." Not only do our 15-year-olds test below most of the other nations, but our high school graduation rate is well under world norms, and perhaps half of students graduating with honors from university science and engineering courses are foreigners, whom we won't permit to stay and work here, because of the so-called "Hispanic" lobby, which wants blanket amnesty for 20 million illegal, and illiterate, immigrants before it will agree to raising the quota for Ph.D. engineering students from places such as India.
Yes, the appalling results of tests of U.S. students is shocking, and should be of significant concern to us — especially to our elected officials — yet we bury our heads in the sand, doing little other than trying to correct the disastrous situation by throwing ever greater amounts of money at it. The results of the 2003 PISA evaluation showed that nations that spent more on education did not necessarily do better than those investing less. Nations such as Korea, Finland, Australia and the Czech Republic tested relatively high, although they spent about a third less per student than did the U.S., which ranked near the bottom of the list of 29 countries then tested by OECD.
Folks, the unacceptable and unwelcome fact is that our schools are failing because you and I are failing. We're not, in general, involved — really involved — in our children's education. We don't inspire them to study hard and to focus on useful subjects — science, mathematics, geography, English grammar and literature, history, etc. Nor do we regularly participate in parent/teacher meetings. Indeed, it appears that the extent of our concern about what goes on in our children's schools is limited to discussions about whether or not pizza should be served in free lunches or which brands of soda pop should be sold in vending machines.
We provide our children with unnecessary cell phones to take to school where they not only interfere with learning, but are used to help cheat on tests; give them their own car as soon as they get a learner's permit and then complain to the teachers when a spoiled brat gets a grade below an "A." It is no surprise when more than half of a graduating class is on the "Honors List," yet can't balance a check book or find China on a world map.
Nations that have tested well on the PISA scale are those with relatively homogeneous populations, which have emphasized the fundamental importance of studying — really studying — core subjects. The U.S. has a particular problem in that we have millions of illiterate immigrants from south of our border, along with a long-standing population of blacks burdened with a culture that looks down on formal education. Those problems are not solved by careless actions, such as bussing, free meals or smaller class sizes or by "feel good" measures such grade inflation.
Indeed, such measures do far more damage than good.
The only answer to our apparent problem with education is found in our homes, families and the media, which too often panders to the perceived preferences of a poorly educated population. All of us need to work to convince our children that the most important part of their life is in doing their very best while in school. The importance and significance of entertainers and obscenely over-paid athletes should be de-emphasized; at the same time we must appropriately recognize and honor scholars, scientists, engineers and others vital to our nation's success.
Grade inflation must be corrected: An "A" should be awarded only for truly outstanding work; D's and F's applied when and where deserved. Honest, fair and accurate application of reward, recognition and punishment are essential parts of the educational process.
Yes, the picture of education across these fruited plains is not a pretty one, but fear not, for even should we choose to do nothing to alter the destructive course now steered, our spoiled children will continue to be able to read and write — even if only with their thumbs. After all, how else would they be able to pass time in school, if not while playing with grammatically-corrupt, mind-numbing, text messaging?

John Nash has been a widely-published journalist and photographer for more than 30 years. He welcomes rational comment, sent to him at john@have-eye.com.

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