'Dumbest Generation Getting Dumber'

The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an international comparison of 15-year-olds conducted by The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that measures applied learning and problem-solving ability. In 2006, U.S. students ranked 25th of 30 advanced nations in math and 24th in science. McKinsey & Company, in releasing its report "The Economic Impact of the Achievement Gap in America's Schools" (April 2009) said, "Several other facts paint a worrisome picture. First, the longer American children are in school, the worse they perform compared to their international peers. In recent cross-country comparisons of fourth grade reading, math, and science, US students scored in the top quarter or top half of advanced nations. By age 15 these rankings drop to the bottom half. In other words, American students are farthest behind just as they are about to enter higher education or the workforce." That's a sobering thought. The longer kids are in school and the more money we spend on them, the further behind they get.

The great Walter Williams, professor of economics at George Mason University, effectively blows the whistle on the U.S. public school system and its gross failures. Read the entire article here.

'Ignorance Reigns Supreme'

In a stunning syndicated op-ed on just how thoroughly American citizens have been dumbed down by our sorry educational system, Dr. Walter Williams points to the disheartening survey that shows less than 50% of Americans can name the 3 branches of government.

It only gets worse from there.

Only 27% know that the Bill of Rights prohibits the U.S. from establishing an official religion of the state.

The literacy level of Americans when it comes to civics is remarkably poor. 71% failed the civics test.

Based on a review of these stats, along with data from a few other surveys, Williams makes this dire assessment:

With limited thinking abilities and knowledge of our heritage, we Americans set ourselves up as easy prey for charlatans, hustlers and quacks. If we don't know the constitutional limits placed on Congress and the White House, politicians can do just about anything they wish to control our lives, from deciding what kind of light bulbs we can use to whether the government can take over our health care system or bailout failing businesses. We just think Congress can do anything upon which they can get a majority vote.

Read the whole thing and ponder over it carefully. We need to do some serious revamping of our educational system from top to bottom, even if it means laying to rest government-run schools.