Studio8 - Uniting the Arts

From an article posted on MSNBC.com

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12591413/

Americans between the ages of 18 and 24:

* One-third of respondents couldn’t pinpoint Louisiana on a map and 48 percent were unable to locate Mississippi.
* Fewer than three in 10 think it important to know the locations of countries in the news and just 14 percent believe speaking another language is a necessary skill.
* Two-thirds didn’t know that the earthquake that killed 70,000 people in October 2005 occurred in Pakistan.
* Six in 10 could not find Iraq on a map of the Middle East.
* While the outsourcing of jobs to India has been a major U.S. business story, 47 percent could not find the Indian subcontinent on a map of Asia.
* While Israeli-Palestinian strife has been in the news for the entire lives of the respondents, 75 percent were unable to locate Israel on a map of the Middle East.
* Nearly three-quarters incorrectly named English as the most widely spoken native language.
* Six in 10 did not know the border between North and South Korea is the most heavily fortified in the world. Thirty percent thought the most heavily fortified border was between the United States and Mexico.

Opinions..?

I suppose just ordinary illiteracy bothers me more than geographical illiteracy. I think I have seen polls like that year after year. Geography is boring to most kids. That is why we invaded Iraq, kind of a senior trip for high school grads to learn some world geography.

All these teachers here going to give you a better answer.

oh my.

why is geography boring to most kids? it's about the world they live in and that they, one would think, are eager to explore!

opinions? it's a shame. it's sad. and it speaks of a dangerous indifference.

It has to do with the way information is presented.
It's thrown at you like some kind of horror-show soap opera.

I guess the message is "politics are too complicated to get involved. foreign countries are too predictable and faraway to be important. just sit back and let the big boys do the important work, think about something else, oooh, look, a bunny rabbit"

Two weeks ago I met a guy called Peter from Chicago, we took him to see the Mt St Michel. I was pleased to meet him, but never had an occasion to give him my goodbyes.
Sometimes he'd go out with his friends to a thei restaurant, for example, to "get a taste of something new". But every time his friends would tqke the most familiar dish, instead of trying something really knew.
From that I concluded that people can be afraid to discover the unknown, because they already have a certain idea of the unknown and don't want to change it. They got comfortable with their guesses, and prefer classifying their guesses as true instead of being confronted with the unknown. The exploiters of "the bewildered herd" tend to play on that. You can go clubbing in the mediterranean for a week, never going out of your holliday resort, and then brag about how you travelled to Egypt. Which, technically, you have.

Returning to kids and illiteracy, maybe today's generation of children can sense that what they hear isn't true, or is deformed. Even at school. Which might be why they aren't all that bothered. And I'd understand that. With enough deliberate complications, people lying without restrain and contradictory messages, you can bore anyone out of their minds if you put your mind to it.

Or maybe

I don't know. I don't think the last paragraph I wrote is true, it's too hard for me to figure it out. I need input [sorry bout that word Zlatko] from a parent or someone who has a good sense of how a child's mind works.

What I do think is true is that kids are being taught to be afraid of the unfamiliar, so that they don't venture too far into it, and to make the unfamiliar a very large part of their universe.

I can only speak about my own experience with teachers. Bliss is finding a teacher that loves to teach. My high school geography teacher turned it into a dry dead subject. He had a lesson plan that he drew up years ago and never departed from it.

Europe is different, you can travel a thousand miles and cross many different cultures. Here you go a thousand miles in any direction and you are still in Kansas.

[sorry bout that word Zlatko]

?

I miss Zlatko, perezoso too.

Dear All:

My wife, who teaches Math, and I talk about this subject quite frequently, but I must admit that general illiteracy and common garden variety ignorance of just about everything among "the Many" ( as John Fowles, adapting Plato, calls them . . .) is not in the forefront of my worry, as it once was. That isn't because I'm not worried any more about the all-pervasive phenomenon, but because I'm older, and as an 87-year-old psychiatrist friend of mine says: "Now that I'm older, I'm forced to choose where to direct my attention more than I was . . ."

Personally, I began to see a serious decline around 1980 ( I taught from 1968-2000) among American college students in general knowledge. The problem of illiteracy and the pride evidently taken in that state is a separate matter on which I'll comment in a moment.

E.D. Hirsch's book on "cultural literacy", a term he fished from a pond of pleonasms (since culture and literacy have almost always been assumed to be interdependent) made a splash when it came out. The "general public" expressed concern over the fact that kids were graduating from school but knew very little about history, geography, literature and important scientific and cultural developments over time -- again, read "History." The depth of ignorance about the history of art, for example, even among those who practice painting, sculpture and architecture ( among other arts) is vast indeed. Most will be hard pressed to name one American sculptor, poet, or dancer. Unless television has recently aired some sort of program on the artist ( usually about a record price paid for one of their works at auction), he or she remains unknown.

Here's a brief comment, coherent and clear, by an Amazon.com reviewer:


( paste)

Reviewer: Chris Worden (Indianapolis, IN USA) - See all my reviews

This book ( Hirsch's) is an excellent resource, although because of the number of references, it cannot go into depth on many. But if you are looking for a general understanding of a concept, person, or phrase ingrained in American culture, you will find it here.
I fear that many critics of this book chastise it for its failure to include persons or events near and dear to their hearts. While I am sympathetic to that concern, the reader must understand that this book is akin to a popularity contest of culture, with the most commonly used/understood concepts rising to the top. This is actually a good thing, although it seems shallow at first blush.

As the authors note, the ability to communicate/read well stems from shared understanding. This book succeeds by providing what, at a minimum, should be known by someone because most literate Americans also know it. The authors, in fact, do not suggest we educate ourselves only within the confines of this book, or take its ideas as intrinsically more valuable. Rather, they say only that this is where we must start.

If my friends from abroad asked me what single best reference would prepare them to interact intelligently in America, this would be it.

( end paste)

Here's the link to Hirsch's book:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/custom ... e&n=283155

The crucial phrase Worden uses here is " . . .the ability to communicate/read well stems from shared understanding . . ."

This carries with it the necessity to know many things in some detail about which we are not centrally concerned. This used to be called general knowledge, or its undertaking "liberal education"
( i.e., education which frees through informing).

I used to emphasize in my classes that knowing nothing makes you vulnerable, and that having a specialist's knowledge of one thing: automobile engines, vacuum cleaners, tv sets, etc. doesn't genuinely "free' you. It used to be assumed that the "freeing" was necessary for independent thought, and that, in a participatory democracy, knowing something about a wide range of topics, including social, cultural and linguistic history, politics, war, nationalism, military aggression, international intervention in other countries, etc. would make you a better informed voter.

As early as the opening of the eighties, luring my students into semi-relaxed discussion informed me that they didn't vote and didn't think voting was important to their lives or their future. They refused to become impassioned over anything political, feeling it was "uncool" to do so.

They enjoyed the illusion that they were making all their own decisions, and yet they were so saturated and conditioned by corporate advertising they tended to purchase the same clothing, almost universally, featuring the same set of corporate logos.

Wearing a hundred-dollar jacket emblazoned with the name RAIDERS in black and silver meant becoming a living advertisement for a very large, impersonal corporate product, I urged them to consider. The RAIDERS jacket was universally popular at that time.

But the crafters of the psycho-strategy of product loyalty and consumer "bonding" to brand names were way ahead of them.

I have become a little diverted from the main topic here.

But I think the observation in that last paragraph is important. Now there is a worry about corporate infringement on the freedom of the Internet:

http://www.cdt.org/gilc/report.html

If A T and T and other large communication corporations have their way, the "new frontier" of communication, The Internet, shall become subject to their machinations, whims and manipulation:

( here is an e-mail I received from a friend, forwarded from MoveOn)

(paste)
May 2, 2006 5:01 PM
Subject: Save the Internet
Body: ----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
From: Friends of MoveOn
Date: May 2, 2006 9:51 AM

Do you buy books online, use Google, or download to an iPod? Everything we do online will be hurt if Congress passes a radical law next week that gives giant corporations more control over what we do and see on the Internet.

Internet providers like AT&T are lobbying Congress hard to gut Network Neutralitythe Internet's First Amendment and the key to Internet freedom. Net Neutrality prevents AT&T from choosing which websites open most easily for you based on which site pays AT&T more. BarnesandNoble.com doesn't have to outbid Amazon for the right to work properly on your computer.

If Net Neutrality is gutted, almost every popular sitefrom Google to eBay to iTunesmust either pay protection money to Internet companies like AT&T or risk having their websites process slowly. That why these high-tech pioneers and others are opposing Congress' effort to gut Internet freedom.

You can do your part todaycan you sign this petition telling your member of Congress to preserve Internet freedom? Click here:

http://www.civic.moveon.org/save_the_in ... NS3jUg&t=4

I signed this petition, along with 250,000 others so far. This petiton will be delivered to Congress before the House of Representatives votes next week. When you sign, you'll be kept informed of the next steps we can take to keep the heat on Congress.

Snopes.com, which monitors various causes that circulate on the Internet, explained:

Simply put, network neutrality means that no web site's traffic has precedence over any other's...Whether a user searches for recipes using Google, reads an article on snopes.com, or looks at a friend's MySpace profile, all of that data is treated equally and delivered from the originating web site to the user's web browser with the same priority. In recent months, however, some of the telephone and cable companies that control the telecommunications networks over which Internet data flows have floated the idea of creating the electronic equivalent of a paid carpool lane.

If companies like AT&T have their way, Web sites ranging from Google to eBay to iTunes either pay protection money to get into the "fast lane" or risk opening slowly on your computer. We can't let the Internetthis incredible medium which has been such a revolutionary force for democratic participation, economic innovation, and free speechbecome captive to large corporations.

Politicians don't think we are paying attention to this issue. Together, we do care about preserving the free and open Internet.

Please sign this petition letting your member of Congress know you support preserving Internet freedom. Click here:

http://www.civic.moveon.org/save_the_in ... NS3jUg&t=5

Thanks.


( end paste)

Will this attempt to create a higher level of awareness that corporations and their advertising permeate all aspects of most people's lives succeed?

I hope that the somnolent "Many" who elected ( I suppose) and then re-elected ( I suppose) George W. Bush and his administration, as BUSHKO plummets in the esteem of many Americans, will educate themselves about such matters.

Halliburton is not the ideal arbiter of fairness and justice.

But in terms of "business", many Americans are smarter than they are about history. Those with gas-guzzling SUVs and large vans are currently re-thinking those vehicle purchases.

My wife, who seems always away from or ahead of "the curve" bought a hybrid vehicle a few months ago and happily zips along at 45-miles-per gallon on average.

But as a teacher, she's appalled at how her students seem ignorant of just about everything, and not only that, but proud of it.

It isn't just young people, who have a hell of a time in this society.

I never blamed my students, since most people lack the hardihood to do what Pound recommended ( DOWN, E. Dog-- there's a good boy!) and "insist" on knowing.

Management personnel ( I refuse to call them "administrators", for they do not administer) of educational institutions are themselves deeply penetrated by cooperate advertising and trends.

So what if Edward Kennedy's new book is limp-organed, as many say it is? Don't give up on your own education. The Demos are not going to save us. You have to do it by learning something.

Insist on knowing.

I am humbled by my abysmal ignorance every day, and I'm running a race with the gravedigger ( I'll soon be 61) to try and learn a little something before my brief visit to this planet ends.
I came from poor white trash who lived in a trailer house and didn't know Dante from griddle grease. You can do it if I can.

Won't you join me?


Zlatko

hell yeah!

Do you all remember this map? It was circulating about 1/2 a year ago.

"Geography is boring to most kids. That is why we invaded Iraq, kind of a senior trip for high school grads to learn some world geography."

one of the better quotes i read in a while!

thanks, s-t.

by the way, what's up w/ you removing posts from the Anti-Academy? you need to ask permission first, just kidding!

Sorry e-dog I am so got dam suicidal these days, next time it happens I will cut my ear off instead. Posters remorse and vanity. If I can find it I will put it back.


I have seen that map knip posted it a while back.

http://www.studioeight.tv/phpbb/viewtop ... ght=canada


Geez Professor I wonder if it is worse or are we being nostalgic for the good old days. I remember when the math was changed back in the sixties, I think I was the last generation to learn the old math. I blame most of this dumbing down on television.

I will sign the petition if that would help.

btw thanks for the kind words e-dog. I can hardly read any more

Too much cannabis and caffeine maybe
The Plot Against America the only book I have read this year so far. I am grateful for you turning me onto it.

I am trying to sober up so I can read something by Borges he fascinates me, everything a cut up for me. I see where everything is coming from , that line inspired by a dumb country and western song. 'Old Hippie'

I like this bit from firsty on GO.

i steal everything from the big books of words and string them together in completely unoriginal ways in order to make points made a million times before in the hopes of once every so often hitting on something that makes a bit of sense.

http://www.studioeight.tv/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=6968

Zlatko! Nice seeing your presence here and thank you for your insightful reply.

I was taken by your comment, " I began to see a serious decline around 1980..." and spoke a bit about that with an old friend last night whose currently employed with the Seattle school system. (Do you know that in that system, it is not only okay but recommended that the students call their teacher by their first name?!) Altho it may not be 'PC' to condemn all students today, there is certainly a major disaster heading our way with those that come after us. I know you're aware of the horrendous decline in education in this country and may agree.

It'd be one thing if globally this decline in education were the fact, but more to the fact is that it is the U.S. that currently ranks 34 out of 40 in mathematics (for example)... this is, to me, an unbelievable statistic and one that makes very little sense to me, given this country's wealth and ability to do so much better.

Then this latest geographical bit of news just further shows how completely off base we have gotten with our children. Is it any wonder why corporate America is investing in foreign countries? To put full blame on the dollar amount being paid to U.S. workers may not be the sole reason for the 'globalization' we're witnessing - it may be necessity of intelligence that drives jobs to these foreign countries... countries that value education... a full, rounded education.

Back in the sixties, a time that you well remember, I'm sure, was a time when so many of us were connected to politics... we knew where Viet Nam was, not to mention learning our 50 states, where they were and what their capitol cities were. Not only politics were discussed, but among so many there were discussions on biology, psychology, philosophy, religions and so many of the 'sub-categories' that to engage in these conversations (even after having some 'puff') was enlightening and informing. There was an aire of knowledge that permeated anyone that had interest. Folk singers and the then popular music acts, to a large degree, sang about the world condition. Today's younger folks seem deaf and mute to the world condition, caring more about the latest fashion, the latest cool sound, their ride, the cell phone and Ipod, that has the ability to ignore our world.

The big question for many that were not there would be "What good did it do you?" A worthwhile question, actually. I think there began the great divide in this country - a divide that has grown to what we see today. The Great Divide is between what has come to be labeled Liberal and Conservative. The rise of the Conservative movement has dwarfed the liberal base and in so doing has reduced the need of a liberal education. The Conservative movement has won out any worthiness of anything that 'smells' of liberalism. But in so doing it has (inadvertantly?) crushed any form of idealism that Liberalism instills. One one hand we have a conservative base that treasures and defends its doctrines but ignores the other side of the equation... liberalism. In between this schism lies our youth... floundering for some stability, wavering on the edge of desperation for a solid and truthful voice to both understand their dilemma and desperation and to show them what needs to be done... the word 'need' emphasized here. Their wants are realtively fulfilled - easy credit ha indebited the youth (18 -30) by urging them to spend, spend, spend... but all this material gain has only fattened the corporate giant while leaving this market in debt for years to come. The younger amongst us have given up any hope of a decent future because their education has been reduced to how much money their schools can make, even if it means lying about the schools success in educating these kids. It apparently is not in the interest of this Conservative movement to give money to anyone for betterment. It is of no value for the Corporation to make anything less than profit for their stockholders, even if that entails lying and cheating to do so.

Our core value system has become so askewed that it has left our youth confused, poor in knowledge and a parasite on this country. We are left to suffer for this so-called conservative agenda that has snuck in with their own lies and treachery to manipulate what once was a country 'of the people, by the people, for the people."

If we cannot defeat ignorance, we will lose. We're hanging by a thread.

[enough]

I’m haven’t read the whole of this is discussion, I’ve only glanced through it …I came across this, decided to reply …

Our core value system has become so askewed that it has left our youth confused, poor in knowledge and a parasite on this country. We are left to suffer for this so-called conservative agenda that has snuck in with their own lies and treachery to manipulate what once was a country 'of the people, by the people, for the people."

If we cannot defeat ignorance, we will lose. We're hanging by a thread. - Cecil

First off, not all kids in this country are poor in knowledge and a parasite on this country.

Seocnd, as a parent of a youth in this country who is neither poor in knowledge or a parasite, though he does get confused from time to time, as do I - I take exception to your over generalization.

Nor is my son special or an exception in any way (except to me). Also, we are not wealthy and my son attends public schools. In fact, he’s one of many just like this – and because of this fact, I don’t understand how you could/would lump all youth into one pot, calling them parasites, like you just did. To me, that's senseless and unfair.

What he does have, and the rest like him have and what I’ve noticed makes a huge difference, is he has active, direct, hands-on parents that are actively involved in the education system, and who are also willing to do what they see/think/feel/desire should or needs to be done to supplement all the areas where the public school system isn’t matching their child’s needs.

If every kid go that … well, it would make a helluva difference, for both the kids and the schools.

In addition, I think it’s an error to look to our government to raise our children, and make our government responsible for this, responsible for what in essence we ourselves are the ones responsible for ~ our children's welfare. Having our government (local to national) support our efforts as we handle responsibilities is different than looking to our government to do this for us. In fact, it’s in placing our responsibilities in our governments hands instead of keeping them in our own that has caused many of the problems because from that removed place, they are no longer our children – they are only an obligation. They have become a thing, the very parasite to the shared monies that you’re speaking of, instead of remaining a person/child, in need. And if the youth is this country are falling down, it is NOT “the government’s” fault … it our fault - for having passed our responsiblites off to someone else, instead of handling them ourselves.

However, I do understand what you are saying about the importance of an education … as well as the debilitation of ignorance. But I'd like to remind you that Ignorance is not a permanent condition, but one that is fixable/curable – and not something we have to suffer with – but something we can suffer through.

Funny thing, this morning, my friend sent me this “joke” via email …

NO PARENT LEFT BEHIND

These are REAL notes written by PARENTS in a Tennessee school
District... (Spellings have been left intact.)

1-- MY SON IS UNDER A DOCTOR'S CARE AND SHOULD NOT TAKE PE TODAY.
PLEASE EXECUTE HIM.

2-- PLEASE EXKUCE LISA FOR BEING ABSENT SHE WAS SICK AND I HAD HER
SHOT.

3-- DEAR SCHOOL: PLEASE ECSC's JOHN BEING ABSENT ON JAN. 28, 29, 30,
31, 32 AND ALSO 33.

4-- PLEASE EXCUSE GLORIA FROM JIM TODAY. SHE IS ADMINISTRATING.

5-- PLEASE EXCUSE ROLAND FROM P.E. FOR A FEW DAYS. YESTERDAY HE FELL OUT OF A TREE AND MISPLACED HIS HIP.

6-- JOHN HAS BEEN ABSENT BECAUSE HE HAD TWO TEETH TAKEN OUT OF HIS FACE.

7-- CARLOS WAS ABSENT YESTERDAY BECAUSE HE WAS PLAYING FOOTBALL. HE WAS HURT IN THE GROWING PART.

8-- MEGAN COULD NOT COME TO SCHOOL TODAY BECAUSE SHE HAS BEEN BOTHERED BY VERY CLOSE VEINS.

9-- CHRIS WILL NOT BE IN SCHOOL CUS HE HAS AN ACRE IN HIS SIDE.

10-- PLEASE EXCUSE RAY FRIDAY FROM SCHOOL. HE HAS VERY LOOSE VOWELS.

11-- PLEASE EXCUSE PEDRO FROM BEING ABSENT YESTERDAY. HE HAD
(DIAHRE, DYREA, DIREATHE), THE SH**S. NOTE: [WORDS IN ( )'S WERE
CROSSED OUT]. (Love it!)

12-- PLEASE EXCUSE TOMMY FOR BEING ABSENT YESTERDAY. HE HAD
DIARRHEA, AND HIS BOOTS LEAK.

13-- IRVING WAS ABSENT YESTERDAY BECAUSE HE MISSED HIS BUST.

14-- PLEASE EXCUSE JIMMY FOR BEING. IT WAS HIS FATHER'S FAULT. {You
Know, this could be legit!}

15-- I KEPT BILLIE HOME BECAUSE SHE HAD TO GO CHRISTMAS SHOPPING
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT SIZE SHE WEAR.

16-- PLEASE EXCUSE JENNIFER FOR MISSING SCHOOL YESTERDAY. WE FORGOT TO GET THE SUNDAY PAPER OFF THE PORCH, AND WHEN WE FOUND IT MONDAY WE THOUGHT IT WAS SUNDAY.

17-- SALLY WON'T BE IN SCHOOL A WEEK FROM FRIDAY. WE HAVE TO ATTEND HER FUNERAL.

18-- MY DAUGHTER WAS ABSENT YESTERDAY BECAUSE SHE WAS TIRED. SHE SPENT A WEEKEND WITH THE MARINES. {I absolutely LOVE that one!}

19-- PLEASE EXCUSE JASON FOR BEING ABSENT YESTERDAY. HE HAD A COLD AND COULD NOT BREED WELL.

20-- PLEASE EXCUSE MARY FOR BEING ABSENT YESTERDAY. SHE WAS IN BED WITH GRAMPS.

21-- GLORIA WAS ABSENT YESTERDAY AS SHE WAS HAVING A GANGOVER.

22-- PLEASE EXCUSE BRENDA. SHE HAS BEEN SICK AND UNDER THE DOCTOR.

23-- MARYANN WAS ABSENT DECEMBER 11-16, BECAUSE SHE HAD A FEVER, SORE THROAT, HEADACHE AND UPSET STOMACH. HER SISTER WAS ALSO SICK, FEVER AN SORE THROAT, HER BROTHER HAD A LOW GRADE FEVER AND ACHED ALL OVER. I WASN'T THE BEST EITHER, SORE THROAT AND FEVER. THERE MUST BE SOMETHING GOING AROUND, HER FATHER EVEN GOT HOT LAST NIGHT.

NOW WE KNOW WHY PARENTS ARE SCREAMING FOR BETTER EDUCATION FOR OUR KIDS.
It's easy to be wise. Just think of something really stupid to say and
Don't say it.

–end of the joke

Ummm ~ End of a joke … which is no joke.

I guess I could feel hopeless over all this, but I don't ... instead I feel sad; but also determined, because all this does for me, is continue to point out the importance of being/staying actively involved.

I'm lucky in one regard, I'm not looking at just one section, or part - I don't have to see just one section or part, and because of this I don't feel as hopeless as some others might. Plus, each time I take actions in my own life I feel myself as this active member of society, instead society' victim.

Anyway, I have no point in my rambling ... just the comments I gave.

This is an interesting site:

http://www.gingkopress.com/_cata/_mclu/undemed.htm

About forty years ago, Marshall McLuhan, a Canadian professor and researcher, wrote a book, UNDERSTANDING MEDIA: THE EXTENSIONS OF MAN, in which he argued ( among other things) that "media" deserved closer critical attention.

There were many kinds of media according to McLuhan:

(paste)

The electric light escapes attention as a communication medium just because it has no 'content.' And this makes it an invaluable instance of how people fail to study media at all.

(end paste)

I often wonder how the "ipod" , into which all the students I see on college campuses are plugged more or less continuously, affects them. Certainly the ubiquitous cell phone, and the apparent ease with which young and old alike never give a thought to whether I am interested in hearing loud and clear one side of a conversation, has changed our public audio environment.

What McLuhan urged was more critical attention toward those things which deliver a "message" through the:

" . . . change of scale or pace or pattern that it introduces into human affairs."

Surely techno-gadgets like cell phones, ipods, blackberries ( is that what they're called?) and pervasive laptops fulfill these McLuhan-esque conditions.

But what do I know? I've never used a cell phone and don't own one. I don't own, and never have owned, a microwave oven. I haven't watched tv in over twenty years. And I don't have cable.

But wowwee-zowwee, how the Internet has changed my life I couldn't begin to tell you given a month of Sundays.

I do listen to the radio, which fundamentally changes my outlook-- my 1957 Zenith "Futur-o-matic" bedside radio still works, complete with alarm.

And I do watch BBC movies ( and other DVDs) which friends record for me off public television-- on my 15-inch 1982 Sony screen and a ninety-dollar Sony DVD player from Amazon.com.

But every college student I know thinks I'm an impossible fuddy-duddy when it comes to cool electronic and digital "gear."

I certainly agree with them.


Zlatko

Hi, Deb -

I see where you initially began your reply with:

I’m haven’t read the whole of this is discussion, I’ve only glanced through it …I came across this, decided to reply …

Within my little rant, I did include the following:

Altho it may not be 'PC' to condemn all students today, there is certainly a major disaster heading our way with those that come after us. I know you're aware of the horrendous decline in education in this country and may agree.

I congratulate you for having a great son, Deb, as I do myself for having (2) great boys. But I'm speaking not for exceptions (for which there are), but the statistics of our education system - from the lack of any geographical knowledge to the mathematical slide, and sciences and technological interests to those of other countries... given the fact that we have beautiful new schools fully equipped with the latest medernities (in many cases... no, not all), does not seem to make a great difference.

I stand by my conclusion on that rant..."If we cannot defeat ignorance, we will lose. We're hanging by a thread." I am speaking for our society in general when I wrote that.