Americans we can't possibly be THIS stupid!

[Nooksack]

That's painful to watch... on a shameless Obama plug:

These are the same people that thought Obama was going to CHANGE something!!!

I doubt many of these people voted... and those that did likely voted for McCain... and pulled their children from school when Obama addressed the nation about the importance of education, lol.

[bassman2546]

The only alarming thing about that clip is the people immediately feel that other countries should be invaded for terrorism and routinely spew out any and every country that pops into their heads. Ridiculous mindset!

[lisaparadise]

roflmfao

[trish]

Americans are 15th among the world in Reading, 23rd in Science and 31st in Math. For a nation that's presumes to be a world leader that's pretty stupid. The sad thing is we're proud of it. Our most popular politicos are anti-science, anti-intellectual and and anti-evolution. When a State needs to cut its budget, higher education always goes first. Because of repeated cuts to higher education over the recent decades our students go in hock for the cost of a small house just to get a bachelor's degree. K-12 in most States is funded primarily by local property taxes. Children of the well-off go to state of the art schools, the children of the poor, not so much. Colleges of education can be held up to blame as well. Prospective teachers waste most of their time taking courses in dodgy subjects like the psychology of learning and pedagogy and very little time learning the details and nuances of the actual subjects they will be expected to teach. School districts themselves are too occupied with sports and will hire a promising coach if he can double as lackluster math teacher. It's all pretty pathetic. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/op...16kristof.html

[lisaparadise]

Americans are 15th among the world in Reading, 23rd in Science and 31st in Math. For a nation that's presumes to be a world leader that's pretty stupid. The sad thing is we're proud of it. Our most popular politicos are anti-science, anti-intellectual and and anti-evolution. When a State needs to cut its budget, higher education always goes first. Because of repeated cuts to higher education over the recent decades our students go in hock for the cost of a small house just to get a bachelor's degree. K-12 in most States is funded primarily by local property taxes. Children of the well-off go to state of the art schools, the children of the poor, not so much. Colleges of education can be held up to blame as well. Prospective teachers waste most of their time taking courses in dodgy subjects like the psychology of learning and pedagogy and very little time learning the details and nuances of the actual subjects they will be expected to teach. School districts themselves are too occupied with sports and will hire a promising coach if he can double as lackluster math teacher. It's all pretty pathetic. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/op...16kristof.html

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/a0923110.html crazzy but canada kicks ass again.

[bassman2546]

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/a0923110.html crazzy but canada kicks ass again.

Wow, let's not underestimate those Fins. And I pity those poor Tunisians. I'm sure it has a lot to do with proper funding.

[onmyknees]

Americans are 15th among the world in Reading, 23rd in Science and 31st in Math. For a nation that's presumes to be a world leader that's pretty stupid. The sad thing is we're proud of it. Our most popular politicos are anti-science, anti-intellectual and and anti-evolution. When a State needs to cut its budget, higher education always goes first. Because of repeated cuts to higher education over the recent decades our students go in hock for the cost of a small house just to get a bachelor's degree. K-12 in most States is funded primarily by local property taxes. Children of the well-off go to state of the art schools, the children of the poor, not so much. Colleges of education can be held up to blame as well. Prospective teachers waste most of their time taking courses in dodgy subjects like the psychology of learning and pedagogy and very little time learning the details and nuances of the actual subjects they will be expected to teach. School districts themselves are too occupied with sports and will hire a promising coach if he can double as lackluster math teacher. It's all pretty pathetic. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/op...16kristof.html

Hey Trish....Mayor Bloomberg just hired an unqualified woman to be schools chancellor, and in DC there was perhaps the most forward thinking revolutionary chancellor in decades and she got her walking papers because of politics. Maybe it's the politicians? LOL
Everything you say is on balance true, but based on the most recent per-pupil expenditure figures, the average student enrolled in public school for the next 12 years can expect to have about $100,000 spent on his or her education. In NJ it's nearly 14K per student per year, so it ain't the money honey !!

[PEPE3Z]

Very funny, I love the face of the blonde girl who realizes USA starts with an U. That's real blonde !

[trish]

Everything you say is on balance true, but based on the most recent per-pupil expenditure figures, the average student enrolled in public school for the next 12 years can expect to have about $100,000 spent on his or her education.

So how do we reconcile the two? Easy. Most of that money is spent on the few, the lesser on the greater. This is because K-12 is financed largely by property taxes. Here is one point that you and I can agree upon: there are too many unfunded State and Federal Government mandates which our schools are forced to shoulder (from which, btw, private schools and voucher schools are exempt).

[bladex76]

Speeches from George W. bush's are the best he is the only president than make me watch a speech on tv he was just funny