Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-ncis!afit-ab!wbralick
From: wbralick@afit-ab.arpa (William A. Bralick)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: Are Americans Intellectually Inferior?
Message-ID: <811@afit-ab.arpa>
Date: 17 Jan 89 04:09:05 GMT
References: <14.UUL1.3#913@acw.UUCP>
Reply-To: wbralick@blackbird.afit.af.mil (William A. Bralick)
Distribution: na
Organization: Air Force Institute of Technology; WPAFB, OH
Lines: 35

In article <14.UUL1.3#913@acw.UUCP> scott@acw.UUCP (Scott Guthery) writes:
>Bret Jolly wonders if Americans are intellectually inferior.  The
>answer is a resounding "Really!" ... translation: Yes.  This
>is first and foremost a result of being subjected to a public
>education system that is run solely for the benefit of the unions
>that control it.

While avoiding the poke you take at the unions (which I believe are
irrelevant compared to other, more important issues) I think that it
is important to separate the issues of intellectual inferiority from
those of educational inferiority -- the latter we suffer from, and 
the former is merely slander.

>American children are hounded by mindless educrats
>pushing "self-esteem" and "skills acquisition" and precious little
>else from the time they're 4 until they're 24.  It takes its toll
>as any trip to the local Taco Bell will clearly demonstrate.

The more important issue here is the failure of the parents to take
responsibility for the education of their children (note I didn't
say to educate them, but to take the responsibility).  I look at
the public education system as adjunct faculty when it comes to
my childrens' education, not as the primary educators; the class
room has a 25+/1 student-to-teacher ratio, in our house we have a 
1/1 student-to-parent ratio.
 
> [the rest deleted ...]
>

Regards,
-- 
Will Bralick : wbralick@afit-ab.arpa  |  If we desire to defeat the enemy,
Air Force Institute of Technology,    |  we must proportion our efforts to 
                                      |  his powers of resistance.
with disclaimer;  use disclaimer;     |               - Carl von Clauswitz