

American Education: Much Worse Than You Think - mvs
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robin-koerner/american-education-worse_b_867129.html

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tokenadult
This submission mostly pertains to English grammar and style, and is based on
anecdotes. Another submission today

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2600580>

refers to mathematics, and is based on international data from two
scientifically designed series of educational achievement studies.

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friendstock
Yes, this seems a bit too anecdote-based. It would be good to pair the
anecdotes with statistics.

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suneliot
agree. pretty tough to make a universal claim off of a couple stories.

although, i do agree that ivy league education is very VERY overrated,
especially for the price tag. although, in some cases the brand may justify
the $.

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Jd
I was a willing victim of an Ivy-League humanities education and I learned
virtually nothing except that people will spend all kinds of money for
connections, since connections combined with frenetic activity is what leads
to more power and money in the current age. I also realized that the true
ticket to elitism is denying that one is an elite and then gushing for the
little man that one never sees but vaguely plans a tax credit or boost in
spending to (preferably at election time and without any measurable results).
I've seen so many grades go to people who simply towed the appropriate line I
stopped caring early on.

The simple fact is that the educational system is working for its intended
purposes. The American elite cares not that the elite has actual talent or
ability, only that it becomes a part of the next American elite, which since
the Boomers grew up has been primarily determined by saying the correct
political slogans. We assume, on the basis of some reality, that virtually
everyone is forced to play in our sandbox, so it doesn't matter if our own
citizens are educated well -- we can outsource virtually everything and import
finished products so long as our hands stay on the financial spigot.

Americans used to be great, they used to dominate the world by the force of
their actions, because they were great builders and, moreover, believed in
sacrificing for their nation and ideals. I think even of the great
entrepreneurs, the Fords, Rockefellers, and Carnegies that built empires on
fresh American soil -- and gave back virtually every penny to future
generations.

This present generation of elites is nothing but a bunch of dullards more
committed to talking about how much effort they spent avoiding military
service and making vague promises to the rest of the world on the basis of
Twitter and other things they didn't create, while pretending to cut back the
immense growth US government but then voting for military intervention and
pork projects as soon as a dollar slips into their grubby hands.

It is pitiful what this country has become. Since it is Memorial day, let me
say a word for our veterans. I salute you, I salute every American soldier who
has fought in every war that this nation has been engaged in, whether waged
under false pretenses or on the basis of true American ideals. You are the
backbone of this country. When I was in high school I facilitated a forum
where World War II vets told their stories to the upcoming generation. They
had hardened eyes and weathered bodies, showing the signs of those who had
stared death in the face -- and emerged victorious. There were many true
heroes among them, not dithering for some constituency, but wiling to pay the
ultimate sacrifice for the nation they loved.

This may make some uncomfortable, but I pray for this country, that it would
become what once was -- a nation dedicated to the proposition that all men are
created equal -- not that some people are more equal than others by inheriting
wealth or because of well-placed slogans. If we kill the American dream, we
kill America.

In some ways, that's why I believe in YCombinator so much. I think it is one
of the few ways where we can see the American dream flourish again.

The only way to a renewed America based again on hard work is through
entrepreneurship. Higher education will not voluntarily reform itself, it will
continue to inflate and suck up capital until their ugly bubble is popped by a
real alternative.

Unschool? Uncollege? I don't know, but do know that Khan and others committed
to math (and hopefully also a renewed humanities) will be a major contributing
factor to any chance America has to re-make itself.

Btw, if anyone is working on educational startup ideas, please contact me.

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realitygrill
I'm kicking around one (submitted to Imagine K12; rejected). Shoot me an
email!

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Jd
Done.

