US Adults Score Poorly On Worldwide Test 745
New submitter Norwell Bob sends this excerpt from an Associated Press report:
"It's long been known that America's school kids haven't measured well compared with international peers. Now, there's a new twist: Adults don't either. In math, reading and problem-solving using technology – all skills considered critical for global competitiveness and economic strength – American adults scored below the international average on a global test, according to results (PDF) released Tuesday."
Not surprised (Score:5, Funny)
It's a good thing... (Score:5, Funny)
...that the Secretary of Education is furloughed right now, or he'd have some explaining to do!
Interesting... (Score:4, Funny)
(Through the eyes of your average American)
America - Totally Normal, just slightly lacking on education...
Japan - Weird People, Known for Sushi, Nuclear incidents and Cosplay girls
Finland - Freaks, Known for Insane Death Metal Bands and Rally drivers
Canada - Canadians, Known for not being America
Netherlands - Druggies, Known for being full of pot smokers
Australia - Weird People, Known for all being criminals and bush rangers
Sweden - More Weird People, Known for tall blonde women, word's ending in "ooorgan" and "ski", and families who shower together
Norway - Must be Weird, Known for very little... I think it snows there
Flanders-Belgium - Freaks, make chocolate and not get fat
Czech Republic - Fucking Freaks, Known for street porn and getting mugged when travelling
Slovak Republic - Nutters, just look at Slovakia on a map, it's worse than cz..
Korea - Freaks, Known for having a north and south, wait Korea? do they have electricity there yet?
BTW, I am from Australia - clearly, the more crazy and fucked up your nation is, the smarter it's population is.
The solution is obvious (Score:5, Funny)
Tax cuts!
Re:It's a good thing... (Score:5, Funny)
This isn't new. We were warned about fluoridation back in the 1960s.
"Fluoridation is the most monstrously conceived and dangerous communist plot we have ever had to face." - General Jack D. Ripper
Re:Charles Darwin Wrote (Score:5, Funny)
Orangutans have a larger brain than us, and all they do is spend all day swinging around in trees, eating fresh fruit and having sex while we build cities, invent gods so we can torture ourselves with guilt, and go to war over sticky black goo in the ground.
Hmm...
Actually, it sounds like a bigger brain is better.
Re:No adult left behind (Score:5, Funny)
You want to improve things, it's not by going back to old teaching methods, it's by allowing teachers to teach thinking again and not by forcing them to be pawns in the organized "sheltering of young minds" that the administrations seem to be all too happy to go along with.
If there's one thing I've learned from the political narrative in the US, it is that teachers are government employees, too incompetent to tie their own shoes, let alone develop a curriculum and shape young minds. The only people we should trust with such sensitive tasks are the elected members of school boards, and possibly Congress. After all, those people are accountable to the voters, so they're guaranteed to have the people's best interest in mind. Teachers are only accountable to their unions, and we know that "union" is a euphemism for organized crime.
No, the way to fix our schools is to standardize on one message. In fact, technology allows us very easily to deliver exactly the same content to everyone. My proposal is that we contract K-12 education out to one of the existing MOOC companies and replace all those overpaid "teachers" with an iPad and a room monitor. We could even improve the security of our precious children by training the room monitors in appropriate defensive skills. Or even arming them. Nothing says "education" like a room full of kids being forced at gunpoint to watch indoctrination videos six hours a day. Brought to you by EduKart.
Re:Charles Darwin Wrote (Score:4, Funny)
That's nothing. Cats have basically enslaved vast numbers of humans to be their willing slaves, tending to their every whim and need.